Husson University

History

Founded in 1898, Husson was originally named Shaw School of Business and was located on the second floor of a building in downtown Bangor. Enrollment was low until after World War II, when its reputation grew as a business school. In 1953 the Maine Legislature authorized the school, now known as Husson College, to grant Bachelor of Science degrees. It became a university in 2008.

Today the University has two colleges, and four independent schools: the College of Business, the College of Health and Education, the School of Pharmacy, the School of Graduate Studies, the College of Science and Humanities, and the New England School of Communications. The New England School of Communications, known by its abbreviation NESCom, was an independent school acquired by Husson in 1997, and was separately accredited and operated semi-autonomously with control over its own tuition, hiring, admissions, and graduation requirements until 2014.

Since 2000, undergraduate enrollment has increased 5-10% with each incoming class. In response, the University continues to add a significant number of new faculty to its ranks. Today, students graduate having trained both in the specialties of their chosen fields and in how those fields fit into a broader cultural context.

Accreditation

Husson is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC), The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE), the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), and is approved by the Maine State Board of Education. The M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC).

The School of Pharmacy has received Candidate Status in June 2010 through the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. State of Maine Department of Education, American Association of Intensive English Programs, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Campus

The Husson University Campus in Bangor, includes the Newman Gymnasium, the Winkin Sports Complex, Robert O'Donnell Commons (the College of Health and Education is located here), Peabody Hall (including the Sawyer Library, the College of Business, and the Ross Furman Student Center), the Dickerman Dining Center (renovated in 2012), the Dyke Center for Family Business, the Wildey Communications Center (named for NESCOM founder George Wildey), and the Beardsley Meeting House (named for former Husson President and current Commissioner of the Department of Conservation William Beardsley) which houses the 500-seat Gracie Theatre, and Living Learning Center which houses upperclassmen in suites and holds offices and classrooms on the ground floor. There are four residence halls: Hart Hall, Bell Hall, Carlisle Hall, and the Living & Learning Center, a LEED Silver targeted student residence and academic building which opened in the fall of 2012. Two walking trails circle the outer perimeter and offer scenic walks through the Maine forest.

In Presque Isle, Maine, the school is located on the campus of Northern Maine Community College. The school moved to its present location from a campus in Caribou, Maine. Husson also operates in Westbrook.

Gracie Theatre

The Gracie Theatre, located in the Beardsley Meeting House, is a 500-seat multipurpose venue. Opera singer Richard Troxell, comedian Bob Marley, and the Bangor Symphony Orchestra have all performed in the Gracie. It also serves as a "learning platform" for the New England School of Communications, which has staged two musicals (West Side Story and The Who's Tommy) there and operates the theatre during other events. The current managing director is Jeri Misler.

Student life

There are dozens of student clubs and organizations, mostly professional, such as Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), Student Government, The English Society, Accounting Society, Criminal Justice Club, OPTS (Organization of Physical Therapy Students), OOTS (Organization of Occupational Therapy Students), the Organization of Student Nurses, Outdoors Club, Student Newspaper, Husson University Theatre, GAMERS, GBLT on RYE, Technology Club, Student Veterans Association, Running Club, Ski & Snowboard Club, Pep Band, Audio Engineering Society, and Cru. The University also owns WHSN 89.3 FM, an alternative rock station operated by the New England School of Communications.

Husson also has two national Greek Organizations on campus and three campus specific Greek Organizations. Epsilon Tau Epsilon, Delta Sigma Delta and Kappa Delta Phi NAS. There are currently two fraternities: Mu Sigma Chi and Kappa Delta Phi. Both Kappa Delta Phi and their sister sorority, Kappa Delta Phi National Affiliated Sorority, have chapters spread throughout the northeast. Each organization provides service to the school, students and campus as well as the greater Bangor Maine area. Husson's founder, Chesley Husson, was a brother of Kappa Delta Phi and later founded the organization Mu Sigma Chi. Husson Greek Life is organized by the Greek Governing Board.

Athletics

Husson University teams are known as the Eagles. The university is a member of the NCAA Division III and fields twenty one varsity sports teams in the North Atlantic Conference including men's & women's soccer, men's & women's lacrosse, men's & women's cross country, men's & women's basketball, men's football, women's field hockey, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's golf, women's outdoor track & field, women's indoor track & field, baseball, softball, and women's volleyball. Husson University also has three spirit teams including Cheer Team, Dance Team, and Pep Band.

Residence life

Residents on campus live in one of four buildings; Hart Hall, Bell Hall, Carlisle Hall, or the Edward O. and Mary Ellen Darling Living and Learning Center. Roughly 1,000 students live on campus during the academic year. Until Fall 2012, Husson University sublet apartments off-campus to students, however the construction of the new Darling Learning Center provides enough on-campus housing to end that practice. Freshmen and sophomore students attending full-time must live in a residence hall until they complete 54 credit hours, or meet other requirements in order to move off-campus. Husson is a wet campus.

Notable alumni