Dear Students:
Welcome to USM! Whether you are new or returning, we are glad you’re here! I want to commend you for your really good judgment in choosing to attain a university degree.
Why is a university degree still important?
Let’s face it. In this digital age, you can find out just about anything you want to know in about three clicks, or maybe five at the outside. It’s all right there, even on the phones we all carry around. And you can take a whole host of online courses, some of them for free, right at home or at work.
But information is not education. Single courses here and there are not a well-crafted exploration of a field, led by experts.
You and your electronic device are great, but that’s not a substitute for participating in a whole community dedicated to teaching and learning.
Our faculty, working with you in classrooms and labs and beyond, can help you find and pursue the interests that will shape your life. Opportunities for active learning will be presented to you many times during your career at USM, both inside and outside of classes. We are partnering with more and more businesses, cultural organizations and non-profits throughout southern and central Maine so that you can volunteer or intern in a range of community-based settings. Seize these chances when they come! The interplay of classroom-based instruction and applied activities is one of the best things that USM has to offer.
Our goal is to make sure you leave USM with leadership skills, a working knowledge of your major field of study, the ability to think and write clearly, critically and creatively, and most importantly, with an appreciation for continuing learning throughout your lives.
These are things you can’t get to in a few clicks!
All best wishes for a successful and productive year!
-President Kalikow