Unity Magazine 2021 by Unity Environmental University

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D R . K E L LY B O Y E R O N T L

Technical Institute A New Dean with Record for Environmental a Conservation BreakingDream Enrollment Professions

Letter from the president Dear Unity College friends, partners and graduates, For more than a decade a clear shift has been occurring in higher education. Fewer students are choosing residential programming than in the past, while at the same time more place-bound adult learners have returned to the fold. All of this has been accelerated throughout the ongoing pandemic. Now, more and more people are looking for an education on their own terms. No longer are the days when we can count on a critical mass of students arriving every fall that would allow us to operate under the past status quo. This seismic shift presents a unique set of challenges, while also providing an opportunity unlike anything we have ever seen before in higher education. Fortunately, Unity College was able to identify the changing tide early. This has allowed us to get ahead of the curve by making the serious changes needed to not only survive but thrive. America’s Environmental College has become more relevant to a wider audience, while at the same time opening the door to innovation with one goal in mind: accessibility. We learned through years of research, that thousands and thousands of students across the country would like an environmental education from Unity College. However, in the past, cost and residential requirements have been a major barrier for entry. So, we had to think big. You can read in-depth about how we are breaking those barriers, while staying true to our roots and providing unprecedented access in this edition of Unity Magazine on page 6. Today, you can still find Hybrid Learning students who are looking for a residential experience getting their boots dirty and learning face-to-face at our field station in beautiful Unity, Maine. We were proud to see some of these Hybrid Learning students featured in the news this past spring, as they were able to enter the workforce while continuing their education. Check it out on page 20. We are also excited to soon be expanding our world-class curriculum to yet another audience. Unity College’s newest SEBU, the Technical Institute for Environmental Professions, will be serving students seeking associate degrees, certificates, and upskilling. These will not be residential students. Thus, the need for a location based in close proximity to densely populated areas. The campus of Pineland Farms is perfect for commuter students coming from areas like Portland and Lewiston. These students will learn in state-of-the-art HyFlex classrooms which will allow for maximum flexibility. The story, featured on page 10, goes into great detail about our vision for the new SEBU. As our college has leaned into educational equity, we have been able to double, and soon triple our historical diverse student population. It’s a fact that makes me particularly proud. We are also making sure to hire a more diverse leadership team, some of whom are highlighted in this edition of Unity Magazine. At the end of the day, America’s Environmental College is truly beginning to look like America, as people from all races and backgrounds come together to ensure we do right by our planet. We truly hope you enjoy reading about all the exciting things happening here at Unity College. Your ongoing support continues to inspire us to reach new heights each and every day. In Unity, Dr. Melik Peter Khoury

CONTENTS 06 Student First Approach Leads to Record- Breaking Enrollment 10

Unity College Announces Technical Institute for Environmental Professions

A New Dean with a Conservation Dream

From College to the Workplace: Maine Students Fill Game Warden Gap

Unity College News

New Leadership

The Unity College Dream Lives On

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Dot Quimby

Student Stories

Alumni Notes

Unity Graduates in the News

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Unity Magazine Volume 35 No. 1 President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury Unity Magazine Team Joseph Hegarty Dr. Melik Khoury Maren McGillicuddy Kelly Schneck Alecia Sudmeyer Photography Joseph Hegarty Alecia Sudmeyer Envato Stock Cover Photo Artist’s rendering of the new TIEP space. Courtesy Simons Architects. The Unity College Mission Through the framework of sustainability science, Unity College provides a liberal arts education that emphasizes the environment and natural resources. Through experiential and collaborative learning, our graduates emerge as responsible citizens, environmental stewards, and visionary leaders. Online unity.edu/magazine

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On the Unity campus, Hybrid Learning Students in the Wildlife and Fisheries Techniques course are learning to band ducks, take avian influenza samples, and record data. They assisted the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife this fall by establishing, maintaining, and running a duck banding station at several sites in the Unity Pond watershed. UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

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Student-First Approach Leads to RecordBreaking Enrollment UNITY COLLEGE IS NOW SEEING EXPONENTIAL GROWTH – THANKS TO AN AUDIENCECENTERED APPROACH, WHICH PUTS OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR NEEDS F I R S T.

residential model. This approach would not allow the College to serve multiple and differentiated audiences, such as place-bound adults. Additionally, telling faculty that they were going to need to change their pedagogy and technology wasn’t fair,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Khoury.

So, how did Unity College ascend from an institution that has never had more than 800 students in its 50-year history, to a college with nearly 2,500 unduplicated students?

The enterprise model allows for the creation of distinct units within the overall college, and is similar to a matrix organization. The advantages allow the College to be more responsive to the rapidly changing needs of students and society.

Unity College now prioritizes service to audience over all else. The creation of the Unity College Enterprise and separate Sustainable Educational Business Units (SEBUs) allows the institution to serve a more diversified student base. In fact, the school’s self-identified multicultural student population is now 20%. That’s up from a 50-year average of 8%. In order to achieve this, the College changed its entire decisionmaking paradigm. “We went through a multi-year process to understand our mission and curriculum and realized our mission as America’s Environmental College is very relevant, but that access to the curriculum was restricted to traditional students looking for a 6

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Unity College is no longer the small, four-year residential college it once was. However, the school has also not lost sight of its roots – and still welcomes Hybrid Learning students for in-person learning at our field station located at 90 Quaker Hill in Unity. In the future, Unity College Hybrid Learning

Unity College’s New Unity College student Megan joins us from SEBUs are Pennsylvania. She is earning her Bachelor’s Degree in independent Wildlife Conservation and Management. and charged with developing programs, services, and/or students will be working out of products that are tailored to multiple locations across Maine. audience-specific needs. This structure encourages SEBUs “We are going to use the State to focus on building programs of Maine as our classroom. that appeal to a specific kind Eventually, we hope our of student, with programs and students will be able to learn products designed to meet aquaculture hands-on along needed outcomes including the coast or study sustainable degrees or certificates. farming in Aroostook County.

