University of New England

University of New England honored by the Newcomen Society

The Newcomen Society of the United States honored the University of New England and its president, Sandra Featherman, Ph.D., with the prestigious Newcomen Award, at an awards ceremony on Friday, May 5, 2006 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.

UNE President Sandra Featherman, Ph.D. President Featherman's Address to the Gathering

Continuing in its 82-year-old tradition of recognizing organizations that have helped promote the American free enterprise system, The Newcomen Society honored the University of New England as an example of academic and innovative excellence.

The Newcomen Society of the United States is a non-profit foundation that studies and supports outstanding achievement in American business and education. Formed in 1923 by L.F. Loree, chairman of the Eastern Railroad Presidents' Conference, together with a group of other prominent business leaders, The Newcomen Society promotes the American system of free enterprise.

The Newcomen award was established to recognize and celebrate American businesses and organizations that embody the same innovation and entrepreneurial spirit as its namesake, British inventor Thomas Newcomen. The Society has honored more than 2,500 organizations and institutions through its presentation of this award.

"The University of New England is one of the most deserving recipients of the 2006 Newcomen Award," stated Leighton A. Wildrick, president and CEO of The Newcomen Society. "Beyond exponential growth and outstanding academic rankings, UNE epitomizes the type of commitment to student enrichment and development that all institutions aspire to achieve. It's evident in their challenging curriculum and its real-world applicability, their consistently low student-faculty ratios, and their collaborative and comprehensive approach to student life."

"Perhaps most importantly, however," continued Wildrick, "it is evident in their unwavering commitment to helping students develop the aesthetic sensibilities, insatiable curiosity, and critical analytics that are needed thrive in our increasingly complex, fast-paced world."

UNE, with two campuses in Biddeford and Portland, has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top regional universities in the north. Its College of Osteopathic Medicine, nationally recognized for educational excellence, is Maine's only medical school and New England's only osteopathic college. The University's College of Arts and Sciences houses a Marine Science Education and Research Center, the only facility of its kind on any college or university campus combining teaching, research and marine animal rehabilitation.

The College of Health Professions offers degree programs that are built around an innovative national model for healthcare education that prepares students to work collaboratively to assure the best patient care possible. High-tech patient simulators--programmable patients that mimic real-life medical conditions--provide state-of-the-art education.

"Thomas Newcomen's contributions led him to be called 'the father of the industrial revolution.' As an inventor, he did this by taking a number of existing elements and combining them in a unique way to create something new and powerful," said UNE President Sandra Featherman. "I believe we've done something similar with the University of New England, combining the vital elements of Westbrook College, St. Francis College and the College of Osteopathic Medicine into a remarkable university that's well positioned for continuing success in the 21st century."

For more information about the Newcomen Society, or about the award nomination process, call 800-466-7604 or visit www.newcomen.org .

(Press release issued May 3, 2006)