The University of New England College of Arts and Sciences hosted a Connections Lecture on April 9, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. in the St. Francis Room on UNE's Biddeford Campus. The event was free and open to students, faculty, staff, and the community.
The Connections Lecture series brings leading thinkers from the humanities, social sciences, and sciences to campus to speak across disciplines about curiosity and the breadth of liberal arts education. Built into UNE's Core Curriculum, the series challenges students to build a community that interrogates ideas beyond the classroom and to bring these conversations back to their disciplines. The lectures create a space where conversations between different fields of study intersect, sparking dialogues that bring the curriculum to life.
The lecture featured Professor Emeritus Tom Wessels, Ph.D., an engaging speaker and exemplar of interdisciplinary scholarship. His work merges ecology, geology, entomology, plant pathology, climatology, history, and more to tell the story of the New England environment, revealing what is right in front of us, hiding in plain sight. His work is relevant to anyone interested in the natural environment, New England's landscape, or the connections between scientific disciplines and human history.
Wessels is the author of several books including "Reading the Forested Landscape: A Natural History of New England," "Forest Forensics: A Field Guide to Reading the Forested Landscape," "Granite, Fire, and Fog: The Natural and Cultural History of Acadia," "New England's Roadside Ecology," and "The Myth of Progress."

Discover Maine’s largest private University, the University of New England. UNE offers more than 40 bachelor’s degrees in needed fields, from the health professions, to the health and life sciences, to business and the humanities. We also offer 30-plus graduate, professional and doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, social work and more. UNE learning happens online and on three beautiful campuses: on the shore in Biddeford, Maine, in-town in Portland, Maine, and at our study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco. Visit https://www.une.edu for complete information.

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The University of New England College of Business hosted a Spark Conversation, "Business Brewed Right," on April 8, 2026, in the Danielle N. Ripich Commons first floor atrium on the Biddeford Campus. The event ran from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and was free and open to the public.

The conversation featured Mary Allen Lindemann, founder of Coffee By Design, one of Maine's most recognizable brands. Lindemann shared the story behind building her company, from key growth decisions to staying rooted locally, and reflected on leadership lessons learned along the way, including her experience as a woman in business. Following the conversation, students engaged directly with Lindemann through a question-and-answer session.

Students, professionals, and community members learned practical strategies for brand building, entrepreneurship, and creating businesses that remain connected to their local communities while achieving sustainable growth.

Discover Maine’s largest private University, the University of New England. UNE offers more than 40 bachelor’s degrees in needed fields, from the health professions, to the health and life sciences, to business and the humanities. We also offer 30-plus graduate, professional and doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, social work and more. UNE learning happens online and on three beautiful campuses: on the shore in Biddeford, Maine, in-town in Portland, Maine, and at our study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco. Visit https://www.une.edu for complete information.

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Just a short distance from UNE’s Biddeford Campus, the Wells Reserve serves as both a living laboratory and a bridge between education and real-world discovery. For Wells Reserve Research Associate and UNE alum Jeremy Miller, B.S. ’03 (Environmental Science), that proximity comes with a sense of responsibility — to invest in the next generation of scientists. Through mentorship and collaboration, Jeremy is helping Drew Whitcomb ’27 (Marine Sciences) turn curiosity into impact. At her internship at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, Drew worked side by side with Jeremy and other researchers, translating classroom learning into meaningful, hands-on research that is shaping her future in marine science.

At UNE, students can pursue a wide array of enriching internship opportunities, enabling you to study ocean life at Maine, New England, national, and international institutions. To learn more about Marine Sciences and Internships visit https://www.une.edu/cas/schools/marine-environment/majors/bs-marine-sciences

Discover Maine’s largest private University, the University of New England. UNE offers more than 40 bachelor’s degrees in needed fields, from the health professions, to the health and life sciences, to business and the humanities. We also offer 30-plus graduate, professional and doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, social work and more. UNE learning happens online and on three beautiful campuses: on the shore in Biddeford, Maine, in-town in Portland, Maine, and at our study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco. Visit https://www.une.edu for complete information.

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Internships at the University of New England are a vital part of our experiential approach to education. As a UNE student, you have access to an array of internship opportunities with businesses and organizations across New England. Through a UNE internship, you’ll forge real-world relationships and prepare for your future career, while employers benefit from your insights and contributions. To learn more, visit https://www.une.edu/academic-career-advising-center/internships.

Discover Maine’s largest private University, the University of New England. UNE offers more than 40 bachelor’s degrees in needed fields, from the health professions, to the health and life sciences, to business and the humanities. We also offer 30-plus graduate, professional and doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, social work and more. UNE learning happens online and on three beautiful campuses: on the shore in Biddeford, Maine, in-town in Portland, Maine, and at our study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco. Visit https://www.une.edu for complete information.

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The University of New England College of Arts and Sciences hosted the annual Ludcke Lecture on March 31, 2026, at 5 p.m. in the Bush Board Room on UNE's Biddeford Campus. The event was free and open to students, faculty, staff, and alumni, with a reception following the lecture.

The lecture featured Jennifer Stiegler-Balfour, Ph.D., holder of the Ludcke Chair of Liberal Arts and Sciences, who presented "Two Decades of Cognitive Research in a Changing World: A Journey Studying Memory and Learning." Stiegler-Balfour traced the progression of her research program grounded in applied questions of human cognition and memory. Her earlier work examined how individual differences in reading ability interact with text characteristics to shape comprehension and academic performance. Her current research focuses on how technology influences reading processes and how cognitive factors, such as working memory, ADHD, and metacognition, affect these processes. Collectively, her work seeks to better understand reading in a changing world and to inform evidence-based practices across traditional and technology-mediated contexts.

The Ludcke Lecture is given annually by the holder of the Ludcke Chair of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which is awarded annually to a tenured professor who has excelled during his or her career as a teacher, scholar, and colleague at the University.

Discover Maine’s largest private University, the University of New England. UNE offers more than 40 bachelor’s degrees in needed fields, from the health professions, to the health and life sciences, to business and the humanities. We also offer 30-plus graduate, professional and doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, social work and more. UNE learning happens online and on three beautiful campuses: on the shore in Biddeford, Maine, in-town in Portland, Maine, and at our study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco. Visit https://www.une.edu for complete information.

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The University of New England hosted the President's Forum, "Universities Under Fire: Perceived Faculty Bias, Government Backlash, and the Battle for Public Trust," on Monday, April 6, 2026, at 6 p.m. in Room 283 of the Harold Alfond Forum on the Biddeford Campus. The event was free and open to the public.
Since its inception in 2018, the President's Forum has showcased the academy's role as a marketplace of ideas, where diverse perspectives on challenging topics are discussed with civility and respect. This conversation examined the politicization of higher education in America, including what ideological balance in higher education looks like and whether government action is necessary to promote more conservative perspectives on campus. The discussion explored whether the Trump administration's actions toward higher education represent necessary countermeasures to restore ideological balance and public trust in the academy, or if they reflect dangerous authoritarian overreach.
The panel featured Andrew Rotondo, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy and assistant academic director of the UNE School of Arts and Humanities, and John Waterman, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy in the School of Arts and Humanities. The conversation was moderated by Sarah Delage, associate vice president of Communications. The panelists brought their expertise in philosophy to bear on some of the most pressing questions facing higher education today, from faculty ideological diversity and the role of government in shaping campus culture to what it means to maintain public trust in the academy amid intense national scrutiny.

Discover Maine’s largest private University, the University of New England. UNE offers more than 40 bachelor’s degrees in needed fields, from the health professions, to the health and life sciences, to business and the humanities. We also offer 30-plus graduate, professional and doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, social work and more. UNE learning happens online and on three beautiful campuses: on the shore in Biddeford, Maine, in-town in Portland, Maine, and at our study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco. Visit https://www.une.edu for complete information.

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Join us on a guided tour of the University of New England’s Clinical Performance Center (CPC), the interactive clinical skills education, testing and evaluation facility located in The Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences on the Portland Campus for Health Sciences.
The center has a well-established Standardized Patient Program and a new Patient Simulator Program, both of which focus on putting the patient first.
Explore the leading-edge technology and innovative use of hands-on, interprofessional education at the heart of our health sciences programs. Learn more at: https://www.une.edu/interprofessional-education/clinical-performance-center

Discover Maine’s largest private University, the University of New England. UNE offers more than 40 bachelor’s degrees in needed fields, from the health professions, to the health and life sciences, to business and the humanities. We also offer 30-plus graduate, professional and doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, social work and more. UNE learning happens online and on three beautiful campuses: on the shore in Biddeford, Maine, in-town in Portland, Maine, and at our study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco. Visit https://www.une.edu for complete information.

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Meet Bella, a current Animal Behavior student at UNE. See how her NextWave experience shaped her journey to college and helped her discover where she belonged.

Discover Maine’s largest private University, the University of New England. UNE offers more than 40 bachelor’s degrees in needed fields, from the health professions, to the health and life sciences, to business and the humanities. We also offer 30-plus graduate, professional and doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, social work and more. UNE learning happens online and on three beautiful campuses: on the shore in Biddeford, Maine, in-town in Portland, Maine, and at our study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco. Visit https://www.une.edu for complete information.

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The University of New England will award more than 1,500 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees during its 191st Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Dan McCormack, chief executive officer of Spectrum Healthcare Partners, will deliver the Commencement address during the ceremony held at 10 a.m. at the Cross Insurance Arena. UNE graduates will receive degrees in osteopathic medicine, dental medicine, pharmacy, health sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, human services, education, and business, among other nationally leading graduate and baccalaureate programs.

Discover Maine’s largest private University, the University of New England. UNE offers more than 40 bachelor’s degrees in needed fields, from the health professions, to the health and life sciences, to business and the humanities. We also offer 30-plus graduate, professional and doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, social work and more. UNE learning happens online and on three beautiful campuses: on the shore in Biddeford, Maine, in-town in Portland, Maine, and at our study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco. Visit https://www.une.edu for complete information.

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