President's Message

Welcome to the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI).

We are the size of a fine liberal arts college with the career advantages of a large university. We are located in New England, the higher education heart of the world. And, if you love the outdoors and winter sports and value the comfort and safety of small city life, you'll feel right at home.

And, you'll be in a university that is constantly making news as it serves its students and its community. Consider the following stories from the last year or two (you'll find more at UMPI TV on this website):

--UMPI became one of the first campuses in the east to install a large scale wind turbine. The 600kW, 300 foot turbine has become the symbol of campus in its first year of operation. The turbine demonstrates UMPI's commitment to clean, renewable energy. It reduces our carbon footprint. It serves as an integral part of our energy and sustainability curriculum; and, it provides guidance to others in our community and beyond who are interested in exploring renewable technologies. The United States Congress has now authorized us to explore solar photovoltaic energy with an $800,000 grant. Green UMPI is more than a slogan.

--A five-year Project Compass grant from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation allows UMPI to be one of four New England public universities to advance student retention programs. Project Compass' distinctive focus on Native American students is providing insights on student success for a variety of non-traditional students who compose a significant part of the UMPI campus.

--Our passion for the visual arts has inspired Maine's first exhibit of photographs from the Andy Warhol Foundation collection of the iconic artist's thousands of photographs. UMPI was the recipient of 150 Warhol photographs to add to our permanent collection. A separate UMPI exhibit featured memorabilia and photographs from the three weekend long concerts by the group Phish. The Phish concerts - held in 1997, 1998, and 2003 - were multi-artistic happenings that each time brought over 200,000 people to Northern Maine.

--Collaboration with MMG Insurance and Momentum Aroostook has created the annual Young Professionals Institute. This eight week session allows new professional employees of business, government, and non-profit workplaces to perfect their skills in such realms as media relations, advocacy presentations, networking, and leadership in interactive, real-life situations.

--Our sports programs allow our Nordic ski team to compete for national honors with Harvard, Dartmouth, Middlebury, and the Universities of Utah and Colorado from our base in one of America's best Nordic venues and climates. It also allows our baseball team to be recognized with feature stories in the New York Times about "the road warriors" (the fields melt late in Presque Isle) who play for the love of the game.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is a century-old public university located in a city of 10,000. Presque Isle is the hub of the largest county east of the Mississippi River-Aroostook County, or simply "The County." Our carefully designed liberal arts program offers a superb learning experience and prepare you for admission to advanced programs in medicine, law, and graduate studies. Our special strength is our strong selection of professional programs that prepare you directly for the work force. Are you interested in a career in elementary or secondary education, physical education, business, social work, athletic training, medical technology, outdoor recreation or criminal justice? UMPI can take you from freshman to young professional-whatever your age!

I've learned and taught at some of America's eminent public universities. I've served as a senior administrator at Maine's two large public universities. There are values in the large school. But, there are drawbacks too. My time as President of UMPI has sold me on the value of courses taught in small sections by professors who know you and whose first mission is your career development, rather than by graduate assistants whose focus is on their own education. Our faculty members are more than just teachers. They create new knowledge in their fields and lead in the advancement of their professions. And, they share this work with you in your studies. Much of your best work will not be done by taking notes in the classroom but by working with your professors in shared research, public service, or internships in your field of interest.

Our staff members are caring and committed to your education and career advancement. Our size of 1,400 students provides you with good friends as well as classmates. It also encourages you to continue familiar passions and explore new ones. Play a varsity sport. Participate in student government or club activities. Explore arts, music, and other cultural activities. Connect with leaders in your future profession.

You'll do all this in Maine's Big County of breathtaking vistas, forests, and waters. An Olympic level cross-country ski and biathlon course is ten minutes from your dorm room and open to the public whether you dream of Olympic gold medals or recreational pleasure. Legendary Mount Katahdin-ask Henry David Thoreau-and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway are your weekend companions. And, Canada is a half-hour drive.

Sound interesting? Explore further on our website. If you want it from the top, feel free to message me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Don Zillman, President

University of Maine at Presque Isle