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The University of Maine is a public research institution located in Orono, Maine on a 600-plus acre campus on the banks of the Stillwater River. A land and sea grant institution, the University of Maine serves as the flagship campus of the University of Maine System. The University was established in 1865 as the Maine College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts and founded under the provisions of the Morrill Act which was approved by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862. In 1868 the school officially opened, starting out with only 12 students and 2 faculty members. In 1897 the name was changed to University of Maine.
Academic Programs
The University of Maine is known to provide the most comprehensive academic offerings within its state. The University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and has been so since 1929. The University of Maine’s mission is to advance “learning and discovery through excellence and innovation in undergraduate and graduate academic programs while addressing the complex challenges and opportunities of the 21st century through research-based knowledge.” The University’s mission statement continues, “Through integrated teaching, research, and outreach, the University of Main improves the quality of life for people in Maine and around the world, and promotes responsible stewardship of human, natural, and financial resources.”The University of Maine is made up of several colleges and schools, including the College of Education and Human Development; the College of Engineering; the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture; the Graduate School; the Honors College; the Maine Business School; and UMaine Online. More than 95 undergraduate majors and academic programs are offered by the University of Maine along with over 65 master’s degree programs and nearly 40 doctoral programs.
Student Life
The University of Maine has a total enrollment figure of more than 11,000, including over 9,000 undergraduate students who hail from nearly all states in the Union and more than 60 foreign nations. The University’s beautiful campus was designed by legendary landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and in 2003 was designated as an arboretum. On-campus housing is provided for students through the University’s several residence halls which feature options including traditional undergraduate halls for first year and upperclass students, suite style living for upperclass students, graduate housing, as well as several living/learning lifestyle options.The University of Maine boasts more than 200 student clubs and organizations which provide an abundance of opportunity for interaction between classmates and faculty outside of study hours. More than a dozen men’s fraternities and several women’s sororities also have a presence on campus with nearly 10% of students participating in a Greek letter organization. The University of Maine also sponsors Maine’s only NCAA Division I athletics program and the University boasts more than 80 individual and team conference championships in the last decade.