Courtesy / Unity Environmental University
Melik Peter Khoury
Updated: March 1, 2023
Unity College taps into its environmental strength with rebranding
File PHOTO
Unity Environmental University's Technical Institute for Environmental Professions in New Gloucester. A recent name changes better defines the university's identity, administrators said.
By Ann Fisher
The name change, which has been approved by the Maine Department of Education and the New England Commission of Higher Education, will start to be phased in over the next few months.
More Information
More Information
Unity College administrators say "it's all in the name" as it adopts a new identity to reflect its concentration on careers in environmental studies and sustainability.
Unity Environmental University better reflects an evolution from a small, private liberal arts college to a master’s college and university, as recognized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the school said this week.
The rebranding also reflects a place of higher learning that offers associate, baccalaureate and master’s degree programs, as well as non-credit courses.
Located primarily in New Gloucester, the university has added a revised vision statement and a new mission statement to accompany the new name.
“We are thrilled to take this important step forward in our evolution as an institution dedicated to preparing students for careers in sustainability, environmental science, and conservation,” said Melik Peter Khoury, president of Unity Environmental University. “This name better reflects who we are today as a multi-faceted institution that is committed to creating a better, more equitable world for future generations.”
Unity jumped up the rankings in the 2023 Mainebiz Book of Lists, to No. 2 on the list of Maine's largest colleges and universities, based on enrollment of 5,107. In the previous year, it ranked No. 11, with 1,198 students. The shift included a greater portion of students studying remotely. The school also shifted its headquarters from the longtime campus in Unity, Waldo County, to the Pineland Farms campus in New Gloucester, in southern Maine.
Unity's focus
Unity is already known for its concentration on ecological and sustainable studies and as a training ground for the Maine Warden Service. A sampling of degrees offered includes environmental science and climate change; marine biology and sustainable aquaculture; and "Sustainable Business Management: Adventure Ecotourism."
Erika Lattyn, chief academic officer, said, “as Unity has expanded offerings to include multiple degree levels and skill-based, stackable credentials it was important for the College to adopt a new name that broadly communicates a more holistic picture of our offerings.”
A revamped vision statement declares the core tenets of the institution are "dedicated to delivering quality education and experiences that produce outstanding environmentally competent professionals and inspire individuals from all walks of life to steward sustainable ecosystems.”
The new vision statement defines “A multifaceted organization recognized as the thought leader in global ecological, economic, and societal solutions.”
The name change, which has been approved by the Maine Department of Education and the New England Commission of Higher Education, will start to be phased in over the next few months. By fall 2023, new outdoor signs will start popping up at all the university's locations and a marketing campaign will roll out revised logos, a new tagline, webpage updates, and social media posts. Documents will be updated to reflect the new name, vision and mission. Transcripts and diplomas displaying the augmented name will become available to students. The transformation is expected to be complete in 2024. For more information, including a timeline of changes, see unity.edu/evolution.
Unity's headquarters, college distance education, the Technical Institute for Environmental Professions, and Sustainable Ventures are located at the physical campus at Pineland Farms. The university's other locations include a working farm and research center in Thorndike, just outside Unity, and Moose River in Holeb Township, not far from the Canadian border in Somerset County.
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments