Husson University

Mission Statement

Husson is a private institution of post-secondary education offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, health, education and professional studies. Husson seeks to serve motivated, career-oriented students through a curriculum that integrates liberal arts and sciences, professional and technical studies, and experiential learning outside the classroom. Husson dedicates itself to excellence in teaching, to a personalized collegiate experience, to the development of individual self-worth, to a curriculum which promotes clear thinking and communication skills, and to an environment which values the search for ethical truths in a changing world.

Brief History

Husson, founded in 1898 as the Shaw Business School and College of Penmanship, was located on the second floor of a downtown Bangor woolen mill. Chesley H. Husson, who later became the school’s first president, was hired in the 1920s as principal. The name was changed to Husson College in 1947. Originally preparing students for commerce, teaching and telegraphy, Husson came of age in 1953, when the State enacted legislation authorizing Husson to grant Bachelor of Science degrees. In the sixties, Husson purchased a dairy farm, cleaned it up, and built a beautiful campus. In 1981, the College established the Husson College/Eastern Maine Medical Center Baccalaureate School of Nursing.

The University – A Recent Perspective

Husson College recently became Husson University, which marks a turning point for the institution. Already a cornerstone in the educational and economic history of northern New England, Husson stands ready to face the future secure in its educational and financial strength.

Now in its second century, the University encompasses Schools of Business, Education, Health, Science and Humanities, and an emerging School of Pharmacy, as well as a separately accredited professional technology program, The New England School of Communications (NESCom), and an Extended Learning Division offering graduate and undergraduate degrees at five different locations. At the Bangor campus, new buildings include: The Beardsley Meeting House - new academic and administrative space and the Gracie Theater - 500 seat capacity with full stage and orchestra pit; the O’Donnell Commons - 40,000 square foot facility housing student accounts, admissions, and financial aid on the first floor and the Schools of Health and Education on the second and third floors; the Furman Student Center - 4,500 square feet of student recreation and entertainment space; the Swan Center and Trott Fitness Studio, a community exercise and fitness facility; and the Richard E. Dyke Center for Family Business (a premier conference center). The new stadium at the John Winkin Sports Complex seats 3,000 people.

Husson’s recent history illuminates its unique and entrepreneurial approach to operating a successful university. Through steady growth, Husson has transformed from primarily a business program to a comprehensive university offering degree programs from associate to first professional doctorates. Campus boundaries have expanded across the State and Canadian border to include off-site learning centers as well as broad-ranging collaboratives with other educational institutions.

Over the last few years, Husson has emerged as an ever more substantive institution of higher education in northern New England. This has been achieved through enhanced academic programming and increased enrollment, careful management of debt, and planned facilities in response to growth. This model has successfully supported Husson’s mission of providing professional, career oriented educational opportunities in northern New England while maintaining accessibility by virtue of affordable tuition.

By all measures, Husson is thriving. 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.