Unitel and Unity Foundation Join Unity College for First Ever Unity Partnership Award

On December 10, Unity College presented the best of student research and creative projects for public review. The presentations were reviewed by faculty, staff and community partners with the best receiving awards.

One award spotlighted the value that Unity College places on both community service and collaborative partnerships. The Unity Partnership Award sponsored by the Unity College Office of College Advancement was presented for the Unity College student project submission that demonstrated the highest quality of community engagement. On hand to participate in the presentation were representatives from the Unity Foundation and Unitel.

The first ever Unity Partnership Award was presented to Kelly Safford ’09, an Environmental Education major from Greene, Maine, and Patrick O’Roark ’10, a Wildlife Care and Education major from South Hadley, Massachusetts, for their documentary about the Camp Susan Curtis mentoring program involving students from Unity College and MSAD # 3. A $250 cash prize was presented to Safford and O’Roark by Unity College Vice President for College Advancement Robert Constantine, Lori Roming of the Unity Foundation, and Jim Carlson, Chief Operating Officer / Vice President at Unitel.

“This award-winning documentary clearly demonstrated the importance that Unity College places on community service, not just as an experience to be pursued during college, but as a lifelong value,” noted Constantine. “As supporters of Unity College and outstanding community partners, it was an honor to be joined in the first ever presentation of this award by Lori Roming and Jim Carlson given that the Unity Foundation and Unitel consistently demonstrate that they place a high priority on community outreach and service. Unity College could hope for no better friends and neighbors than the Unity Foundation and Unitel.”

Roming and Carlson praised the documentary and the mentoring project it documented.

The award ceremony was held at the Unity College Centre for the Performing Arts in Unity. Presenting and receiving the award are pictured facing, left to right, Constantine, Safford, Roming, Carlson and O’Roark.

“The purpose of the conference is to recognize quality in Unity College student work, and to celebrate excellence,” explained John Zavodny, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Instruction and Advising Services.

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.