Dear members of the University of Maine and University of Maine at Machias communities,
Summer is anything but quiet at the University of Maine and its regional campus in Machias. New students are beginning their 91¸£Àû journey, our financial services team is working to implement new aid regulations and maintain learner access to our institutions and opportunity, educators are sharing best practices, and young people are exploring engineering, the arts, athletics, and the outdoors.
Behind each of these experiences are faculty, staff, and students whose dedication makes our university a vibrant place to learn, discover, and connect.
Thank you!
One of the highlights of the summer has been welcoming our incoming students and their families to Orono for New Student Orientation. They explored residence halls, met future classmates, attended information sessions, and, for many, began to picture 91¸£Àû as home.
That same spirit continues across our campuses and centers all summer long. We recently welcomed educators from around the world for the Summer Educators Institute and the Leadership for Professional Learning Symposium, fostering the needed exchange of ideas about teacher recruitment and retention, educator leadership, and the future of schools.
Experiential learning is also taking place in Machias, where a partnership with our marine field station, the Downeast Institute, offers students a two-week introductory oceanography course. Students earn university credit while exploring Maine’s marine environment through hands-on learning along the beautiful Bold Coast.
Summer also brings a wide range of programs for Maine PK-12 students, who we hope will be future Black Bears. These include engineering and computing experiences, Upward Bound college-preparation programs, arts and cultural opportunities, athletic camps, and 4-H youth development programs across the state — including Bryant Pond Camp, the Tanglewood Learning Center in Lincolnville, Greenland Point Conservation Camp in Princeton, and Blueberry Cove in St. George.
These activities demonstrate the many ways our university fulfills its teaching, research, and public service mission throughout the year.
One thing that has stood out to me this summer is that visitors are not simply hearing about our future; they are experiencing it firsthand. They see a university addressing deferred maintenance, expanding opportunities, and strategically preparing for the future. Despite the broader pressures facing higher education and our university, we remain committed to advancing student success, serving Maine, and keeping our mission front and center because Maine’s success depends on its flagship university and largest driver of educational attainment and economic development.
As visitors make their way across our Orono campus, they pass the nearly completed GEM facility and Sustainable Aquaculture Workforce Innovation Center. Nearby, Morse Arena continues to rise as part of the future Harold Alfond Athletics Village. In Machias, planning is also underway for a new Early College Student Success Center, which will provide high school students with a dedicated space to connect, access academic support, and strengthen their transition to college and careers.
Together, these capital projects represent one of the most significant periods of investment in our university’s history. This support from our federal, state, philanthropic, and private partners reflects confidence in our mission and strengthens our ability to serve our students and Maine for years to come.
We look forward to welcoming a new class of students to both campuses next month. In Orono, Black Bear Bridge Week will introduce incoming students to campus life before the academic year begins. In Machias, New Student Orientation will welcome new and transfer students the weekend before classes begin.
Whether someone visits for orientation, a conference, a camp, or another program, they experience an R1 learner-centered university that is continually investing in its students, its employees, and in Maine’s brighter future. That progress is made possible by our faculty and staff. Through your dedication, care, and daily efforts, you help ensure that everyone who spends time on our campuses and centers sees and experiences our public university at its best.
Thank you.
Joan Ferrini-Mundy,ÌýPresident
University of Maine and University of Maine at Machias
