University of Maine

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University of Maine

Motto	Dirigo (I lead)
Established	1865
Type	Public
President	Robert A. Kennedy
Faculty	720
Students	11,222
Undergraduates	8,972
Location	Orono, Maine, USA
Campus	Suburban
Mascot	Black Bear
Website	www.umaine.edu

The University of Maine, established in 1865, is the flagship university of the University of Maine System. It is located in Orono, Maine just outside of Bangor, one of Maine's largest cities. Known as "UMaine" for short, the school has an enrollment of over 11,000 students. Athletic teams are nicknamed the Black Bears, and sport blue and white uniforms.

[edit] History

UMaine was founded in 1862 by the Morrill Act, signed by president Lincoln. Originally named the Maine College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, the Maine College opened on September 21, 1868, changing its name to the University of Maine in 1897.

The College was the fourth to be established in Maine, after Bowdoin, Bates, and Colby. Originally intended as an agricultural college, the College also placed a large emphasis on engineering and the sciences.

Tuition at the Maine College was free until 1879. In return, all students were expected to contribute 15 hours a week of labor, on which they were graded and received compensation in accordance with their grades.

Near the end of the 19th century, the curriculum was expanded to place greater emphasis on liberal arts. New faculty hired during this time included Caroline Colvin, chair of the history department, and the first woman in the nation to head a major university department.

M. C. Fernald, UMaine's first faculty member and second President, had a large impact on the University's early character and culture.

In 1906, The Senior Skull Honor Society was founded to “publicly recognize, formally reward, and continually promote outstanding leadership and scholarship, and exemplary citizenship within the University of Maine community.”

When the University of Maine System was incorporated, the school was renamed by the legislature over the objections of the faculty to the University of Maine at Orono (or UMO). This was changed back to the University of Maine in 1986. However, it is still referred to as UMO by some.

Stevens Hall

[edit] Academics and student life

UMaine counts engineering, business, and forestry among its more prominent programs. Other programs include wood science, marine science, education, and nutrition science. UMaine is unique in offering a program in Socialist and Marxist studies and a minor in that field.

The University's Fogler Library is the largest in Maine and serves as one of its intellectual hubs, attracting scholars, professors, and researchers from around the state. A collection of rare and ancient manuscripts, as well as about 2 million government publications, augment the University's collection. The Special Collections Unit includes the Stephen Edwin King (author of 'The Shining' and UMaine alumnus) papers, which attract researchers from across the globe.

The University's education is often rated as an excellent value, ranking high in both the Princeton Review and Kiplinger's annual lists of best public school bargains.

The Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamentals Trial Garden is a research garden for horticulture in northern climates. The University of Maine is also home to the Maine Business School [1], the largest business school in Maine.

Most students are from Maine, though there are also international students from Canada, Asia, and Africa, and some Native American students from the surrounding area.

[edit] Athletics

The University of Maine participates in the NCAA's Division I level, is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference for football, Hockey East for ice hockey, and the America East Conference for all other sports. In 2007, the football program will leave the A-10 in favor of the Colonial Athletic Association. The school has won two national championships, both in men's ice hockey. In 1993, they defeated Lake Superior State University 5-4 behind a third period hat trick by Jim Montgmery. In 1999, they defeated rival University of New Hampshire 3-2 in overtime on a goal by Marcus Gustafsson.

In 1965, the football team competed in the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando Florida against East Carolina. They were beaten in the game 31-0, but remain the only team from Maine to compete in a bowl contest. The University of Maine often competes against intrastate rivals Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby in many sports.

The Oak Hall Dormitory

Autumn leaves shower a lawn in front of UMaine's Hannibal Hamlin Hall

The Mall

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] Arts, Literature, Humanities, Engineering and Entertainment

• Doris Allen, Children's International Summer Villages founder
• Lawrence Bender, film producer (Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting)
• Don Holder, Tony Award winner-lighting design, The Lion King
• Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Class of 1979, Professor at IIT Madras and Padma Shri recipient
• Stephen King Class of 1970, author
• Tabitha King Class of 1971, author, wife of Stephen King
• Bernard Lown Class of 1942, Nobel Peace Prize winner
• Jill McGowan, fashion designer

[edit] Sports

• Jack Leggett Clemson University Baseball Head Coach
• Cindy Blodgett, basketball player in the WNBA and assistant women's basketball coach at Brown University.
• Rick Carlisle, NBA player, Indiana Pacers coach (did not graduate)
• Paul Kariya, NHL player, Nashville Predators (attended half of sophomore year, then left for the Canadian Olympic team and then professional hockey)
• Steve Kariya, AHL player, Albany River Rats, brother of Paul
• Garth Snow, NHL player, Colorado Avalanche, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders; General Manager, New York Islanders
• John Henry Williams, only son of baseball legend Ted Williams
• Gary Thorne ESPN sports analyst and play-by-play announcer
• Carl "Stump" Merrill, former manager of the New York Yankees
• Bill Swift, former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Mike Bordick, Major League Baseball shortstop
• Mark Sweeney, Major League Baseball outfielder
• Larry Thomas, former Major League Baseball player
• Greg Moore, AHL player, Hartford Wolfpack
• Barrett Heisten, ECHL player, Alaska Aces
• Lofa Tatupu, Pro Bowl Linebacker, Seattle Seahawks (transferred to University of Southern California)
• Jimmy Howard, NHL Goalie, Detroit Redwings
• Mike Flynn Center, Baltimore Ravens

[edit] Politics

• John Baldacci Class of 1986, governor of Maine
• Joseph E. Brennan, U.S. politician
• Styles Bridges, governor of New Hampshire, senator
• François Fillon, French politician
• Jean Hay Bright, U.S. politician
• John R. McKernan, Jr., governor of Maine, U.S. politician
• Olympia Snowe Class of 1969, U.S. Senator

[edit] Business, Construction, Service

• Colby Chandler Class of 1950, former CEO, Eastman Kodak
• Francis Clergue, businessman, industrialist
• Francis T. Crowe Class of 1905, Civil Engineer, chief engineer of the Hoover Dam, namesake of the Francis Crowe Society
• Raymond Fogler Class of 1915, president, Montgomery Ward Co. and W.T. Grant, Senior Skull, Member of the Rho Rho chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity
• Roger C. Prescott, noted transportation economist
• Robert A. Rushworth Class of 1951, Air Force test pilot

[edit] Faculty and administration

• Eileen Farrell, opera singer
• Anatole Wieck, violinist
• Joanne P. McCallie, coach
• C. C. Little, president (1922–1925)

[edit] Points of interest

• Fay Hyland Botanical Plantation
• Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamentals Trial Garden
• Roger Clapp Greenhouses

[edit] References

1. Smith, David C. (1979). The First Century. University of Maine at Orono Press. ISBN 0-89101-037-8.

[edit] See also

• Francis Crowe Society

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: University of Maine

• Official UMaine site
• Campus Map
• Calendar of Events
• Official Maine athletics site
• The Maine Campus
• Senior Skull Honor Society
• UMaine Alumni Association