University of Southern Maine

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University of Southern Maine


Established	1878
Type	Public
President	Richard Pattenaude
Students	10,974
Location	Gorham, Maine, USA
Campus	Suburban
Mascot	Husky
Website	usm.maine.edu

The University of Southern Maine (USM) is a multi-campus public university and part of the University of Maine System. USM's three primary campuses are located in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston (Lewiston-Auburn College).

Among the seven units of the University of Maine System, USM has the highest total number of enrolled students (without regard to full- or part-time status) at 10,974 as of the Fall 2005 semester, with an average age of 28.5.[1]

USM is among the “best Northeastern colleges,” according to The Princeton Review’s 2006 listings. The current president of USM is Richard Pattenaude, who is also the present chancellor of the University of Maine system.

1 Campuses
2 University History
3 Athletics
4 External links

[edit] Campuses

[edit] Portland Campus

Luther Bonney, Masterton Hall, and the Science building at USM's Portland Campus

The main part of the campus consists entirely of non-residential buildings. Many department offices are located around the perimeter of the campus center in converted multi-story homes as well as in the major buildings. The primary academic areas of the Portland campus are business, computer science, math, and English.

[edit] Gorham Campus

Robie Andrews Hall is one of the original Gorham State College buildings. It is now primarily a residence hall with some mixed academic usage on the first floor. Taken from a 1907 postcard.

Gorham is home to most of the University's dormitories and athletic facilities. The primary academic areas residing in Gorham are industrial technologies, arts, and geology.

[edit] Auxilary Campuses

[edit] Lewiston Auburn College (LAC)

This location is entirely a commuter college, set in a semi-industrial part of Lewiston near the turnpike onramp. The campus offers a limited number of Bachelor's and Master's degree programs.

[edit] Distance Learning Locations

The University offers courses off-campus courses via Interactive Television at locations in Saco, Bath, and Sanford^[1]

[edit] University History

USM originated in 1878 as Gorham Normal School, later called Gorham State Teachers College and then simply Gorham State College. In 1969 that institution merged with the University of Maine at Portland (previously Portland Junior College) and became the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham (UMPG or "Po-Go U"). The name was changed to University of Southern Maine in 1978. The Lewiston-Auburn campus was founded in 1988. USM is a major educational engine in the overall growth and development of economic, civic, and cultural life in southern Maine. USM offers baccalaureate and master's degree programs as well as doctoral programs in Public Policy, and School Psychology.

Famous USM graduates include actor Tony Shalhoub (1977), novelist Lois Lowry (1972), research scientist Raymond Stevens (1986), the former president of the New York Times Walter Mattson (1953), British politician Kevan Jones, and Senior Vice President and CMO of Hartford Financial Jay Menario (1983).