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Nowhere in the world can you find a better place to teach the environmental sciences than here in Maine,” said Dr. Khoury. “Hybrid Learning students represent a much younger demographic than our other SEBUs. They are typically looking for 4-year Bachelor’s degrees while learning through a mix of modalities, including online and in-person. It’s that mix that allows many of them to take full-time jobs that they would otherwise have had to pass on in order to finish their degree,” said Hybrid Learning Vice President Zachary Falcon. That was the case this past year for Unity College Hybrid Learning students Amelia Frederic and Joshua Theriault, who both spoke with Portland news station CBS 13 about their experience. “The setup has been really great,” Frederic said. Just 20 years old and in her second year of college, she is also a deputy game warden, a job she’s dreamed of for years. “I never thought that in my second year at Unity I would be hired by the Maine Warden Service,” Frederic said. Frederic is one of five Unity College Hybrid Learning students who filled eight open Maine Game Warden positions this past spring. “I’ll be able to work my fulltime job with the Maine Warden Service and finish my degree this summer, rather than have to put my degree on hold … I do like that essentially I have a future job lined up after this, and I’m only three years into college already,” Theriault said. Unity College’s rapidly growing Distance Education program is serving a completely different 8

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audience. College leaders realized after years of research that there was a critical mass of students who wanted an environmental education. Those students simply did not have a reasonable path to success until Unity College became more accessible. Now, this asynchronous, online program allows for ultimate flexibility – offering Master’s Degrees, Bachelor’s Degrees, and certifications. “These adult, place-bound students are your neighbors. They are mothers and fathers. They are people who don’t have the means to drop everything they are doing for four years to come live on campus and study. What’s important is that they do want an environmental education, and it is up to us to provide it to them. The idea here is to allow every segment of the student population to have programs designed to fit their needs,” said Dr. Khoury. The average age of a Distance Education student has risen to 28-years-old, as more adults discover an environmental education is possible at Unity College. “From all 50 states and around the world, students are choosing Unity College in droves. The Distance Education program is bringing in hundreds of new students each term, as it continues to help the college break enrollment records,” said Distance Education Vice President Dr. Donavan Outten. Sasha Isaac is a DE student from India who is currently living in Dubai and has always dreamed of working with animals. “Watching National Geographic documentaries and reading books about wildlife only made me want to study and work with animals even more, but when I began

researching degrees to pursue, I was disheartened to discover the high cost for international students in countries abroad,” said Isaac. Fortunately, she never gave up on those dreams, and now Sasha is earning a Bachelor’s in Animal Health and Behavior. “That’s where Unity College played a big role. With much more affordable tuition costs, flexibility, and the vast set of options for animal-related courses, I was thrilled to find out I could still pursue my dream course and job. Now, I’m as excited as ever to study with Unity and achieve my goal to work in animal conservation one day!” Sasha is not alone. Many students, like Rachel Hutchinson, are already seeing their hard work pay off. Hutchinson recently graduated from Unity College’s Distance Education with an MPS in Wildlife Management and Conservation. “I chose Unity because it was flexible and 100% online, and allowed me to obtain my degree while continuing to work full time in my career as a Shellfish Constable/Shellfish Propagation Specialist,” said Hutchinson. She says Unity College gave her the flexibility to complete coursework on her own schedule in a program focused on environmental professions. “I enjoyed the diversity of other students and professors at Unity, and the ability to interact with others around the county who are working in a wide variety of fieldwork. Unity allowed me to finish a Master’s program that I would never have been able to do in person while working full time.” Looking ahead, Unity College

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will be reaching even greater audiences, as new SEBUs continue to take shape in order to better serve students and their needs. The School of Environmental Business and Sustainable Ventures will be maximizing Unity College’s current facilities at Sky Lodge in Moose River, the McKay Farm and Research Station in Thorndike, and the Unity College Store as working, revenue generating manifestations of the college’s curriculum. “Part of Unity’s environmental sustainability mission is the concept of commerce, and as an institution, the College recognizes that the green economy is growing quickly,” said Dr. Khoury. “The School of Environmental Business and Sustainable Ventures will partner with, run, or build small, environmentally focused businesses while offering programs that support working in the green economy. These industries will include sustainable tourism, agribusiness, green energy sectors, and more,” said Dean of the School of Environmental Business and Sustainable Ventures Dr. Tara Konya.

Dr. Konya says the goal is to develop environmentally-based business programs that will integrate into these businesses. “It’s going to be true experiential learning, where the projects include studying business by doing business. We are going to integrate our own businesses into student learning. This will give students very realistic, real-time learning examples.” The SEBU will offer certificates, baccalaureate, and master’s programs in a low-residency setting through a mix of modalities. “Students will learn about the retail industry through courses integrated with the Unity College Store. Agribusiness will be integrated into the green houses at McKay Farm. Students will help manage operations at Sky Lodge, which will be much like a low-residency campus. At the end of the day, we want to integrate education in an innovative, non-traditional format,” said Dr. Konya. The school’s programs and curriculum will be announced this coming spring with its first cohort set to begin in the Fall of 2022.

As winter fades and the weather starts to warm, Unity College will be launching its newest SEBU: the Technical Institute for Environmental Professions (TIEP), which you can read much more about in this issue of Unity Magazine. TIEP will focus on associate degrees, certificates, and upskilling workforce in the green economy. It will be based out of Pineland Farms in New Gloucester and use a mix of synchronous and asynchronous programming. “The institute will be teaching our future veterinary technicians, solar installation experts, and environmental engineers,” said Dr. Khoury. “Sometimes, people don’t want a degree, and we need to be able to support them; it’s no longer either or. It’s no longer are you educated or are you career ready. We need to create culturallycompetent, well-rounded, educated but career-ready environmental stewards. How can we be America’s Environmental College if we don’t ensure that the door is open for everybody?”

