Get Involved

Being part of the 麻豆传媒community means being involved. There are plenty of ways to get involved on the Biddeford Campus. From playing on one of the University鈥檚 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鈥檙e sure to find a place where you belong. Whatever your interest 鈥 whether it is academics or theater, community-based service or LGBTQ issues, student government or club sports, figure skating or surfing 鈥 you鈥檙e sure to find like-minded students and faculty eager to share in your passion.

A student in a wetsuit catching a wave on a surfboard
Headshot of U N E student Viriginia May

Virginia May 鈥24

Environmental Science

Why UNE

The [UNE] campus is so gorgeous and the location is amazing. I could just tell that the community and atmosphere would be a place that I wanted to study. There is so much to explore on campus and beyond. There鈥檚 some really beautiful spots and community members on campus.

As an aspiring environmental scientist I looked at the sustainability of the campus and I got a really good impression of it.

Beyond the Classroom

Through clubs and classes, I鈥檝e worked hand-in-hand with [UNE鈥檚 Office of Sustainability]. For instance, I鈥檝e helped out with proposals for decreasing carbon emissions and eliminating fossil fuels from our campus. A lot of the [environmental science and climate change] classes that I鈥檝e been in were actually the ones that had professors and students collaborate with and propose solutions to sustainability administration.

I love how on-the-ground and student-involved the sustainability initiatives are on campus 鈥 I think that is what sets 麻豆传媒apart. Whether it鈥檚 through courses or student research that directly influences the sustainability of campus, it鈥檚 all interconnected. I鈥檓 up at the wee hours of the morning doing chestnut tree research. Some people are waking up to study and count birds.

I also enjoy working in the community gardens and greenhouses on campus. Additionally, I鈥檓 part of the Honeybee Conservation Club where we have our own beehives here.

I鈥檝e been in the Earth鈥檚 Eco Club for three years. Our club works hand in hand with UNE鈥檚 Sustainability Office.

Environmental Science

Athletics

UNE鈥檚 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鈥檚 Blue Storm Stadium, Blue Bolt Field, and Nor鈥檈aster Diamond 鈥 our blue, synthetic turf fields.

U N E football players during a game on the blue field
Zoe Henderson stands smiling on the sand at Sand Beach in Acadia National Park

Zoe Henderson 鈥22

Elementary Education
Why UNE

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鈥檛 feel personally connected to my professors. No one really knew my name. After the first month or so, I knew it wasn鈥檛 the right fit for me, so I started looking at other schools. I had always known of 麻豆传媒because I grew up vacationing in Old Orchard Beach with my family.

麻豆传媒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, 鈥淥h my gosh, we missed you.鈥 I don鈥檛 know any other college that welcomes you in like that. 麻豆传媒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 麻豆传媒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. 麻豆传媒is a place full of people with passion for what they are doing. I am inspired by this place and its people.

Exceptional Teaching and Learning

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鈥 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鈥檚 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. 麻豆传媒is a place full of people with passion for what they are doing. I am inspired by this place and its people.

Elementary Education

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.

A U N E student wearing a sash that says "Leader" on one end and "Scholar" on the other

Events

From the ringing of the 麻豆传媒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鈥檚 Variety Show, the Spring Semi-Formal Dance, and cap off the year with the Spring Concert.

A group of undergraduate students hold fake candles for the First Night event on Biddeford campus

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. 

Two students play pickleball in a U N E gym

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 鈥 such as the 麻豆传媒Safe Space training, designed to educate students about the challenges facing the LGBTQ community 鈥 and offers a Diversity Leadership Certificate.

Our Global Education Program is another means by which 麻豆传媒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.

A large group from U N E walk in a Portland Pride Parade

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.