By: Glenn Cummings, USM President
To our new and returning students, welcome to the fastest growing, most exciting
university in Maine.
Those of you who are returning to campus already know of our growth and our
plans, but for those of you who are new, allow me to bring you up to date:
● We have 24 new tenure-track faculty starting this semester, strengthening
our academic programs and offering our students more support and
guidance.
● The beautiful new renovation of Brooks Dining Hall on our Gorham campus
has been completed, as well as numerous other renovations in our residence
halls and academic buildings.
● Plans are moving ahead on building a brand new Student Center and the
first-ever residence hall on our Portland campus. The project is scheduled to
be completed in time for the fall of 2021.
● Also on the drawing board is a new Professional Graduate Center that will
house our Law School, Muskie Public Policy program and a University of
Maine MBA program taught in large part by our USM Business faculty. A
Center for the Arts is also in the works.
● Our exciting new Dubyak Digital Science Center is being built, and plans are
underway for a new Interprofessional Center for our students in the
healthcare fields.
● And, as I mentioned in a recent communication to all of you, we are
redoubling our diversity and inclusion efforts to address issues of equity and
justice. More than ever, we are committed to making sure every single
person on our campus feels welcome, respected and secure, and that every
voice is heard.
In short, we are working really hard to make sure you have the resources,
opportunities and facilities to make the most of your college experience.
In closing, though, let me offer some advice on three things you can do to make the
most of your time here:
First, reach out to our outstanding faculty. Having a faculty mentor or mentors is key
to success in college and afterward. As mentor-mentee relationships are established,
so too are research opportunities, internships and networking in your fields of
interest.
Second, lean on your professional advisors. I guarantee you will face twists and
turns, triumphs and setbacks, and challenges and opportunities throughout your
college journey. It’s our professional advisors’ job to help you navigate your way
through it.
Third, seek out our incredible career services staff in the Career and Employment
Hub. Don’t wait for your senior year to meet with them. Do so early on to ensure you
have multiple opportunities to do job shadows, internships and more. This real
world experience will give you a leg up in launching your career after graduation.
I think this is going to be another exciting year at USM. I am glad you will be part of
it, and I hope you will make the most of it.