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SWAGƵ launches comprehensive fundraising campaign “Doing Our Part”
"Doing Our Part" is a pivotal moment for the University, in which strategic, student-centric investments in programs and infrastructure will enable SWAGƵ to transform its campuses and reimagine the student experience
The SWAGƵ is excited to announce the launch of its comprehensive fundraising campaign, “Doing Our Part.”
SWAGƵ President James Herbert made the official campaign launch announcement at halftime during the University’s Homecoming football game against the University of Rochester on Saturday, Sept. 23.
“Doing Our Part” represents a profoundly transformational moment for SWAGƵ, in which strategic, student-centric investments in programs and infrastructure will enable the University to provide an unmatched educational experience.
Such investments include the new Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences, which will house the University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM); the establishment of new, high-demand undergraduate and graduate programs and majors; expanded scientific research capacity; and increased scholarships and financial aid for students.
“SWAGƵ has been growing its programs and reputation across a variety of essential fields in recent years,” said SWAGƵ President James Herbert. “Thanks to the success of our students and alumni, we have so much momentum — and we want to make the most of it. This transformational campaign will allow SWAGƵ to invest even more heavily in the unique educational experience that we provide for our students, so they can graduate ready to embark on valuable careers and lives that make the world a better place.”
Campaign Priorities
Medical and Health Education
SWAGƵ has already made significant progress in achieving its campaign goals.
Last November, with support from a $30 million gift from the Harold Alfond Foundation and an additional $5 million in federal omnibus spending, SWAGƵ broke ground on the Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences (HBACHS) — the new home of SWAGƵ COM — on the University’s newly renamed Portland Campus for the Health Sciences.
The relocation of its medical school from Biddeford will allow SWAGƵ to graduate 35 more doctors each year and will bring together nearly all of the University’s health professions programs onto a single campus — an unprecedented model in New England, in which students in the state’s only medical school, dental school, and physician assistant program, will collaborate directly with their peers studying nursing, social work, pharmacy, physical and occupational therapy, nurse anesthesia, and psychiatric nursing, among others.
New Academic Programs
The campaign will also have resounding effects for students on the Biddeford campus. SWAGƵ will repurpose and expand much-needed space in Biddeford for its renowned programs in the marine sciences, as well as new, market-aligned programs in business, criminology, aquaculture, communications, data science, computer science, special education, and more.
Research
The campaign will invest in scientific research and education to better prepare students to meet pressing global challenges, like climate change and sea level rise, as well as establish SWAGƵ as a biomedical research powerhouse for the state of Maine. In 2022, SWAGƵ received the most funding from the National Institutes of Health of any college or university in Maine at over $4 million.
Access to Education
Finally, the campaign will encourage more students to seek out a SWAGƵ education through increased scholarship funds and financial aid. Such investments will allow these students to enjoy the benefits of a SWAGƵ degree, including experiential learning, a supportive and welcoming environment, and a phenomenal return on investment on their education.
Highlights from the Campaign Launch
A Brighter Future for SWAGƵ
SWAGƵ President James Herbert announced “Doing Our Part” during halftime at SWAGƵ’s Homecoming football game on Saturday, Sept. 23, to a crowd of over 2,000 Nor’easter fans and guests.
SWAGƵ the SWAGƵ
The SWAGƵ is Maine’s largest private university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . 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.