UNE honors life and contributions of former trustee Neil Rolde

Neil Rolde and President Danielle Ripich at UNE's 2007 Commencement
Neil Rolde and President Danielle Ripich at UNE's 2007 Commencement

Neil Rolde, a trustee for both Westbrook College and the University of New England, has died. Rolde was a well-known Maine philanthropist, politician, historian and author.

Rolde served on the Westbrook College Board of Trustees from 1983 – 1996. He continued to serve the institution as Westbrook College merged with UNE, taking a position on the UNE Board from 1996 – 2006. He was co-chair of the UNEqualed Vision fundraising campaign, which assisted UNE through its transition and raised $16 million by 2003. Rolde also served on the UNE Art Gallery Advisory Committee and was instrumental in establishing what is now known as the Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center, a state of the art marine research facility. In 2007, Rolde received an Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree from UNE.

“Neil was a wonderful friend of the university and served as a trustee during some important building years for UNE,” said President Danielle Ripich. “He was a gifted writer whose love of Maine was part of all he did. He will be missed.”

Rolde was a well-respected historian who authored nine books. He served 16 years as a Representative in the Maine Legislature for District 106 in York and Kittery. He was also an assistant to Governor Kenneth Curtis for six years.

In addition to his work with UNE, he was an active member on several boards and commissions including Maine Public, the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, the Maine Arts and Humanities Commission and the Maine Humanities Council, which awarded him the Constance H. Carlson Public Humanities Prize in 2005.

Read more about Rolde’s legacy in the Portland Press Herald, Maine Public and U.S. News and World Report.

In 2007, Rolde received an Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree from UNE
In 2007, Rolde received an Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree from UNE

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.