Melik’s Memo: February 2024
We are off to an exciting start in 2024. We now enroll over 7,500 students from all 50 states, U.S. territories, and 21 countries. This milestone reflects the institution’s innovative approach to education and commitment to affordability and accessibility!
I am also quite proud of the fact that our institution was ranked #1 in Maine on the Social Mobility Index. We fall in the top 15% out of 1,200 schools evaluated nationwide. A whopping 31% of our learners are first-generation college students!
We will continue to innovate to ensure our unique programs are accessible to anybody who wants an environmental-based education.
Exciting New Academic Programs
To foster our expansion, we’ve introduced a new suite of programs catering to Maine and the nation’s expanding hospitality and tourism sector.
Our latest offerings, a B.S. in Tourism Destination Management and a B.S. in Regenerative Hotel Management, signify the start of this new educational series focused on the evolving needs of this dynamic industry.
You can learn more about these new programs in the article that was recently published in Maine Biz.
Partnering with New Preferred Employers
As an outcomes-based institution it is crucial that we do everything possible to ensure our students leave Unity with a great career.
To help support those efforts we recently announced a significant expansion of our Preferred Employer Program, welcoming over two dozen new organizations into our network.
These mission-aligned partners represent a diverse array of opportunities for our students and graduates, embodying Unity’s vision of nurturing professionals dedicated to ecological and societal sustainability.
UCCA Donation
With our institution in a strong and stable position, we decided to make a bold decision and donate the UCCA to the Ecology Learning Center of Maine in collaboration with the Unity Foundation and its leader Larry Sterrs.
This property, and all that it encompasses, is worth over $1 million dollars. Instead of leasing the building, or selling it to another group, we wanted to ensure its legacy lived on through an environmental mission-aligned organization that would breathe new life into it.
This move is not just about transferring ownership; it’s about breathing new life into the property, fostering a space where ecological learning and sustainability can flourish. We eagerly anticipate the innovative and impactful ways the Ecology Learning Center will utilize this remarkable resource.
Check out the recent articles in Bangor Daily News and Maine Biz to learn more about this landmark decision!
May Commencement
We are elated to welcome graduates back to the historic halls of Merrill Auditorium for our May Commencement on Saturday, May 11, at 2 PM.
Stay tuned in the next month for an exciting announcement of our May Commencement speaker! More details can be found on our dedicated Commencement page.
