University of Maine, Farmington
University of Maine at Farmington sign found outside of Roberts Learning Center
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Former names
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Western State Normal School, Farmington State Normal School, Farmington State College |
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| Type | Public |
| Established | 1864 |
| President | Kathryn A. Foster |
| Students | 2,000 |
| Location |
Farmington, Maine, USA 44°40′0″N 70°8′50″W / 44.66667°N 70.14722°WCoordinates: 44°40′0″N 70°8′50″W / 44.66667°N 70.14722°W |
| Campus | Rural |
| Colors | Maroon and white |
| Athletics | 13 varsity teams |
| Nickname | Beavers |
| Affiliations | NCAA Division III |
| Website | www |
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The University of Maine at Farmington is a public liberal arts college and a founding member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, offering programs in teacher education, human services and arts and sciences as a part of the University of Maine System. The school is also at times referred to as UMaine Farmington or UMF for short.
In March 1863, a Normal School Act passed into law, and that fall, Farmington was chosen from a list of possible locations for a normal school. Founded in 1864 as the state's first publicly-funded normal school, the first class graduated from the Western State Normal School in 1866. The school merged into the University of Maine System in 1968 to become "the University of Maine at Farmington".
Many early graduates attended the school for its liberal arts offerings alone. Among these were the Stanley brothers, famous for building the Stanley Steamer automobile, and John Frank Stevens, engineer of the Panama Canal. Another famous graduate from the university is comedian Bob Marley, who graduated with a degree in community health. Interest in the liberal arts continued unabated, and the college offered its first degree programs in the liberal arts in 1971. By the 1974–75 school year, nearly 300 students were enrolled in liberal arts majors.
On April 26, 2016 Maine's governor Paul LePage abruptly walked out of a dedication ceremony for the Theodora J. Kalikow Education Center. Kalikow was UMF's president for 18 years and retired in 2012. At the ceremony two students held signs that criticized the government on environmental issues. During LePage's speech he saw the signs and after 45 seconds of speaking, he said, "I'm sorry, I'm done," and walked out. On his way LePage stated "Thank you, you idiots out back there with the signs." The 44,500 square foot building is home to UMF's College of Education, Health and Rehabilitation. The building features a geothermal heating and cooling system as well as recycled and sustainable construction materials.
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