[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15331-15332]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   UNIVERSITY OF MAINE AT FARMINGTON

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, on October 9, 1863, the Maine legislature 
signed a charter establishing the State's first public institution of 
higher education. I rise today to celebrate 150 years of remarkable 
accomplishments by the University of Maine at Farmington.
  Also, 2013 marks another significant anniversary: this is the 16th 
consecutive year that the University of Maine at Farmington has been 
named to the U.S. News and World Report ``Best College'' list. That 
same publication has named UMF, as it is known throughout Maine, a 
``Best Value'' school for its quality programs and affordable cost. In 
addition, the Institute of International Education and the U.S. State 
Department have recognized UMF as a ``Top Producer'' of Fulbright 
Scholars, with 11 faculty members having received that prestigious 
award.
  Such recognition is but one measure of UMF's success. Another is the 
deep affection alumni and people throughout Maine have for this 
remarkable institution. In 2005, I had the privilege to serve as 
honorary chairman of UMF's campaign for a new Education Center to 
integrate technology with teaching and learning. The support from 
countless individuals, businesses, and organizations was overwhelming 
and enabled a small school of just 2,000 students to keep pace with the 
top colleges and universities in the country.
  Responding to the needs of an ever-changing society is one of the 
richest traditions a college can have. The UMF tradition of service 
began in 1857, 6 years before the charter was granted, when a 
convention of teachers from Franklin County, in the mountains of 
western Maine, urged the establishment of an institution dedicated to 
educating educators for the benefit of their region and of the entire 
State. When the first class of 31 students matriculated at the new 
Farmington Normal School the summer after the charter, they did so in a 
setting that was described by a UMF historian as ``rough, crude, and 
plenty humble.'' Over the years, UMF has become known for its 
outstanding liberal arts programs, which attract students not only from 
Maine but also from all over the nation.
  Through the years, UMF has established another noble tradition--that 
of contributing to the entire region by adding to its cultural life, 
teaching in local classrooms, coaching youth athletics, and helping 
youngsters learn everything from swimming to foreign

[[Page 15332]]

languages. From the Health and Fitness Center to the Mantor Library, 
the doors of UMF are open to the community.
  The combination of quality and value results in graduation and 
freshman retention rates that are significantly higher than the 
national averages for both public universities and private colleges. 
UMF's dedication to educating educators continues today, with graduates 
receiving the Maine Teacher of the Year Award in four of the last 6 
years.
  On that ``rough, crude, and plenty humble'' foundation laid 150 years 
ago, something magnificent has been built--an ongoing commitment to 
excellence and a spirit of service. On behalf of the people of Maine, I 
congratulate the University of Maine at Farmington for 150 years of 
outstanding contributions to our State.

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