New Unity College student Sasha, joins us from Dubai. She is earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Health & Behavior. UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

Unity College Technical In Environmenta

Unity College’s newest Sustainable E with excitement, as the college prepa Environmental Profe 10

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e Announces nstitute for al Professions

Educational Business Unit is bursting ares to open the Technical Institute for essions in spring ’22. UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

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The institute will be located on the grounds of Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, a prime location tucked into the rolling hills of New Gloucester, Maine. Pineland Farms is a recreational, agricultural, and professional hub. With over 5,000 acres consisting of farms, forests, and a central campus of diverse businesses. Right now, construction is underway on the TIEP, which will incorporate a mix of in-person and online learning to offer associate degrees, certificates, and continuing professional education. “This will allow students to accelerate their futures and make immediate impacts in their chosen career fields,” said President of the UC Enterprise Dr. Erika Latty. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that environmental professions will grow at a faster-than-average rate through 2029, which is why Unity College is creating a program that will allow for mastery of concept as students look to fill these careers. “The educational landscape is changing. Many students no longer want to spend the time and money it takes to complete a baccalaureate program. We are creating a school and partnerships that will provide a linear path to an environmental-based career,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. “This program will not replace our current bachelor’s and master’s programs. It is simply offering more options to increasingly differentiated audiences as our college continues to grow.” The Technical Institute is designed to provide access and affordability, allowing students to upskill, retrain, or find brand-

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new jobs in the environmental career space. Maine’s environmental economy is growing quickly, and the institute will offer courses in related fields such as environmental engineering, veterinary technology, the solar industry, and other growth sectors. It’s this access and affordability to competency-based learning with direct career outcomes that has caught the attention of state leaders like Ryan Fecteau, the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. “The Unity College Technical Institute announcement is a tremendous step forward for career and technical education in Maine. We can be proud that this expansion will provide more access and affordability, so students are prepared for good jobs in environmental engineering, veterinary technology, the solar industry, and other areas of growth in New England. This move diversifies educational offerings at a time when students of all ages seek new pathways toward a career. Unity College’s Technical Institute will provide an attractive alternative to a four-year degree that will attract new people to Maine and help Mainers pivot or grow in their own careers,” said Speaker Fecteau. To ensure high-caliber educational programming from the outset, Unity College has hired Dr. Amardeep Kahlon, a nationally recognized leader in competency-based education and distance learning, as the school’s dean. With over two decades of experience in higher education, she is dedicated to delivering high quality, equitable, robust, and flexible face-to-face and online programs focused on

access and outcomes. “Courses will be built using competency-based design principles thus ensuring mastery of concept. Our students can be confident knowing there is a career waiting for them upon completion, and our employer partners will get competent and trained employees. We will be partnering with environmental companies and other industries that are seeking workers skilled in the environmental professions.” Kahlon said.

In the Fall of ’21 the U.S. Department of A receive more than $360,000 as part of a $50 improve rural education and healthcare.

This will help ensure the institute provides extensive opportunities for lifelong learning and professional education for those seeking a short-term credential that is either credit or noncredit. “Our programs will be aimed at both traditional and non-traditional students and will be offered both in the face-toface and online modalities. The

NEW SEBU, TIEP UNITY MAGAZINE

overarching aim of the technical institute is to train professionals who will work towards creating a healthy and sustainable world,” said Kahlon. Dr. Kahlon spent a sabbatical year (2013-14) in India as the founding Dean of Academics at an emerging new university. She has presented at local, state, and international conferences, been invited to speak in different forums on the topic of Competency-Based Education and innovation in higher education and presented as a keynote speaker. In

Program at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas. In addition, she has been a teaching professor for over two decades. In support of TIEP’s mission, Dr. Kahlon hired Dan Summers as the Executive Director of Student Life Cycle Management. In this role, Summers will lead his team in supporting the learner from recruitment through graduation. In his previous positions, Summers contributed to the development of a new tuition model. He also improved student recruitment and retention by streamlining operations and has played a role in the launch of various online, low-residency, and specialized certificate programs. “I have always gravitated toward working at mission-driven colleges committed to access. I believe it is incredibly important to serve those sectors/populations often missed in traditional higher education. We’re building a system that’s different from many traditional colleges, built learnercentered from the ground up,” said Summers.

Agriculture announced that Unity College will 0 million-dollar nationwide investment to

addition, her honors include being profiled as a top ten innovator by The Chronicle of Higher Education and various teaching excellence awards. Prior to joining Unity College, Kahlon served as Assistant Dean of Distance Learning and External Partnerships as well the director of the Women in Technology

“At TIEP, we want a culture and community built for learner success and in doing that we are going to using a model for success built with our career coaches. Our coaches will be recruiting students into our programs and continue with these students on their individualized pathway until they have met their goals. From financial aid to eventually career services, our coaches will be there to support and encourage learners as they navigate the entire experience.” Dr. Kahlon says Summers has been an immediate contributor to TIEP’s mission. “Dan comes with extensive experience in all phases of the student life cycle: recruitment, enrollment, persistence, graduation. He brings

with him a wealth of knowledge about higher education and education technology. I love his innovative thinking and his learning mindset. He will be a true asset to the institute.” Libra Foundation, which owns the Pineland campus, will also provide startup support to the Technical Institute. “We are pleased to work with Unity College and its leadership as they launch a transformative educational model. Locating the Institute at Pineland Farms is an ideal match,” said Erik Hayward, Executive Vice President of the Libra Foundation. Students at TIEP will be learning in custom HyFlex classrooms unlike anything Maine has ever seen. These HyFlex classrooms give learners the flexibility to attend class in person or remotely. The class is taught by an instructor who is the facilitator for both inclass learners and online learners simultaneously. The class is scheduled at a given time every week with learners able to attend face-to-face on-campus, whereas other learners who need more flexibility can attend the class remotely from anywhere in the world. Unity College’s Enterprise Model will deliver this innovative educational programming at a significant value to students as well. The cost for courses at The Technical Institute for Environmental Professions is targeted at approximately $250.00 per credit hour for degree seeking students. Classes will commence in Spring 2022 and follow Unity College’s undergraduate term model with courses starting every 5 weeks. More information on courses and start dates will be released in the coming months.

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“The educational landscape is changing. Many students no longer want to spend the time and money it takes to complete a baccalaureate program. We are creating a school and partnerships that will provide a linear path to an environmental-based career,” Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury 14

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TIEP Degree Programs A SS O C I AT E D E G R E E S

CE R T I F I C AT E PR O G R A M S

Associate of Applied Science in Data Analytics One of the most powerful tools in the fight against climate change is data. Data Analytics uses a variety of tools — from machine learning to data visualization — to present an accurate picture of the current health of the planet and predict the future.

Undergraduate Certificate in Data Analytics The data analytics field is expected to grow at a rate of 20% over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. With a renewed emphasis on combating climate change, the field is expected to grow.

Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology Veterinary tech careers in Maine are projected to grow 12% from 2020-2030 and this program prepares learners to thrive working in the field as well as sit for the Veterinary Technician National Exam.

