Unity College - Overview
Unity College -- America's Environmental College
Unity College was founded in 1965 as a private, liberal arts institution with a focus on environmental studies, sustainability, and conservation. Known as America's Environmental College, Unity is a leader in the sustainability movement, and is the only college campus in the country to have an energy efficient passiv haus as a student residence. The college offers a true small-campus environment, encouraging close collaborations and field experiences among students, faculty members, and staff members. The college also offers its 585 students internship sites in nearly 50 states, as well as study abroad opportunities in 23 countries.
The Unity campus is located on 225 acres of wooded farmland in Unity, Maine, overlooking Lake Winnecook, also known as Unity Pond. Maine's rich natural heritage offers students a variety of year-round outdoor recreational activities and experiential learning opportunities, at the state's many lakes, rivers, streams, mountains, and the ocean. The Unity College campus is only a short drive from Waterville and Bangor, Maine, and is also within 3.5 hours of Boston, 6 hours from western Vermont, and within a day's drive of New York City.
Unity College Rankings
Unity College has been widely recognized for its achievements in academics and sustainability. The college was named 17th on "Washington Monthly's" list of Top 50 Baccalaureate Colleges. It garnered a position on the prestigious President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement. Unity College was also chosen by the "Princeton Review" and the US Green Building Council as one of America's greenest colleges, and was awarded one of the top 5 green campus awards by "Green Career Guide."
16 Environmental Bachelor's Degrees from Unity College
Unity College offers 14 environmental degree programs that lead to Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees and 2 environmental degree programs that lead to Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees. The college is focused on sustainability science, using active learning, purposeful teaching, participation, and close collaborations with faculty members and other top professionals in order to teach academic skills and professional development, both in the classroom and in the field. Programs challenge students to develop critical thinking skills, tackle global environmental issues, and become active, supportive leaders.
Environmental degrees are available in the following areas: adventure-based environmental education, adventure therapy, art and environment, biology, captive wildlife care and education, conservation law enforcement, earth and environmental science, environmental policy, law and society, environmental writing, marine biology, parks and forest resources, secondary education, sustainable agriculture, sustainable energy management, and wildlife and fisheries management.
Students are connected to a network of internship opportunities that give them first-hand experiences working within their fields of interest. Graduates of Unity College have taken top positions around the nation as biologists, geologists, game wardens, field instructors, writers, adventure therapists, zookeepers, ecologists, and sustainability coordinators.
Innovative and Collaborative Research Opportunities Available
Students have many opportunities to work with Unity College faculty members on innovative research projects. Ongoing research projects include the Wind Power Assessment project, which was recently awarded $110,000 in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to determine how wind power sites should be selected in Maine. The Hemlock Ecosystem Management Study (HEMS) is another ongoing project, which will determine recommendations for forestry practices that can sustain the north woods of the state. Marine ecology students also have opportunities to participate in capstone research trips to Costa Rica where they research undocumented species of the area.
Many Opportunities for Community-Based Learning
Unity College uses a variety of community-based learning opportunities in order to offer students chances for hands-on learning that connects classroom activities to real-world issues. Students have many chances to test their skills, expand their knowledge, and build their resumes by working alongside top professionals. For instance, groups of Unity students have worked with students in local elementary and middle schools to develop habitat gardens and leadership programs. Unity students have also been instrumental in monitoring the water quality of local watersheds.
Supported by an Involved, Expert Faculty
Unity College is home to nearly 60 dedicated, experienced, and passionate faculty members who have top-of-the-line credentials and are leaders in their fields. Faculty members are widely published in peer-reviewed journals, are well connected through a broad range of regional and international colleagues, and are sought as experts for legislative committee hearings, team-teaching programs, and research initiatives.
For instance, Dr. Aimee Phillippi is a marine biology instructor who won 2 grants to monitor the Asian shore crab in Acadia National Park. Over the course of her study, she recruited students to contribute to the research. Dr. Nancy Ross has effected much change through her environmental advocacy class, including collecting food waste to be composted, initiating projects to bring more local foods to the college's menu, and establishing a recycling plan for the town of Unity. Dr. Amy Arnett was a recipient of the Fulbright Scholar Award, allowing her to continue her research concerning ant lions, while teaching as a member of the Biology Department at the University of Maribor in Slovenia.
Financial Aid Opportunities at Unity College
At Unity College, nearly 90 percent of students receive financial assistance to apply toward their long-term investments in education, including through grants and aid, federal work-study, Unity scholarships, private scholarships, and loans. Incoming students may be eligible for a number of scholarships, including the Unity Access Scholarship for Maine residents, Environmental Action Scholarship for students with experiential achievements related to the environment, and the Challenge Scholarship for students have demonstrated academic achievement over adversity. Students may also consider the Opportunity Maine Program, which provides state income tax credits for graduates who live, work, and pay taxes in Maine.
.