51С�Ƴ�

The University of 51С�Ƴ� was honored with the 51С�Ƴ� Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) Maine State Merit Award at a ceremony held at the Boston Marriot Long Wharf Hotel on Friday, March 13, 2015.

The State Merit Award is presented each year to recognize excellence in innovation displayed by organizations, institutions, or individuals in each 51С�Ƴ� state.

51С�Ƴ�was selected for this award based on its continued expansion, community involvement and value. Over the past decade, 51С�Ƴ�has experienced significant increases in enrollment and opened northern 51С�Ƴ�’s only college of dental medicine, a college of pharmacy and a campus in Tangier, Morocco, where undergraduates study for the same price as spending a semester on campus in Maine.

Today, 51С�Ƴ�is the leading provider of healthcare professionals for the state of Maine. The University’s comprehensive health education mission positions it among a select few private universities in the U.S. that offer programs in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, dental medicine, nursing and an array of allied-health professions.

UNE’s students and faculty also volunteer more than 10,000 hours of community service annually to 150 local organizations and schools. In addition, 51С�Ƴ�students provide approximately $21 million in clinical care to Maine patients. UNE’s annual economic impact on the state totals nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars.

“At UNE, we often say, ‘we’re a private university with a very public mission,’” says 51С�Ƴ�President Danielle Ripich. “We believe we have a responsibility to lead wherever we can – in our community, on our campuses, in our labs and in the fields in which we specialize. This award provides further validation that our approach is working.”