Undergraduate Certificate in Water & Wastewater Technology Our Water and Wastewater Technician Certificate program is unique – delivered in a highly flexible (HyFlex) format, leveraging both live in-person and online options, from our brand-new high-tech classrooms, in New Gloucester, Maine.

Associate of Applied Science in Sustainable Aquaculture Our Sustainable Aquaculture program provides an intensive study of the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the aquaculture industry.

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Dr. Kelly Boyer Ontl

A New Dean with a Conservation Dream 16

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D E A N K E L LY B O Y E R O N T L U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E

Finding your path in life is no easy task. For some of us it takes years, while others are born with an innate calling. For Unity College’s new Distance Education Dean of Environmental Conservation and Research, Dr. Kelly Boyer Ontl, her path was discovered along a long and winding red dirt road in the African savanna. Dr. Boyer Ontl most recently served as an Assistant Professor at Ball State University and as a faculty member of their Environmental Science Doctoral Program. She has been working in the field of primatology and wildlife conservation for 20 years. From the classroom to the African bush, Dr. Boyer Ontl sat down to talk about the journey that led her to Unity College. As a young girl growing up in Pennsylvania, Dr. Boyer Ontl had early ambitions about someday working with primates, specifically chimpanzees. It’s a dream that started with stuffed animals and long nights spent reading Jane Goodall books that eventually led to her becoming a renowned, nationally published primate behavior researcher. “All of my stuffed animals were monkeys. I remember one day my dad went out into the backyard and brought back tree branches to put in the corner of my bedroom so I could hang my monkeys in a tree. When I was in 6th grade, my science teacher wanted us to paint a mural in the back of the classroom, and I painted a picture of chimpanzees in a tree from one of my Jane Goodall books. It’s just been a constant in my life.” It was during her time in middle school that she came up with a plan that would one day take her across the globe to study chimps in Africa. “I had a vision at a young age

that I would finish high school and find a college where I could study primates. I literally wrote in my notebook that ‘some miracle will happen, and I will find my way to Africa,’ and I didn’t quite know how that would happen. But I truly believed it would.” That plan began taking shape when Dr. Boyer Ontl found herself at Franklin and Marshall College where she received a B.A. in Biological Foundations of Behavior on the Animal Behavior track.

behavior became part of my everyday life.” And that’s where Dr. Boyer Ontl says she started finding her love of educating others. “We began doing keeper chats and other forms of educational

“It was all about animal training, learning, and conditioning to understand the how and why animals do what they do.” It was also during that time her dream of traveling to Africa first “I was up close with the animals. Understanding came true. She studied their behavior became part of my everyday life.” abroad in Kenya for three months living out in the bush in canvas tents and doing field studies, including animal outreach to help visitors population counts. understand what these animals are really like.” “I remember a very specific moment; we were in a Land Rover After a short trip to study howler and we had just stopped to see a monkeys in Costa Rica, rhinoceros. It was right then that Dr. Boyer Ontl felt the itch to I looked straight ahead along this return to Africa in 2006. After classic red dirt road winding its doing some research, she found way through the African savanna an opportunity to volunteer at the – and I just looked, and said this is Chimpanzee Conservation Center my path, this is it, right in front of in the Republic of Guinea. But me.” getting there wouldn’t be so easy. After college, Dr. Boyer Ontl worked as a keeper at several zoos, including the Houston Zoo, where she was able to begin working full-time with primates. “I was up close with the animals; I was learning all about what they ate, and how they behaved and socialized. Understanding their

I said, ‘Wow, I’d love to do I asked my boss for a six-month leave of absence, but she told me that was too much time. I knew it was what I had to do, so I told her that this would be my resignation. I quit my job, took out all my savings, and relied heavily on my mother who did an amazing job of taking care of my two cats while I UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

Flexible four quarter calendar allows students to engage in a robust residential college experience while having the flexibility for work, family Through her research, she studied fascinating behaviors like how commitments, and career opportunities. chimpanzees use caves to keep cool in the oppressive savanna heat, and grappled with difficult questions like how to conserve the critically endangered chimpanzees in the midst of active gold mining and widespread poverty. 18 UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

was gone. I just picked up my life and moved to West Africa, as any 25-year-old does [laughs].” The work wasn’t easy, and at times the conditions while living in the middle of a remote national park could be brutal. “It was an extremely intense experience. My job was to basically take care of orphaned chimpanzees. These are babies taken from their mothers, mostly due to the bush-meat trade, then sold to people as pets. They really didn’t understand that they were chimps. They had to be reintroduced to other chimps and brought into the forest to learn how to be chimps again.” After seven months in Guinea, it was time to come home and head to grad school, but, as life does, Dr. Boyer Ontl was thrown another curve ball. Her goal was to study under Dr. Jill Pruetz at Iowa State University, but before doing that Dr. Pruetz presented her with an opportunity to return to Africa to work at a field site in Senegal as a project manager. “Five or six days a week we would wake up at 4:30 in the morning to track down a group of wild chimpanzees to study their behavior.” A lot like the work of her hero … “Just like Jane Goodall did,” she says with a smile. “We’d follow the chimps from the moment they woke up in the morning, and I would record their behaviors from sunrise to sunset. The researchers in the program had spent years slowly acclimating the chimpanzees to feel comfortable with the

presence of an observer – a process we call habituation – so I could simply sit, observe, and feel accepted by the chimpanzees.”

know. It was much more about getting kids to start engaging with the environment and learning about the animals and ecology around them.”

Dr. Boyer Ontl would spend much of her time over the course of a decade researching in Senegal. She eventually set up her own field sites, which relied more on technology and less on habituating chimpanzees.

Now, Dr. Boyer Ontl’s path has led her to Unity College where her experience will help her transform Unity’s Distance Education program.

