For the past several years, Unity College has been building out its Enterprise Education model, in which three key arms of the College — Flagship, Distance Education, and Sustainable Ventures — known as Sustainable Education Business Units (SEBUs), seek to discover new audiences and tailor the curriculum or services offered to best meet the needs of those audiences. Since implementing this model, each SEBU has seen a lot of growth, so much so that it has become necessary to develop new vice president leadership roles to oversee them.

We are pleased to announce the vice presidents of both Unity College’s Distance Education and Flagship SEBUs. 

In July, Dr. Amy Arnett, who previously served as the Chief Distance Education Officer, was named Vice President of Distance Education at Unity College, and last week, Zach Falcon, Associate Professor of Conservation Law and Environmental Policy, was named Vice President of Flagship after a series of interviews with both faculty and staff.

Dr. Amy Arnett Zach Falcon

Arnett began her career at Unity College as an Assistant Professor of Ecology, while Falcon started as an Adjunct Instructor for Introduction to Criminal Justice and Environmental Law. Both have worked their way up the ladder over their time at Unity College, taking on increasing responsibilities along the way. These new roles and the change in leadership structure stems from Leadership in Abundance, an initiative implemented in 2015 to create a flatter administrative model, ensuring Unity College’s senior-level team share responsibility for meeting strategic institutional goals.  

“Dr. Amy Arnett has been with Unity College for about 20 years now, and Zach Falcon has been with us for seven years. In their time here, both have shown an undeniable dedication to our mission and our students, and have a true vision for the future of Distance Education and our Flagship,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. “I want our community — in particular our students, both traditional four-year residential and adult learners across the country — to see this restructuring of leadership as an investment in their education. Both Amy and Zach will be dedicated resources to focus on the outcomes of their respective SEBUs.” 

Under this new Enterprise structure, Arnett and Falcon will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the SEBU while overseeing growth and change. They will report and collaborate with President Khoury, and also partner with the College’s chief officers who are dedicated to continuing the Enterprise build-out.

“Even though I have been in a leadership role with the College’s Distance Education program for several years now, earning the title of Vice President is certainly an honor, and it demonstrates Unity College’s commitment to our students and our team,” said Arnett. “Distance Education has grown so much since its inception, and I’m looking forward to leading that growth well into the future.”

Arnett received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Michigan, her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Vermont, and conducted her postdoctoral research at the University of Nebraska on the impact of invasive species on native communities. She studies insect ecology, has been published in ecology and entomology journals, and was a 2009 Fulbright Scholar.

“I am excited at the opportunity to help further the Unity College mission at this critical moment in our growth as an institution,” said Falcon. “Unity students are unique – their passion for the environment and commitment to changing the world through meaningful work is inspiring. I look forward to working with President Khoury to support our students and secure the future of the Flagship. The faculty and staff of the Flagship are tireless in their dedication to the work of Unity, and I am proud to be joining in the effort in this new role.” 

Falcon earned his bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Columbia University, and then attended the University of Michigan Law School. After working as a lawyer for several years in Washington, D.C., and Alaska, Falcon decided to take his career in a completely different direction, earning his master’s degree in Fiction at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa in 2009. He moved to Maine with his wife, Kacey, and joined Unity College as an adjunct faculty member in 2012. 

“Small private colleges face a number of headwinds,” added Falcon, “but I am very optimistic about the future of the Flagship. I am committed to building upon our considerable strengths and celebrating our successes as we develop a student-focused path forward.”