Unity College Names Dr. Mitchell Thomashow President

Unity, Maine – January, 2006 –  The Unity College Board of Trustees has unanimously voted to appoint Dr. Mitchell Thomashow as President.  Nestled in the rustic countryside of Unity, Maine, Unity College serves over 500 full-time undergraduate students pursuing environmental degrees.

       The announcement of Dr. Thomashow’s appointment was made on Thursday, January 12 by Chairman of the Board of Trustees Robert F. Pollis, Jr.

     “Our national search for a President has ended successfully with the appointment of Dr. Mitchell Thomashow,” noted Pollis.  “Dr. Thomashow shares the values of Unity College.  His breadth of experience as an educator, scholar and college administrator is exceptional.  We are most pleased to welcome Dr. Thomashow to the College community and believe his leadership will enable us to reach the full measure of our promise in service to an environmentally focused mission.”

     “I am deeply impressed with the extraordinary care, dedication and support that the Unity’s faculty and staff provide,” Thomashow said.  “This is an essential quality of the Unity experience as reflected by all the students I spoke with.”
     Interim President Mark Lapping will continue in his post until mid-or late July, with Dr. Thomashow taking office on July 15, said Pollis. 

Dr. Mitchell Thomashow

     Well-known nationally in environmental circles, Dr. Thomashow serves as Chair of the Department of Environmental Studies and Associate Dean for Institutional Advancement at the Antioch New England Graduate School in Keene, New Hampshire.  He will remain at his post through the Spring Semester and prior to his installment as President of Unity College on July 1.

     Thomashow’s achievements within the field of environmental education and scholarship are varied and extensive.  Overseeing a department that serves 350 Masters and Doctoral students pursuing programs of study in environmental education, environmental policy, and conservation biology at Antioch New England, Thomashow teaches courses such as Global Environmental Change, Ecological Thought, Cultures of Natural History, and Music and Nature.  Currently he supervises twelve doctoral students.

     “Dr. Thomashow is actively engaged in promoting environmental learning in a range of networks,” Pollis said.  “He is a founding member of the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors, an association of institutional representatives who come together to improve the quality, stature and effectiveness of academic environmental programs at U.S. universities and colleges.”

     A scholar and writer who is specifically interested in developing reflective, interdisciplinary pedagogy for undergraduate and graduate programs in environmental studies, Thomashow sees great potential for Unity College to flourish.

     “Unity is well poised to develop excellent partnerships and affiliations with a range of local, regional, and national institutions,” Thomashow said.

     Thomashow earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Problems from New York University; a Master of Arts degree in History from the State University of New York at Stony Brook; a Master of Science in Teaching, Environmental Studies, from Antioch New England Graduate School; and a Doctor of Education degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts, School of Education.  His dissertation was entitled Know Nukes: A Model for Teaching Controversial Issues.

     His most recent book entitled Bringing the Biosphere Home , published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Press in 2001, is a guide for learning how to perceive global environmental change.  In 1995, MIT Press also published a book by Thomashow entitled Ecological Identity: Becoming a Reflective Environmentalist.  The book, used widely in environmental studies programs, offers an approach to teaching environmental education based on reflective practice – a guide to teachers, educators and concerned citizens alike that incorporates issues of citizenship, ecological identity, and civic responsibility within the framework of environmental studies.

     Pollis noted that many of the principles expressed in Thomashow’s writings are closely allied to the mission of Unity College.

     Unity College is located at 90 Quaker Hill Road, Unity, Maine.

     Unity College is a small private college in rural Maine that provides dedicated, engaged students with a liberal arts education which emphasizes the environment and natural resources.  Unity College graduates are prepared to be environmental stewards, effective leaders, and responsible citizens through active learning experiences within a supportive community.