Get Involved
Being part of the UNE community means being involved. There are plenty of ways to get involved on the Biddeford Campus. From playing on one of the University’s 18 athletic teams, to joining one of the many available clubs and organizations, to attending events and lectures, your involvement in campus life can be as extensive as you want it to be.
Clubs and Organizations
Meeting with students and faculty outside of the classroom is part of what makes a college experience personally meaningful. With more than 100 clubs and organizations from which to choose, you’re sure to find a place where you belong. Whatever your interest — whether it is academics or theater, community-based service or LGBTQ issues, student government or club sports, figure skating or surfing — you’re sure to find like-minded students and faculty eager to share in your passion.
Megan DeMorris ’20
Why UNE
The atmosphere and how nice everyone is at UNE really drew me here. I also like how quaint the campus is. We’re right on the water, and just walking around on campus, people hold the door open for you, say hi to you, and don’t ignore you. You’re actually a person here. You can walk up to anyone or walk around the hallways and start a full-on conversation with anyone.
I wanted to be an occupational therapist right out of high school because of an internship where I shadowed OTs, PTs, and speech therapists. As I've started in the major, it's very inclusive of all areas of wellness, and it's a very holistic way of looking at health — I really liked that aspect of it. It’s a person-based major and career path, which is something that's really important as our society is moving away from that.
Beyond the Classroom
I got really involved with Outing Club second semester of my first year. By the end of the semester, I ran for club president and got it. For two years, I was doing that and planning all of the trips. I started our first annual spring break trip, which was really exciting and super successful.
We went out to Utah to Zion National Park with 10 people. I came up with the idea for a spring break trip because we do so many awesome, cool things anyway, I felt like, why not take that extra step? I chose different hikes for different days and found an affordable campground right near the national park. We coordinated to book flights, made a plan for food — then we just went for it.
There were two days that we hiked Angels Landing, which was incredible. Then we did Observation Point, which is an 8-mile roundtrip hike that’s unexplainably pretty. We even saw snow at one point on that trail, but we were also in the desert, so it was really unique. On the other days, we did a bunch of smaller hikes. It was a really good bonding experience — the people from that trip are some of my closest friends.
Set For Success
After graduation, I am going to apply to grad schools. I'm probably going to stay at UNE and go to the M.S.O.T. program. I think the way we’re taught lets you know what to expect and really helps you succeed in whatever program you're going to go into. There are so many resources on campus that help you through the steps of getting into grad school or job searches. UNE also helped me find and assisted me in applying for my upcoming internship with Momentum in Windham.
UNE is the perfect place to go if you are looking for a small school. All of the professors have been absolutely amazing, and I don't think that you find that at a lot of places. The professors and advisors that I have go out of their way to assist me and make me comfortable and a priority. All of them know me by name and have a sense of what I'm doing with my life and my interests and hobbies. They just really want you to succeed. I think that's an important part of going to school.
I got really involved with Outing Club, we went out to Utah to Zion National Park [for spring break]. We coordinated to book flights, made a plan for food — then we just went for it. We hiked Angels Landing, Observation Point, and a bunch of smaller hikes. It was a really good bonding experience — the people from that trip are some of my closest friends.
Athletics
UNE’s Biddeford Campus is home to 18 sports teams, including basketball, volleyball, ice hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, golf, football, rugby, track and field, and cross-country running. Our Alfond Forum boasts state-of-the-art athletic facilities and is located between UNE’s Blue Storm Stadium, Blue Bolt Field, and Nor’easter Diamond — our blue, synthetic turf fields.
Jaymeson Maheux ’23
Exceptional Teaching and Learning
The professors [at UNE] are really cool. They are willing to help you with anything. They’re easy to talk to. I like how calm the classroom environment is. The professors make it possible for it to be a two-way street — it’s not just that they are there to lecture you; they’re also there to listen. They will teach something by the books, or something you ask about specifically, or do hands-on examples. All of it is beneficial.
