UNECOM mentoring program for Biddeford students featured in Press Herald

The Portland Press Herald on April 14, 2011 published a feature on a University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine mentoring program for students at Biddeford Intermediate School. In the program, which began 17 years ago, medical students meet with the Biddeford students once a week during the school year.

Michaella Jamiel, a second-year medical student who wants to be a pediatrician, said working with the middle-schoolers is good for her, because it helps her learn how to explain medicine in simple terms. "We have a blast and hopefully they have a blast," Jamiel said. "And if we interest one or two kids into science, that's great."

The reporter also interviewed John Lowery, D.O.'10, who recently completed the requirements for his Ph.D.degree from the University of Maine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Lowery said he got interested in medicine when he was in elementary school. While he was involved in the UNE mentoring program, he saw that same spark of excitement in students. "You can almost see a light go off," he said, as they start to ask, "Well how does that work?"

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.