Get Involved
Being part of the Â鶹´«Ă˝community means being involved. There are plenty of ways to get involved on the Biddeford Campus. From playing on one of the University’s 18 athletic teams, to joining one of the many available clubs and organizations, to attending events and lectures, your involvement in campus life can be as extensive as you want it to be.
Clubs and Organizations
Meeting with students and faculty outside of the classroom is part of what makes a college experience personally meaningful. With from which to choose, you’re sure to find a place where you belong. Whatever your interest — whether it is academics or theater, community-based service or LGBTQ issues, student government or club sports, figure skating or surfing — you’re sure to find like-minded students and faculty eager to share in your passion.
Ray Evans ’22
Why UNE
[My favorite thing about Â鶹´«Ă˝is] the community.
We are all so willing to come together. For example, we had a lot of basketball games this year where different sports [athletes] all showed up. We didn’t know that, we didn’t ask for that. We didn’t even ask for it — they just showed up!
For the hockey team’s major championships, everybody was there. And for alumni weekend, a lot of people were not even supposed to be there, were there, and everyone was there to support the teams. The girls’ championship games are packed too.
It’s everybody supporting everybody. That really shows what the Â鶹´«Ă˝community is. That’s definitely the best feeling.
Beyond the classroom
I’m the president of Brothers of Color. The mission of the group is to provide a safe haven for students. There’s a lot of conversations that we as a group are just open to listening so students of color start to feel like they have somewhere to go.
Race in this world is just something that society makes a very prevalent thing. It’s sad, but a lot of kids might not have anywhere to go. [UNE] gets [students] from everywhere. I’m from New York, I had a teammate from Texas, another from California — everywhere — their experience could be anything.
We do a lot to provide support. We also provide a lot of information and a lot of on-campus things.
The mission of Brothers of Color is to provide a safe haven for students. There’s a lot of conversations that we as a group are just open to listening so students of color start to feel like they have somewhere to go.
Athletics
UNE’s Biddeford Campus is home to , including basketball, volleyball, ice hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, golf, football, rugby, track and field, and cross-country running. Our Alfond Forum boasts state-of-the-art athletic facilities and is located between UNE’s Blue Storm Stadium, Blue Bolt Field, and Nor’easter Diamond — our blue, synthetic turf fields.
Zoe Henderson ’22
I did my first semester of college at a large state school in Massachusetts. During my first semester, I felt lost. It was a very big school, and I felt like I was being treated like a number. I didn’t feel personally connected to my professors. No one really knew my name. After the first month or so, I knew it wasn’t the right fit for me, so I started looking at other schools. I had always known of Â鶹´«Ă˝because I grew up vacationing in Old Orchard Beach with my family.
Â鶹´«Ă˝felt comfortable and there is so much opportunity for global exploration and experience. Coming back after time away, professional staff and fellow students are like, “Oh my gosh, we missed you.” I don’t know any other college that welcomes you in like that. Â鶹´«Ă˝embodies what I really want out of a school. It makes me my best self in every way possible. Also, I am able to be an athlete here and balance it with my academics, fieldwork, and research. I feel so well-rounded from my experience already. I am really grateful for my Â鶹´«Ă˝community.
At UNE I always feel seen and heard, and I have never been spoken down to here because I am a student, because I am young, because I am female, or for any other reason. Even as a student athlete here, I have always been treated with so much respect, love, and kindness. Â鶹´«Ă˝is a place full of people with passion for what they are doing. I am inspired by this place and its people.
I love the education program. All of the professors are amazing, and everyone has their own kind of niche, which is really cool. I've had classes with all of the professors and my [academic advisor]. My advisor is all about special education and innovation in the way of different kinds of learners. She has taught me a lot about adapting to students’ different learning needs.
Another of my professors is all about technology, innovation, and global studies. She has taught me a lot about education here in the U.S. versus other parts of the world. Then another is such a humanitarian. She cares so much about people, equity, and welcoming different kinds of cultures.
It’s so interesting to get diverse perspectives from my different professors.
Even as a student athlete here, I have always been treated with so much respect, love, and kindness. Â鶹´«Ă˝is a place full of people with passion for what they are doing. I am inspired by this place and its people.
Leadership Opportunities
If you have strong leadership abilities or wish to develop them, the ULead Student Leadership Program offers the training and education you need to be the best leader you can be throughout your college career and beyond. You not only enhance your college experience, but you build the confidence, skills, and know-how to become a leader in whatever avenues you pursue in the future. ULead Students are encouraged to explore options such as the Annual Fall Leadership Retreat, the Orientation Leader Program, and other great opportunities.
Events
From the ringing of the Â鶹´«Ă˝bell during an autumn sunset over the Saco River on First Night, to Homecoming, events on campus mark the passage of time and lend a sense of continuity and community to life at UNE. Harvest Fest, Winter Lighting, and the 50-plus year tradition of a faculty- and staff-served Thanksgiving Dinner are some of the events you can look forward to in the first semester. In the spring, you can have a blast at the Doc Samuel’s Variety Show, the Spring Semi-Formal Dance, and cap off the year with the Spring Concert.
Wellness
We recognize the importance of self-care and whole-person wellness in order for students to thrive both personally and academically. Our Campus Center Fitness and Wellness Team provides a vast array of activities, assessments, experiences, and opportunities to help students grow into healthy, confident working professionals. Our many playing fields provide space for sport, while nearby outdoor recreation venues allow for swimming, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, skiing, and more. Prefer to get your exercise indoors? Fitness centers, courts, tracks, a pool, and an ice arena provide the workout space you need to stay fit.
Intercultural Life
The Office of Community and Belonging promotes a welcoming and inclusive campus environment that supports the leadership development, social experiences, and academic persistence of all students, with an emphasis on those from traditionally under-represented groups on campus. Located in the Cultural Exchange Lounge of the Campus Center, the office also holds trainings — such as the Â鶹´«Ă˝Safe Space training, designed to educate students about the challenges facing the LGBTQ community — and offers a Diversity Leadership Certificate.
Our Global Education Program is another means by which Â鶹´«Ă˝fosters a spirit of intercultural exploration, offering semester programs in Tangier, Morocco, and Seville, Spain, as well as many short-term travel courses that can take you anywhere from the Galapagos Islands to the mountains of Iceland.
LEARN MORE
Visit the Office of Student Engagement to read more about what's going on, call us at (207) 602-2447, or drop by our office in the Campus Center.