All of my classes tie together — gross anatomy, A&P, athletic prevention, and injury. Maybe I’m learning about a muscle in gross anatomy, but then in athletic prevention and injury, I’m learning about how this muscle can be hurt, what to do if it is hurt, how to make it better, and how long that will take. In A&P, we talk about what makes muscles work. We go into the in-depth details of blood circulation. It all ties together, which helps me learn better because I learn the whole picture.
What I really like is that I'm able to take the concepts that I learn and apply them to myself as an athlete and help myself. In athletic prevention and injury, I learn how to prevent myself from being injured and help myself stay healthy. It also helps me help other people, like even on my own team. I can apply what I am learning to my everyday life because I am still an athlete, but I am learning at the same time. I think that’s a very cool thing.
Welcoming Community
The football community really helped me feel comfortable. Being here for summer football camp, I spent every day with my teammates, and we really built a family. It allowed me to adjust into school easier because I started off my first year having friends.
My team helped me feel like I fit in. Adversity is nothing new to me, and I like challenges, but having coaches who are really cool and teammates who I relate to really made a big impact for me. Our coaches listen to us and will help us with anything.
One of my teammates led a march on campus in honor of George Floyd and all the people who were killed from police brutality. It was something very special because our coach took us seriously and helped us put it together. Our original plan was to sit out our practice, but our coach encouraged us to bring the whole UNE community together and make this big, positive impact. It brought us together as a team and as a broader community. It was really good to see not just athletes show up. I didn’t expect that many people to come.
Why UNE
UNE provides a great education. There are some very cool people here, and it’s easy to talk to professors and coaches. You feel like you don’t have to figure out an entire new place and system on your own because you have people looking out for you and advising you on what’s best for you. You don’t feel like you’re here by yourself.
Being here for summer football camp, I spent every day with my teammates, and we really built a family. It allowed me to adjust into school easier because I started off my first year having friends.
Leadership Opportunities
If you have strong leadership abilities or wish to develop them, the ULead Student Leadership Program offers the training and education you need to be the best leader you can be throughout your college career and beyond. You not only enhance your college experience, but you build the confidence, skills, and know-how to become a leader in whatever avenues you pursue in the future. ULead Students are encouraged to explore options such as the Annual Fall Leadership Retreat, the Orientation Leader Program, and other great opportunities.
Events
From the ringing of the UNE bell during an autumn sunset over the Saco River on First Night, to Homecoming, events on campus mark the passage of time and lend a sense of continuity and community to life at UNE. Harvest Fest, Winter Lighting, and the 50-plus year tradition of a faculty- and staff-served Thanksgiving Dinner are some of the events you can look forward to in the first semester. In the spring, you can have a blast at the Doc Samuel’s Variety Show, the Spring Semi-Formal Dance, and cap off the year with the Spring Concert.
Wellness
We recognize the importance of self-care and whole-person wellness in order for students to thrive both personally and academically. Our Campus Center Fitness and Wellness Team provides a vast array of activities, assessments, experiences, and opportunities to help students grow into healthy, confident working professionals. Our many playing fields provide space for sport, while nearby outdoor recreation venues allow for swimming, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, skiing, and more. Prefer to get your exercise indoors? Fitness centers, courts, tracks, a pool, and an ice arena provide the workout space you need to stay fit.
Intercultural Life
The Office of Community and Belonging promotes a welcoming and inclusive campus environment that supports the leadership development, social experiences, and academic persistence of all students, with an emphasis on those from traditionally under-represented groups on campus. Located in the Cultural Exchange Lounge of the Campus Center, the office also holds trainings — such as the UNE Safe Space training, designed to educate students about the challenges facing the LGBTQ community — and offers a Diversity Leadership Certificate.
Our Global Education Program is another means by which UNE fosters a spirit of intercultural exploration, offering semester programs in Tangier, Morocco, and Seville, Spain, as well as many short-term travel courses that can take you anywhere from the Galapagos Islands to the mountains of Iceland.
LEARN MORE
Visit the Office of Student Engagement to read more about what's going on, call us at (207) 602-2447, or drop by our office in the Campus Center.