“I wanted to work with completely wild, unhabituated chimpanzees. Which meant I needed to get creative with how I would track them. Instead of following them closely, we set up camera traps and instead of being there when they woke up, we would find and count their sleeping nests.” Through her research, she studied fascinating behaviors — like how chimpanzees use caves to keep cool in the oppressive savanna heat — and grappled with difficult questions like how to conserve the critically endangered chimpanzees in the midst of active gold mining and widespread poverty. While learning and researching in Senegal, Dr. Boyer Ontl never lost her drive to educate. With help from her former employer, the Houston Zoo, and the nonprofit Conservation Fusion, she was able to establish summer learning programs for local children. “We brought educational supplies and fun things for the kids to learn and play with, like binoculars and magnifying glasses. It was not so much about telling them what’s in their backyard, because they already

“What I’ve found during my research in West Africa is that what is happening on the global scale affects all of us locally. It opened my eyes to understanding big processes throughout the world in wildlife conservation and this major connection between humans and the environment. The more that we’re able to educate people in their own communities and environments, the better chance we have at creating social and community change.” “We need to get creative about solutions. From conservation to education solutions, we need to open the doors to an environmental education to people all over the world.” Her goal is to graduate thousands of environmental superheroes every year. “I love that all of our programs at Unity College are centered around environmental science education, and that we are creating the next environmental stewards to go out and make the world a better place. I am excited about working with students who are passionate about making a difference. Now, it is our job to create an experience that allows our students to do that.”

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From college to the workplace: Maine students fill game warden gap

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HYBRID LEARNING UNITY MAGAZINE

Some Maine students are getting real-world experience while still in school. Students at Unity College are helping to fill open game warden positions, all due to the school’s hybrid learning program that launched right before the pandemic hit. Many schools across Maine have struggled with moving to hybrid learning models, but at Unity College, it’s actually helping these students get ahead.

students filling eight open Maine Game Warden positions. “I’ll be able to work my full-time job with the warden service and finish my degree this summer rather than have to put my degree on hold,” Unity College student Joshua Theriault said.

“Fewer classes, shorter periods of time, really leaning into that,” Unity College President Melik Peter Khoury said. “What the pandemic has done has really pushed us to the remote aspect of learning.”

“I do like that, essentially I have a future job lined up after this, and I’m only three years into college already,” Theriault said. “These students are, for me, the future environmental superheroes of Maine,” Khoury said.

Khoury says it’s a model that gives students like Amelia Frederic the flexibility to work while going to school.

A spokesperson for Inland Fisheries & Wildlife says while they’ve hired many of these students, they still need to go through several weeks of training before becoming a game warden, and not everyone makes it through.

“The setup has been really great,” Frederic said. Just 20 years old and in her second year of college, she is also a deputy game warden — a job she’s dreamed of for years. “I never thought that in my second year at Unity I would be hired by the Maine Warden Service,” Frederic said. Frederic is one of five Unity College

Theriault said this hybrid learning has put him ahead.

“These students are graduating with more than just book knowledge of what it means to be a game warden, they’ve lived it they’ve experienced it,” Khoury said. “I never thought that in my second year at Unity I would be hired by the Maine Warden Service,” Frederic said.

The Maine Warden Service orientation for these students starts in May.

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UNITY COLLEGE News Bucking national trends, Unity College students are taking out fewer loans UNITY COLLEGE SEES 70% DECREASE IN STUDENTS BORROWING A LT E R N AT I V E L OA N S WHILE ENROLLMENT DOUBLES

With the intention of putting students first by focusing on accessibility, affordability, and flexibility, Unity College broke away from the traditional twosemester higher education model and the results speak for themselves. Data collected in February 2021 shows that, in the same year the College welcomed its largest incoming class and enjoyed its highest enrollment, it also saw students needing to take out fewer alternative loans in both Distance Education and Hybrid Learning – by over 70 percent. This has directly led to the broadest and most racially diverse student population in the College’s history.

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unity.edu/news

Groundbreaking Unity College Partnership Brings Increased Extended Reality Access Unity College’s Path Forward is at the forefront of creating new ways for students to gain valuable skills in an accessible, flexible, and affordable way. Now, a partnership with MetaVRse is helping to double down on that promise by allowing students to learn cutting edge XR and 3D design and development technology, anywhere, anytime, as part of the school’s new nondegree micro-course program which will include skills in environmental and sustainability fields. Unity’s non-degree course offerings are designed for those interested in learning a distinct skill or tool, at a much lower cost than a college degree. Participants receive digital

badges certified by Credly, which can be added to their LinkedIn profile, and resume as proof of their acquired competence. The MetaVRse Engine is a fully web-based design and development tool. Create immersive 3D-augmented, and mixed reality (XR) experiences, and deploy them across multiple operating systems, browsers, and devices with little or no code. It’s as simple and easy as making a slide deck. Now, MetaVRse and Unity College are teaming up to help make anyone a creator.

UNITY NEWS UNITY MAGAZINE

Unity College gets federal grant to expand education in rural Maine A Maine college is getting a big grant to expand education to rural parts of the state. Rachel Hutchinson Shellfish Propagation Specialist Our alumni are the manifestation of the Unity College mission, and they continue to put their skills and knowledge into practice doing important work in the areas of environmental sustainability, conservation, and more.

The Unity College Board of Trustees has confirmed the appointment of Leon L. Wyden, Jr. as its newest trustee with broad experience in higher education and finance. He began his tenure May 1, 2021. Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury praised the board’s selection. “Mr. Wyden brings with him a 30-year career in finance within institutions of higher education,” Khoury said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Unity College will receive more than $360,000 as part of a $50 million investment to improve rural education and health care nationwide. The money will be used for Unity’s HyFlex Classroom Project at the new Technical Institute for Environmental Professions at Pineland, New Gloucester, Maine. Unity President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury says the program helps students in rural areas connect with each other and their instructors using virtual and augmented reality technology. Unity says construction on the first of Unity College’s HyFlex classrooms will be finished in the coming months, with courses launching in early spring.

UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

UNITY MAGAZINE NEW LEADERSHIP

NEW leadership

Amardeep Kahlon

Tara Konya

Dean of the Technical Institute for Environmental Professions

Dean for the School of Environmental Business and Sustainable Ventures

Dr. Amardeep Kahlon is a nationally recognized leader in competencybased education (CBE) with a passion for innovation. With over two decades of experience in higher education, she is dedicated to delivering high-quality, equitable, robust, and flexible face-to-face and online programs focused on access and outcomes. Prior to joining Unity College, Dr. Kahlon served as an Assistant Dean of Distance Learning and External Partnerships as well as the director of the Women in Technology Program at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas. In addition, she has been a teaching professor for over two decades. Kahlon earned a Master’s in Computer Science from Binghamton University and a doctorate in Education Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

Dr. Tara Konya comes to Unity College from Southern New Hampshire University where she most recently served as the Associate Dean of Academic Operations for the School of Business. Dr. Konya holds a Ph.D. in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s Bryan School of Business and Economics. As Dean, Dr. Konya focuses on generating revenue through business ventures, academic programming in Environmental Business and related disciplines, as well as the strategic and tactical direction of existing auxiliary work units. Her scope of authority includes the School of Sustainable Business, McKay Farm Research Station, Sky Lodge, the Unity College Store, dining services, external events, and new venture development. The Dean develops strategy, implementation, and operational management procedures to enhance current revenuegenerating work units and go-tomarket strategy to prioritize and pursue new opportunities.

