BIDDEFORD — The University of New England has launched its comprehensive fundraising campaign, “Doing Our Part.”
UNE President James Herbert made the official campaign launch announcement at halftime during the University’s Homecoming football game against the University of Rochester on Saturday, Sept. 23.
“Doing Our Part” represents a profoundly transformational moment for UNE, in which strategic, student-centric investments in programs and infrastructure will enable the university to provide an unmatched educational experience.
Such investments include the new Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences, which will house the university’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM); the establishment of new, high-demand undergraduate and graduate programs and majors; expanded scientific research capacity; and increased scholarships and financial aid for students.
“UNE has been growing its programs and reputation across a variety of essential fields in recent years,” said Herbert. “Thanks to the success of our students and alumni, we have so much momentum — and we want to make the most of it. This transformational campaign will allow UNE to invest even more heavily in the unique educational experience that we provide for our students, so they can graduate ready to embark on valuable careers and lives that make the world a better place.”
Campaign Priorities – Medical and Health Education
UNE has already made significant progress in achieving its campaign goals.
Last November, with support from a $30 million gift from the Harold Alfond Foundation and an additional $5 million in federal omnibus spending, UNE broke ground on the Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences (HBACHS) — the new home of UNE COM — on the University’s newly renamed Portland Campus for the Health Sciences.
The relocation of its medical school from Biddeford will allow UNE to graduate 35 more doctors each year and will bring together nearly all of the University’s health professions programs onto a single campus — an unprecedented model in New England, in which students in the state’s only medical school, dental school, and physician assistant program, will collaborate directly with their peers studying nursing, social work, pharmacy, physical and occupational therapy, nurse anesthesia, and psychiatric nursing, among others.
New Programs
The campaign will also have resounding effects for students on the Biddeford campus. UNE will repurpose and expand much-needed space in Biddeford for its renowned programs in the marine sciences, as well as new, market-aligned programs in business, criminology, aquaculture, communications, data science, computer science, special education, and more.
Research
The campaign will invest in scientific research and education to better prepare students to meet pressing global challenges, like climate change and sea level rise, as well as establish UNE as a biomedical research powerhouse for the state of Maine. In 2022, UNE received the most funding from the National Institutes of Health of any college or university in Maine at over $4 million.
Access to Education
Finally, the campaign will encourage more students to seek out a UNE education through increased scholarship funds and financial aid. Such investments will allow these students to enjoy the benefits of a UNE degree, including experiential learning, a supportive and welcoming environment, and a phenomenal return on investment on their education.
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