Dear Colleagues,
I write to you with exciting news regarding the next step on Unity College’s Path Forward. Today, I am pleased to share with you the formal announcement of the Unity College Technical Institute for Environmental Professions, set to open in Fall 2021. This is a new Sustainable Education Business Unit (SEBU) located at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, ME. The Technical Institute for Environmental Professions (TIEP) will incorporate a mix of in-person and online learning to offer associate degrees, certificates, and micro-credentials focused on career-readiness in Southern Maine.
By connecting with industry leaders, we are able to identify skill gaps, upskilling, and training opportunities within organizations in Southern Maine and the surrounding area to create education offerings to support workforce development for in-demand jobs. In keeping in line with our Enterprise Model, the Institute will support a new audience not currently served by Sustainable Ventures, Hybrid Learning, or Distance Education.
The Institute will aim to reach learners within an approximate 200-mile radius of its location, specifically in the Lewiston/Auburn and Portland areas. With an intentional design to keep costs low for students, the education offerings at the Institute are in line with Unity College’s focus on accessible, affordable, and flexible education. We understand that not everyone who wants to learn from us is interested in a full bachelor’s degree, and the Institute is designed to meet the needs of those learners.
To lead this exciting new SEBU, I am thrilled to share that Dr. Amardeep Kahlon is joining Unity College as the Dean of the Technical Institute for Environmental Professions. Dr. Kahlon comes to Unity College from Austin Community College in Austin, Texas where she served as an Assistant Dean of Distance Learning and External Partnerships as well the director of the Women in Technology Program. In addition, she has been a teaching professor for over two decades. I encourage you to read the press release to learn more about Dr. Kahlon’s incredible breadth of experience and her passion for this work. We are truly fortunate to welcome her to the team!
Often, I write to you with updates on the negative trends in higher education, and today, I am changing the conversation by demonstrating how Unity College is doing things differently. Our industry is one that is a victim of its own design, and unfortunately, many are unwilling to adapt in order to survive. I am confident in the future of Unity College because we are committed to truly putting students first and adapting to meet their needs by continuing to create options that are accessible.
I continue to be thankful for the work each of you do to ensure the long-term sustainability of Unity College. To say I am proud to do this important work with you would be an understatement. You show up every day ready to put students first, to think beyond what traditional higher education has created, and push the status quo.
As we continue to build out the various components of the Institute, I look forward to sharing this progress with you along the way. Please, take a moment to read the press releases on our website linked in this letter and consider what this means for our future. This is an exciting day for Unity College, worthy of celebration!
With Pride,
MPK
Dr. Melik Peter Khoury
President
Unity College
