���˴�Ƭ

Why UNE

When I was a kid, my family used to vacation on Hills Beach. I was so young then that I later didn't even remember that there was a college campus right there. When I was looking around at different colleges, my mom said to me, “What about the one we used to pass by?” I remember looking into ���˴�Ƭthen, but I wanted to go to UMass Lowell because that’s where a lot of my friends were going. Then one day I was hiking with my brother, and he told me that I should challenge myself to go somewhere that none of my friends were going. I took that challenge, and it led me here to UNE.

We have a very different setup than other schools because the Business Department is small compared to the health science majors here. It’s close-knit because of that. All of the professors tailor their classes to the students and what the students want to learn. I think that is the coolest part. Rather than just following a set curriculum, they'll see what the students are interested in and try to engage us more.

Welcoming Community

Everyone is very friendly here at UNE. When you pass by people, you don't even have to know them, they’ll smile and wave. I think that's really cool. It’s a very welcoming environment, and I really appreciate that. It's very much geared toward getting students involved in different things, and I think that allows for a lot of freedom and opportunity.

I learned a lot about myself from being here at UNE. I remember coming into college…I thought, “Oh, I'm just going to do my classes, study hard, and not do anything aside from that.” I got sucked into the culture, though. There is so much community here. It started with my involvement in [the undergraduate theater club] ���˴�ƬPlayers and went from there.

I remember when I first came to UNE, I thought it was pretty, and I liked it here. It was a shallow interpretation of the place. After a few years at UNE, though, I have a much deeper connection. I think that ���˴�ƬPlayers helped me feel that way and find my place. I developed friends through participating in the plays.

I did my first semester of college at a large state school in Massachusetts. During my first semester, I felt lost. It was a very big school, and I felt like I was being treated like a number. I didn’t feel personally connected to my professors. No one really knew my name. After the first month or so, I knew it wasn’t the right fit for me, so I started looking at other schools. I had always known of ���˴�Ƭbecause I grew up vacationing in Old Orchard Beach with my family.

���˴�Ƭfelt comfortable and there is so much opportunity for global exploration and experience. Coming back after time away, professional staff and fellow students are like, “Oh my gosh, we missed you.” I don’t know any other college that welcomes you in like that. ���˴�Ƭembodies what I really want out of a school. It makes me my best self in every way possible. Also, I am able to be an athlete here and balance it with my academics, fieldwork, and research. I feel so well-rounded from my experience already. I am really grateful for my ���˴�Ƭcommunity.

At UNE I always feel seen and heard, and I have never been spoken down to here because I am a student, because I am young, because I am female, or for any other reason. Even as a student athlete here, I have always been treated with so much respect, love, and kindness. ���˴�Ƭis a place full of people with passion for what they are doing. I am inspired by this place and its people.

I love the education program. All of the professors are amazing, and everyone has their own kind of niche, which is really cool. I've had classes with all of the professors and my [academic advisor]. My advisor is all about special education and innovation in the way of different kinds of learners. She has taught me a lot about adapting to students’ different learning needs. 

Another of my professors is all about technology, innovation, and global studies. She has taught me a lot about education here in the U.S. versus other parts of the world. Then another is such a humanitarian. She cares so much about people, equity, and welcoming different kinds of cultures. 

It’s so interesting to get diverse perspectives from my different professors.