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BIDDEFORD, Maine

UNE Community Mentoring recognized by Governor Baldacci

 The University of New England's Citizenship Program received recognition from Governor and Mrs. Baldacci for its College Community Mentoring Program (CCMP) on Friday, March 27, 2009 at the State House in Augusta. 

UNE is a partner in a new mentoring program announced last Friday as part of a $500,000 federal grant program called "The Communities for Children & Youth College/Community Mentoring Project." The program connects selected Maine college students with elementary, middle and high school students identified as needing extra attention.
 
First Lady Karen Baldacci, who serves as the chair of the Governor's Children's Cabinet, said the grant will provide new opportunities for Maine youth.  "By pairing younger students in need of extra support with successful college students, we can help children keep out of trouble and raise their sights toward a college education," said the First Lady.  "This program is a great model of local communities and private partners working with State government to support positive youth development programs and prevention efforts."  The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

As a College Community Mentor for the past four years, UNE's Jennifer Tripp, who will graduate with an applied exercise science degree this May, was chosen to speak at the State House event March 27.  She cited the positive benefits that mentoring has had on both the young students as well as the college mentors. 

CCMP pairs UNE students with students in local K-8 schools.  UNE mentors serve as role models, offering social guidance and academic support, to help young people develop into confident, competent, and contributing members of society.  This year's CCMP student officers - Alisha Tonks '10, Amanda Whiting '10, Shannon Roche '11, Michelle Helm '10, Katie Edwards '11 and Lindsay Fink '10 - helped recruit a record 65 mentors who served over 1,500 hours.  UNE graduating senior Kristen Uhuad, a medical biology major, is also a four-year UNE College Community Mentor.

UNE's Citizenship Service Learning Program has been awarded $165,000 in total grants in '08-'09 for its youth development programs from the College Community Mentoring Program and Diversion to Assets pilot (both part of statewide initiatives of Communities for Children and Youth), as well as from a substantial Samuel L. Cohen Foundation grant.  The program also became affiliated with the John Henry Weidner Foundation this academic year. 

The Citizenship Program supports UNE's mission, "enhancement of the quality of life for the people, organizations, and communities it serves," with Citizenship 400 - unique senior capstone seminar characterized by local service.  Since UNE's core curriculum began in 2000, over 3,000 students have completed over 45,000 hours of service.  Since the College Community Program was started in 2003, 230 mentors have partnered with over 250 youth. 

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.