In less than a month, I will stand on the stage at Merrill Auditorium and look out at the Unity graduating class of 2026, the largest in our history. Nearly 1,300 students, with every state in the nation represented. Each year, that moment resets something in me. This year, it will be unlike any before it.
These graduates carry degrees that reflect the urgency of the world they are entering, Animal Health and Behavior, Wildlife Conservation, Marine Biology and Sustainable Aquaculture, and many more. They are not waiting to be asked. They are already heading out to do the work.
This year’s student speaker is Tami, one of those Marine Biology and Sustainable Aquaculture graduates. A former dental hygienist, a single mother, who at 42 enrolled in that program, completed internships in South Africa and Iceland, and is now a Coral Restoration Technician at Florida Sea Base heading into a Master’s Degree in Marine Conservation Biology. She will tell her own story on May 9th. I won’t try to tell it better than she will. What I will say is that she is exactly the student we built this institution to serve.
May Commencement
Bill Nye, engineer, educator, climate advocate, and CEO of The Planetary Society, will deliver the keynote address. With decades of experience inspiring curiosity and championing a better future, he is certain to deliver a message that will stick with our graduates for years to come. This will be another Unity speaker to remember! Everything you need to know about Commencement can be found here.
What the Rankings Are Actually Saying
The 2025 Social Mobility Index named Unity #15 in the country for economic mobility, top 1% nationally and #1 in Maine for the third consecutive year.
In 2023, we ranked #163. The index asks a hard question: does this institution actually change the economic trajectory of the students it admits? We believe the answer is yes, and we see it every day.
New Pathways to a Unity Degree
We continue to build the most direct, affordable routes to a bachelor’s degree for students wherever they are in life.
This spring, we formalized a ProStart Articulation Agreement with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. ProStart students, graduates of a two-year high school CTE program operating in more than 2,200 schools across 49 states, now receive 12 transfer credits toward a Unity Career Edge Applied Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Innovation and Food Systems or Sustainable Business Management, saving roughly five months and $5,600 on the path to graduation.
We have also expanded our community college articulation agreements, now offering formal transfer pathways from ten partner colleges in Maine and New Hampshire. What makes these agreements exceptional is the block transfer model: rather than evaluating credits course by course, Unity accepts the entire associate degree as a block. Graduates of a partner college enter a Unity 120-credit bachelor’s program with 90 credits already complete, or a 90-credit applied bachelor’s program with 60 credits already in hand. No redundancy. No starting over. Just a clear, direct path to finishing what they started. Partner colleges include Central Maine Community College, Washington County Community College, York County Community College, and seven institutions in the Community College System of New Hampshire.
The Couri Graduate School of Business
We also recently announced the establishment of the Couri Graduate School of Business, made possible by a transformative endowment from Elaine and John Couri. Two sustainability-focused graduate programs are launching, a Sustainable MBA in Climate-Ready Business and a Master of Professional Science in Sustainable Finance, with every dollar restricted to student-facing purposes: graduate grants, paid internships, and fully funded immersive experiences at our Sky Lodge campus. Learn More.
A Tradition of Gratitude and Impact
On May 9th, some graduates will walk across that stage wearing a Purple Philanthropy Cord, earned by making a cumulative gift of $100 during their time at Unity. It is a small act with a long reach, helping ensure the next student who arrives at a crossroads finds the same door open. Supporting the next generation of Unity students isn’t reserved for a select few, anyone who believes in this mission can make a difference. Already, more than 30 generous people have stepped up to prove just that, by donating thousands of dollars to this important cause. Donate today.
Thank you for being a part of our vibrant network and for your dedication to making a positive impact on our world. Don’t forget to tell us about yourself! What is your story? We invite you to update your information here and let us know what you’re up to. As always, please contact me at president@unity.edu with any questions or comments you may have.
