The new professional network will connect students with alumni, employers and mentors to support lifelong career development
BIDDEFORD — The University of New England will launch a new University-wide professional network on Wednesday, Oct. 14, connecting students with alumni, employers, faculty, professional staff and other professionals to help them build the relationships, skills and industry knowledge needed to navigate an increasingly dynamic workforce.
The Nor’easter Global Network will formally launch in conjunction with UNE’s second Industry Exploration Day, an immersive career and networking event that brings employers and industry professionals directly to UNE students to explore career pathways, emerging workforce trends, internships and employment opportunities.
Together, the initiatives represent an expanded approach to career readiness at UNE that extends beyond preparing students for their first jobs. The Nor’easter Global Network is designed to support students and alumni across career stages through meaningful professional connections, mentorship, shared expertise, and access to opportunities.
“Preparing students for successful careers means giving them more than a strong education: It means connecting them with the people, experiences, and opportunities that will help them put that education to work,” UNE President James Herbert said. “The workforce is changing rapidly, and universities have an important role to play in ensuring graduates are prepared to adapt and succeed. Through the Nor’easter Global Network, we are connecting students with people, resources, and professional experiences that will help them build successful careers while strengthening the workforce in Maine and beyond.”
At the center of the network is UNE CareerConnect, a new digital hub designed not only to help Nor’easters discover meaningful connections, but to create a space where knowledge, expertise, and opportunities can easily be shared across the community. More than 17,000 student, alumni, faculty and professional staff, and employer accounts have already been imported into CareerConnect ahead of its Oct. 14 launch, creating an immediate foundation for the network to grow.
The network is designed to grow alongside its members. Students who draw on professional advice, industry expertise, and mentorship while at UNE can remain engaged after graduation, sharing their own experiences with future students while continuing to benefit from connections throughout their careers — forming a continuous cycle in which students become professionals, professionals become mentors, and relationships across the UNE community generate new knowledge and opportunities.
Rather than functioning as a traditional career fair, the annual event emphasizes exploration and relationship-building, giving undergraduate students across disciplines opportunities to speak directly with employers, alumni and industry professionals about career pathways, workforce trends, internships and future employment.
UNE launched Industry Exploration Day in 2025 as part of its broader effort to embed career readiness throughout the student experience. Nearly 30 employers and dozens of industry professionals participated in the inaugural event, representing sectors including health care, finance, technology, construction, hospitality, media and business services. This year’s will expand that reach with over 45 employer partners expected to attend.
The Nor’easter Global Network and Industry Exploration Day are led by UNE’s Office of Career Readiness and Workforce Development, which was established in 2025 to integrate career development across academic programs, strengthen connections with employers and professional networks, and prepare graduates to adapt to a rapidly changing economy.
“We pay it forward at UNE” Ashley Bigda, M.S.Ed., director of Career Readiness and Workforce Development at UNE, said. “By building a culture of professional trust and reciprocity, the network creates pathways for lifelong mobility. We’re creating a career culture that keeps bringing Nor’easters back to a community invested in one another’s success.”
The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible online offerings. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. We are the state’s top provider of health professionals and home to Maine’s only medical and dental colleges, physician assistant program, and pharmacy school, in addition to a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care programs and nationally recognized programs in the marine sciences, the natural and social sciences, business, the humanities and the arts. Visit www.une.edu.