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As 2024 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on a remarkable year — 365 days shaped by our community’s passion, creativity, and dedication to making the world a brighter, healthier place. Together, we’ve celebrated milestones, tackled challenges, and shared stories that inspire.  

Here, we highlight the moments that brought �鶹��ý, and its people, into the spotlight. From local collaborations to global achievements, these aren’t just �鶹��ý’s successes — they’re yours. 

Let’s revisit the stories and accomplishments that made 2024 a year to remember.

�鶹��ý News chronicles the accomplishments of students, faculty, and the institution through compelling stories, visuals, and news media. Through Dec. 1, 2024, we’ve told 228 of your stories through student features, alumni spotlights, faculty highlights, and University announcements.

Our Writers’ 3 Favorite Stories of the Year:

Our faculty are regularly tapped by news media for their leading expertise in the areas of health and medicine, business, marine, environmental, and biomedical sciences, and the humanities, leading to representation in some of the nation’s most recognizable papers and online publications.

Some From Our Top Placements:

Nor’easters love to scroll, and in doing so watched record amounts of video content this year. They also embraced �鶹��ý’s new TikTok account, which launched in January and has amassed over 75 videos.

Here are 5 of Your Favorites:

�鶹��ý has been named to The Princeton Review’s annual book, “The Best 390 Colleges,” for . The company commended �鶹��ý for creating a supportive and collaborative environment for students through small class sizes, internships, and opportunities to participate in impactful research with professors who are experts in their field. Our locations — on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean — also received a shout-out.

In October, �鶹��ý celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Tangier Campus in Morocco with a special ceremony commemorating a decade of global education. Since its opening in the spring of 2014, the Tangier Campus has welcomed 745 students, including 591 undergraduates.

In April, �鶹��ý celebrated a new, 321.6-kilowatt solar array atop the Harold Alfond Forum, marking the construction of �鶹��ý's fourth solar installation and the third installed on the Biddeford Campus.  The development builds upon the University’s national reputation as a leader in sustainability — in October, The Princeton Review named �鶹��ý one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges for the eighth year in a row.

�鶹��ý launched a novel research initiative in January to better understand the genetic reasons behind why some lobsters turn orange, yellow, blue, and even purple. This fall, the University’s Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center became a nursery for thousands of lobster larvae that are now being raised and studied by faculty and student researchers using non-invasive, non-harmful methods.

Photos courtesy of Markus Frederich

The larvae were hatched from �鶹��ý’s famed orange lobster, Peaches, as well a normal-colored lobster aptly named Norma. They are currently being raised by �鶹��ý’s Markus Frederich, Ph.D., an invertebrate physiologist, and marine sciences student Ruby Motulsky ’25, who received $5,000 from the Bioscience Association of Maine to fund their studies. Learn more about this novel DNA research happening at �鶹��ý

From the field to the frosty ice, the �鶹��ý community came out in droves to support Nor’easters Athletics this year, with nearly 30,000 guests attending Athletics events in 2024 — including over 2,100 students, friends, and fans at the University’s Homecoming football game in October.

United by our shared commitment to building a better, healthier planet for all, We are One �鶹��ý — in the spring, summer, fall, and forever.

This has been a project by the Office of Communications, which provides strategic and creative leadership and support for the �鶹��ý across all media and communications platforms. We want to tell your story — just let us know where to begin. Contact the Office of Communications.