University of New England
Entrepreneur, speedboat racer, commercial real estate broker and philanthropist Arthur P. Girard.
October 31, 2022
UNE names second building after longtime benefactor
University of New England
The former National Guard armory is now housing Innovation Hall.
A second University of New England campus building was dedicated today to a longtime benefactor who has previously donated more than $4 million to the university along with an island and a research vessel.
The Arthur P. Girard Innovation Hall on the Portland campus recognizes the commercial real estate broker and philanthropist for his generosity over the years. In addition to monetary donations, he donated Ram Island off the coast of Portland in 2015, and a research vessel called the Sharkology. The island serves as a marine research field station for UNE’s Marine Science programs based out of the Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center on UNE's Biddeford campus.
Innovation Hall is the home of UNE’s Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center. It includes seven simulation labs with adjoining fully-equipped control rooms, debriefing rooms, classrooms and large-scale function space.
In 2016 UNE named the Marine Science Center in his honor. In 2017 UNE made Girard an honorary alumnus, and in 2018 gifted a Fresnel lens for the Ripich Commons.
An entrepreneur, speedboat racer, commercial real estate broker, and philanthropist, Girard has often been associated with preserving historical and natural landmarks such as lighthouses and the land on which they sit.
“I grew up on the waters of Saco Bay, and I have always had an interest in these coastal waters,” Girard said in a prepared release. ”I knew UNE’s Marine Science programs would benefit from having Ram Island as a place for students to carry out research.”
Born in New York City, he moved to Portland and attended public schools here. He served three years in the Maine National Guard, followed by three years of active duty in the U.S. military, and enlisted at the Armory on Stevens Avenue (Now home to Innovation Hall) in 1952. He worked as an auto mechanic until he saved enough to buy his own garage. From there, he began developing commercial real estate.
UNE President James Herbert remarked in the release, “Art’s vision and generosity have been instrumental to UNE’s growth over the past decade. This facility named in his honor will be central to UNE’s creation of a unique health sciences campus in Portland, where we will train the next generation of doctors, dentists, pharmacists and other health care professionals, while conducting cutting-edge biomedical research.”
The dedication will take place at 5:30 p.m. at 772 Stevens Ave., Portland.
UNE is the state’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, and a variety of other healthcare degree programs.
It has over 6,500 students, including approximately 2,300 on-campus undergraduates, 1,600 on-campus graduate students, and 2,600 online students.
UNE was ranked No. 5 among Maine’s largest colleges and universities in the 2022 Mainebiz Book of Lists, based on full-time undergraduate enrollment as of fall 2021. It was also ranked No.11 among the largest nonprofits ranked by assets for fiscal year 2019.
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments