Melik’s Memo — May 2023
It’s spring, and our little birds have just flown from the nest! On May 13th Unity Environmental University graduated hundreds of environmental stewards who are now heading out into the world to make our planet a more sustainable place for generations to come.
Many of those graduates walked the stage at historic Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine. By 2025, more than 1,000 Unity graduates will be eligible to walk, and we are thrilled to have this grand space as home to Unity’s May commencements for years to come. Check out some of the highlights of this year’s commencement by clicking the photo below.
We’ve heard so many incredible stories from our recent graduates! It is my honor to introduce a couple of our newest alumni and let you hear a bit about their experience in their own words. Of course, you can find many more alumni stories by following us on Facebook!
Fredell Campbell, Master of Professional Science in Wildlife Conservation and Management, Unity College class of 2023.
“I abide in the west suburbs of the Greater Chicago area, Illinois, and chose Unity for its career-building curriculum and flexible distance learning program. This school allowed me to work full-time while gaining the experience to build a professional career in science. My degree is in Wildlife Conservation and Management, and I chose this career because I desire to understand and manage wildlife, providing new information to scientists to make better decisions.”
Read more about Fredell’s journey by clicking on this link.
Paige Cardile, Bachelor of Science in Animal Health and Behavior, Unity College class of 2023.
“Before coming to Unity, I was studying Journalism and Media Production at Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL. Halfway through my studies there I had a self-realization moment that I should be doing what I’m truly passionate about – which is my love for caring for animals and wildlife. And thus my switch over to Unity began, and I haven’t looked back since.”
Read more about Paige’s journey by clicking on this link.
If you or somebody you know is interested in starting their educational journey— you can find an option that fits every type of student here at Unity!
What’s in a Name? A Whole Lot!
In case you missed it, Unity College is now Unity Environmental University. This new name, mission, and vision reflects the College’s evolution from a small, private liberal arts college to a Master’s College & University as recognized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
We look forward to showing you our new logos and branding in the coming months.
You can learn much more about Project Evolution here on our website.
Or by checking out some of the many news articles about this exciting announcement!
- Unity College continues transformation with ‘name augmentation’ – CentralMaine.Com
- Unity College is changing its name to better reflect environmental mission – Maine Public
- Unity College changes its name along with how it offers education – Waldo County Village Soup
- Unity College Announces its New Name – News Center Maine
New Trustees
To help usher in our new name and mission, I am proud to introduce you to our three new trustees. After a year-long process of vetting a competitive pool of candidates, the Board Governance Task Force of Unity Environmental University recently announced the addition of Elizabeth Dahlen, Jacqueline M. Sturdivant, and Holly J. Logue.
All are envisioning an incredible journey of growth and transformation as Unity progresses into a vibrant institution of the future.
You can read all about them and hear why they are excited to join the Unity team in their own words in our recent press release.
Inclusion Maine Conference
Earlier this spring I was honored to be a featured panelist at the Inclusion Maine Conference alongside Tae Chong, Adilah Muhammad, Tarlan Ahmadov, and Julia Trujillo Luengo.
The panel of state leaders, which was moderated by Marwa Hassanien, focused on current challenges and strategies to support attracting and retaining multicultural talent in Maine. I was proud to challenge the crowd of more than 400 people to help us change the conversation from being allies to being champions for diversity and belonging.
What about you? What is your story? We invite you to update your information here and let us know what you are up to.
As always, please contact me at president@unity.edu, with any questions or comments you may have.
With Pride,
Dr. Melik Peter Khoury
President