Donavan Outten Vice President of Distance Education Dr. Donavan Outten is a powerful trainer, consultant, educator and administrator with over 20 years’ experience. He is the former Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at Webster University where he was responsible for the extended campus network. Dr. Outten’s experience includes serving as Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa, where he was the senior officer in charge of the extended network of multimetro campuses, military campuses and online. He served as Dean of University College at Hampton University in charge of their online programs for the university. He also served as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies at Argosy University. He earned his Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, Master’s in Human Resource Development & Administration from Barry University, Master’s in Finance from Webster University and Bachelor’s in Psychology from Bethune Cookman University.

NEW LEADERSHIP UNITY MAGAZINE

Doreen Rogan Dean of Student Success Doreen Rogan is the new Dean of Student Success. She brings almost 25 years of administrative experience in higher education, having held a variety of positions in Academic and Student Affairs as well as over 20 years teaching experience. Doreen holds a doctorate in Leadership Studies, a master’s degree in American and New England Studies and a bachelor’s degree in Management. Doreen is passionate about the importance of our work and committed to providing students with the education they want and need.

Dan Summers II

Uzell Williams

Executive Director of Student Life Cycle Management at the Technical Institute for Environmental Professions

Dean of General Education and Environmental Studies

Dan Summers comes to America’s Environmental College with extensive expertise in higher education. His past work includes serving as Vice President and Dean of Admissions at Southern Vermont College. Most recently he was the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing at Hiram College in Ohio. In his previous positions, Summers contributed to the development of a new tuition model. He also improved student recruitment and retention by streamlining operations and has played a role in the launch of various online, low-residency, and specialized certificate programs. Summers holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. He is also an alumnus of the College Board’s Enrollment Leadership Academy.

Dr. Uzell Williams is a CPA practicing in the state of Florida. She is the owner of a CPA firm where the focus is on growing small and medium businesses through accounting, consulting, personal and corporate taxation, financial analysis, budgeting, business valuation and auditing. She has over 20 years’ experience in accounting and finance in both corporate America and private companies. Dr. Williams holds an MBA in Finance, MS in Accounting, CPA License and a Doctorate in Business Administration with an Accounting concentration. She has been teaching accounting and finance for more than 10 years in higher education and the private sector. She has developed and revised programs, courses, and curriculum at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has adaptive learning and competency-based program and course development and faculty management experience. She also has experience in program accreditation and is a strong advocate for students and faculty alike. UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

UNITY MAGAZINE OPINION

Unity College Class of 1973, BOB PORTnER

the Unity College dream lives on N OW T H AT T H E COLLEGE HAS OPENED AGAIN, ALBEIT TO A LIMITED NUMBER OF HYBRID STUDENTS AT T H E C A M PU S O N QUAKER HILL ROAD I N U N I T Y, I A M H A P P Y TO R E P O R T T H AT T H E DREAM INDEED IS FAR FROM DEAD! The college has actually grown during the pandemic. The current enrollment of the College is somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,800 students. When I got to Unity College in September 1969 the enrollment was 300 students. Despite the pandemic and due to the foresight of the current administration, the college, has actually thrived. Of course we would all like to see more students on campus and it is my hope that next year that indeed will be true. So much of it depends on COVID-19 and getting the general population vaccinated. The business model for the College has been one where it is realized that by having a strong distance learning program, people from all age brackets and economic backgrounds have an opportunity to get an outstanding environmental education. So, to those who feel that the dream is dead, I say to you, take a good hard look. The dream is not dead and it will continue to thrive and grow. That is my hope. — Bob Portner, Class of ‘73

IN MEMORY OF UNITY MAGAZINE

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of

Dot Quimby It is with a heavy heart that I share the unfortunate news of Dot Quimby’s passing. It is truly surreal. She was a Unity College institution — one of the first employees of the College and even after she retired in 2001, she remained a fixture at campus events up until recently. She was beloved by us all, but she had a special bond with our alums, and I know you will miss her dearly. I had the pleasure of meeting Dot not long after my arrival in Unity and I found her historical knowledge and passion for the success of the College inspiring. As a founding member of America’s Environmental College, she knew how important the mission of the College was providing me with me some valuable insight as I began my career here.

to make the Unity College library open to the public, which in turn made Unity College eligible for the state aid needed to build what is now the central road on the 90 Quaker Hill Road campus, the Loop Road. She was a dedicated mother of two boys, a grandmother and volunteer. She served as Treasurer for the Town of Unity, a Trustee of Unity Church, and was a member of Future MSAD3 – the committee that helped design and fund the regional high school – Mount View. Dot’s legacy lives on here at Unity College through the library that bears her name and all the

other projects she helped to facilitate as the College evolved during its first four decades. As we mourn her loss, we can take comfort in knowing that she will join us in spirit at all our events. We will always think of her as we continue to provide our students the library resources they need to be successful Unity College graduates. Goodbye, Dot. We will miss you. You and your legacy will forever be a part of Unity College. In Unity, Melik Peter Khoury President

Dot moved to Unity in 1956 and was studying for her master’s degree in library science at the University of Maine when Bert Clifford approached her to be the librarian at the new school he was starting. Her first task was to build-out the library in Koons Hall from an empty room with books in the middle of the floor to a fully functioning library with a charge desk and catalog. When it was time for the library to move to a more permanent home, she organized and led the “book brigade:” passing the books person by person from Koons Hall to the current library. She petitioned the State of Maine

Dot Quimby

Sept. 1, 1929 – April 5, 2021

UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

“My experience here at Unity College has equipped me with the necessary tools and skills I need to accomplish my goals.” Tiana Stewart

Unity STUDENT Stories Brooke Dipaula Wildlife Rehabilitation Coordinator

Eric Skrivseth President at Moshannon Creek Watershed Association “For a class assignment, I emailed a pitch for founding a Moshannon Creek Watershed Association which was well-received. We were able to incorporate and become a 501c3 nonprofit. I am now the president of the organization. We have been awarded two grants that are being used to update conditions in the watershed and perform an initial evaluation and repairs on a set of six mine drainage treatment systems that had been unmaintained since a local chapter of Trout Unlimited disbanded.”

UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

“Unity allowed me the opportunity to be able to intern and volunteer with actual animals to gain that real-world experience. I was able to intern with a zoo right before the pandemic began. I then had the opportunity to intern with a wildlife rehabilitation center over the summer.

Brooke DiPaula B.S. in Animal Health and Behavior

Unity College taught me the background information for animals and the West Shore Wildlife Center allowed me to further develop my skills in the field. Unity taught me a great deal of information about environmental issues that I was unaware and uneducated on, and I can use that to fuel my passion to improve our planet.” After graduating, Brooke was hired as a Wildlife Rehabilitation Coordinator at the West Shore Wildlife Center. The West Shore Wildlife Center is a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation center in southern Pennsylvania that provides for sick, injured, and orphaned native Pennsylvania wildlife. Brooke supervises interns, volunteers, and apprentices in wildlife patient care and care of non-releasable animal ambassadors, ensuring all internal protocols and safety measures are followed. She also does training, research, outreach, and more.

STUDENT STORIES UNITY MAGAZINE

Savannah Stura OPS Wildlife Biologist “There are so many opportunities in wildlife health, especially working in Florida. Between the whitetail deer, reptile species, and the Florida panthers, there is so much to learn about how to better protect these species from a variety of rising issues. Following my degree, I will not only expand my horizons within wildlife health, but I will also try my hand at several certificate programs and am looking into getting my prescribed burn license too! Through Unity College, I feel like I have opened up to several different fields of study and want to keep that going by expanding my knowledge of the world around me!”

Jorge Nunez Masters’s in Wildlife Conservation and Management Forestry Field Specialist

Jorge Nunez Forestry Field Specialist “Unity College was an amazing learning experience for me! The curriculum was what I was looking for in terms of learning more about the discipline of wildlife conservation.

Through my collegiate experience, I enjoyed the attention to detail and the reading material given by my professors. The classes were very interesting and interactive. I hope that my Unity College graduate degree can help shift my career from forestry into a role within wildlife conservation and management.” UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

UNITY MAGAZINE ALUMNI NOTES

Alumni Notes HAVE AN ALUMNI NOTE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO ADVANCEMENT@UNITY.EDU. WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Marie Barker (Morenc) ‘86 Currently finishing my 20th year working with the Bureau of Prisons as a Correctional Systems Supervisor as l Systems Supervisor. Retirement is August of 2021. Looking forward to traveling and possibly volunteer work. Michele Beucler ‘88 I am part of a three-person marketing team for Idaho Fish & Game. I worked for Fish and Game for over 27 years. I also teach a creative movement/fitness class called Nia although that’s on hold during the pandemic. Hedy Blauvelt (Page) ‘74 I am a licensed massage therapist in Brunswick, Maine. Kaela Campanella ‘19 I’m working as a wilderness education instructor at Camp Waubanong in Brattleboro, VT. The camp is taking a shift into becoming an experiential education-based program and I’m currently a part of developing wilderness skill and expedition-based education opportunities for kids ages 6 through 17. Craig Clifford ‘13 I am currently living in California working for a cannabis testing laboratory (Cannalysis) as the Safety & Facilities Supervisor.

UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

Bob Costa ‘08 Working for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge - Winona District. An active officer with Winona, MN American Legion Post 9. Continuing trade education in a welding course at Minnesota State College Southeast- Winona campus. I enjoy walking my 10-yearold black lab and enjoying life during this covid-19 pandemic. Joel Devoid ‘18 Seasonal Park Ranger at Peaks Kenny State Park. I married Leighanne Wilson (now Leighanne Devoid) in 2019. She is also an alum of parks and forest resources 2018 and works seasonally at Peaks Kenny. Louis Dilella ‘71 Retired from the US Courts. Jodie Ellithorpe (Thompson) ‘04 I teach second grade during the year and paint houses with my family during the summer. :) Samantha Fleming (Chisholm) ‘08 Andrew ‘08 and I have been married for 11 years and have a wonderful 3-year-old son. We have lived in Maryland for nearly 10 years and recently moved to the Chesapeake Bay area. I continue to work for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and have worked at the Headquarters office as a Law Enforcement Specialist for nearly 4 years. My current role as Acting Branch Chief of Field Support and Policy for the National Wildlife Refuge System Law Enforcement will hopefully become a permanent role in the near future.

Corey Francis ‘87 Normandeau Associates Inc. Senior scientist/Director QA/EH&S Manager Thomas Frezza ‘08 I am now a Public Affairs and Outreach Specialist for the Naval History and Heritage Command. NHHC is responsible for the preservation, analysis, and dissemination of U.S. naval history and heritage, and is located at the historic Washington Navy Yard. It is composed of 42 facilities in 13 geographic locations including the Navy Department Library, 10 museums, a collections storage facility, USS Constitution repair facility and detachment, and historic ship USS Nautilus. As part of my position, I travel across the country, sharing the work of the Command, conduct oral history interviews, give media interviews, and create digital content. I am still married to Tori Frezza, whom I met at Unity.

Thomas Frezza ‘08 - Public Affairs and Outreach Specialist

ALUMNI NOTES UNITY MAGAZINE

Mark Frulla ‘80 Retired and enjoying life in Sharon, CT. Tim George ‘01 Trailologist for the National Park Service. Currently working and living within Wrangell St Elias NP & Preserve. I work on all things trail-related from project building, maintenance, and construction to condition assessments of trails, backcountry public use cabins, and airstrips. Alfred Ghene ‘69 I am working in a country club doing cooking and all phases of the food industry. I have been at the club for 4 years. Work when I want and travel when I want. I have a great boss who loves my work ethic. Paul Govoni ‘77 Retired. Franz Holzmann ‘79 I have been working for Military Sealift Command for the past 14 years. I am currently sailing as a Third Assistant Engineer on the USNS Pecos. Eric Kelchlin ‘91 Distance Learning Specialist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. Scott Kemp ‘96 Live in Hardwick, married to Kelly G Kemp, enjoy spending time at our camp in Maine with our three dogs.

