One of the most exciting days on UMaine's calendar each year is the Friday before Labor Day. That's when
many UMaine professors and staff members join me at our residence halls
to help new students move in. A modern iteration of the traditional
"Maine Hello," this activity is both enjoyable and instructive.
There is plenty of good exercise to be had, carrying boxes and suitcases
and a variety of large and small appliances up flights of stairs. And we
get the opportunity to meet the students, find out a little about their
backgrounds, and learn about their goals and aspirations. Their
enthusiasm is infectious and this interaction helps to orient all of us
for the beginning of a new academic year. We also enjoy meeting mothers
and fathers, on whose faces the mixture of pride and trepidation is
readily apparent.
The Class of 2007 will be one of our largest classes in recent years and
its members bring an impressive record of achievement as high school
students and as citizens of communities all across Maine and beyond.
With students coming from almost every state and more than 70 foreign
countries, it is clear that word is getting out about the quality and
value of a UMaine education. We are both proud and grateful to be
gaining this recognition.
Those returning to UMaine this fall will notice continued progress on a
variety of projects aimed at preserving the traditional beauty of our
campus while improving our infrastructure to meet the instructional,
research and social expectations of our students, faculty and staff. Of
particular interest is a major project involving the reconstruction of
the Fogler Library front steps. When that job is finished, one of
UMaine's signature buildings will have a splendid new entrance.
As I begin my seventh year as UMaine's president, my enthusiasm for this
university has never been higher. I look forward to both the
achievements and the challenges of the coming year, beginning with the
renewed spirit that September brings.
Peter S. Hoff
President
UMaine Today Magazine
Department of University Relations
5761 Howard A. Keyo Public Affairs Building
Phone: (207) 581-3744 | Fax: (207) 581-3776