Michael Kinson ‘07 I have been working for the NHDOT since 2016 as a Technical Support Specialist for the Bureau of Construction. My focus is on moving the State’s Construction division paperless through the use of mobile applications, Global Navigation Satellite Systems, and other software programs. I train the 85 field engineers on the programs and devices issued to them, provide technical support to those individuals, and provide interdepartmental support as well. I have been married for six years now and have a five-year-old daughter as well as a three-year-old son.

two wonderful children. I am now remarried to Nancy. We are blessed to have 10 grandchildren. I serve as a deacon in my local Baptist Church and am chairman of the board at our local health center. I enjoy hunting, fishing, gardening, beekeeping, and maple syrup production. We live in an old farmhouse and have 45 acres that I enjoy doing woodlot management on.

Michael Koutelis ‘77 Currently, I work part-time as an Energy Consultant in the Renewable Energy Sector. I recently completed the Master Gardening training in NH and provide assistance to the NH Food Bank for their community garden and other nonprofit entities. Rose (my wife) also attended Unity College, is a licensed Bowen Therapist, and we both enjoy seeing our family and four grandchildren regularly. Future travels and adventure are in store for us when it is safe to go!

Dale Mc Gee ‘72 + ‘82 Semi-retired, and managing a parttime psychotherapist practice serving first responders and combat veterans as well as the general public. I am licensed in Maine and in Florida and spend six months in each. If anyone is interested they can check out my website at ecopsservices.com.

Michael Marshall ‘76 I was hired as a Maine Game Warden in 1978 and retired in 2005. I was fortunate to serve as a field warden, sergeant, and lieutenant. I was first assigned to the Grand Lake Stream district in Washington County in eastern Maine but worked in the southern and northernmost counties also. My first wife Dottie died as a result of an auto accident in 2004. We were married 26 years and raised

Luis Martin ‘12 After working for the CT Dept. of Environmental Protection and Audubon Society, I transitioned into teaching. I now teach 7th-grade science for the town of Enfield.

Carolyn Jo Meserve (Bowker) ‘87 I am retired. Living quietly on our farm and anxious for a safe New Year! Patricia Poff (Emmons) ‘80 I currently teach K- 4 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) at Byram Lakes Elementary School. I have been married for 21 years to my amazing husband, Greg Poff. We have two beautiful children, Vance and Catherine. We live in beautiful Sussex County, NJ. We spend our free time hiking, backpacking, and kayaking.

UNITY MAGAZINE ALUMNI NOTES

Alumni Notes Phil Pouech ‘79 I’ve worked in the renewable industry for the last 17 years. It was my primary interest in college way back in the 70s. I’ve lived in Hinesburg Vermont for 35 years where my three children grew up. I am involved in town and state governments including a member of the Green Mountain Transit Board (mass transit) and I am the chair of the Hinesburg Selectboard, our town council. My wife Lia Cravedi teaches at the University of Vermont. We enjoy raising and sharing local food along with active exercise and outdoor activity. Douglas Saball ‘83 Medically disabled but enjoying life. Moved to Roanoke, VA. in October 2020 from Unity. I love the Blue Ridge Mountains and live about 3 miles from the AT! Renee Sherman (Letendre) ‘06 I’ve been working at the University of Maine at Augusta since 2011. Promoted this year as well - now the Executive Assistant to the President and Coordinator of Special Projects. Michelle Stover ‘15 7th Grade Science Teacher at Merrimack School District Rob Watts ‘85 Senior Vice President of a health care management company. My kids have all graduated from college. I am considering retirement-but enjoy what I do too much to give it up just yet! Cielle Williams ‘13 I’m a parasitology technician at Antech. I got my CA registered veterinary technician license and working on my Oregon license. I’m happily married and we’re going on 8 years together. We have two adorable cats.

ALUMNI NOTES UNITY MAGAZINE

What’s youR STORY? Unity College Alumni notes are online! Always available for you to update your information and check out what is happening with your classmates. Go to:

unity.edu/alumni

UNITY GRADUATES in the news Unity College Alum, Chelsea Wulff works as the Senior Manager at ESG Initiatives.

Environmental Conservation Police Officer Darryl Lucas Honored as Top New York Wildlife Conservation Police Officer. Chandler named Legendary Warden

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil

Chandler graduated Unity College in 1969 before sitting for the warden service test. He became a warden in 1970. Chandler was instrumental in covert fish and game investigations and was one of the first full-time investigators to go undercover. Chandler was recognized for receiving the legendary honor at a small gathering in Bangor this past January. 34

UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

Environmental Conservation Police Officer Darryl Lucas

Seggos today announced that Environmental Conservation Police Officer (ECO) Darryl Lucas was recently honored with the Wildlife Officer of the Year Award from the Shikar-Safari Club International. ECO Lucas graduated from Unity College in 1988 with a Bachelor’s degree in Science after majoring in Fisheries. He completed DEC’s Law Enforcement Training Academy in 1992, and worked in DEC’s Region 1 for 10 years before transferring to his current assignment in Region 6. ECO Lucas has been a thorough, dedicated, and persistent officer for 28 years, always seeking to protect the natural resources of New York State. Growing up hunting and fishing on Moriches Bay on Long Island, Officer Lucas witnessed people violating fish and game laws at an early age. He was inspired to join the ranks of DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement by his love of nature and inherent feeling of responsibility to protect it.

UNITY COLLEGE ALUMNI UNITY MAGAZINE

Maine couple lives off the land, teaches others through their primitiveskills school Hannah and Colby met at Unity College and worked at other primitive skills schools before creating their own called ‘Way of the Earth.’ They teach students how to make clothing from animal hide, tools from bones, friction fires, and efficient shelters with no equipment. This year, the couple is offering a five-month immersion program where people will come live on their land, starting out in tents and eventually learning how to build a shelter to move into as they rely more on the land.

Warden Michael Latti ‘17 and his trained warden service dog Luna.

Game warden and his dog find missing 11-yearold Gorham girl Unity College graduate Michael Latti ‘17 and his trained dog found an 11-year-old autistic

girl in the woods approximately a half mile from her home in Gorham. They began to search in the woods behind the house at 4:43 p.m. Luna found the girl’s scent about 10 minutes later and led Latti to the missing child, who was wandering around in the thick woods. UNITY MAGAZINE 2021

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UNITY MAGAZINE 2021