News
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2026 COA Summer Institute celebrates 10 years with star-studded week
Toward a More Perfect Union focuses on the 250th birthday of American democracy while exploring the perils and promises shaping the future.
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COA alum and former faculty member receives prestigious national teaching award
Dr. Nishanta “Nishi” Rajakaruna ’94 has been honored with the Botanical Society of America’s Charles Edwin Bessey Teaching Award, recognizing his innovative, student‑centered contributions to botanical education. “In all of my schooling, I have not met another teacher who placed so much effort in building connections with students.” Rajakaruna, a Cal Poly biological sciences professor…
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What A Great College Education Should Look Like In An AI World
College of the Atlantic is among three colleges highlighted in Forbes for its long‑standing focus on the durable skills graduates need in a rapidly changing world.
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COA student wins statewide business pitch competition
Pre‑veterinary student Andie Piliouras ’26 earns $10,000 for her dog treat brand promoting healthier habits for pets.
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Mary Harney ’96 earns PhD at 77 after a lifetime of advocacy and resilience
Born in an Irish Mother and Baby Home, Harney’s journey to a doctoral degree spans decades of learning, activism, and community leadership.
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Sharing a meal to strengthen food access
The fields of College of the Atlantic Beech Hill Farm set the table for the annual Share the Harvest Farm Dinner, an event that pairs local, organic food with meaningful support for food security on Mount Desert Island.
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53rd commencement becomes an invitation to step outside familiar paths
It was a chilly, overcast day, but spirits were high at College of the Atlantic as hundreds of family, friends, and alumni gathered with the campus community to celebrate the Class of 2026.
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COA collaborators help launch podcast series on women adapting to change along Maine’s working waterfront
The latest season of the Island Institute’s From the Sea Up features research and storytelling by COA students and faculty.
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Lamb-ageddon! Crowd goes wild as baby sheep frolic on the field
COA Peggy Rockefeller Farm’s Leaping into Spring event is a sweet tradition that signals the turning of the season on Mount Desert Island. Via Bar Harbor Story.
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Endowment and innovation keep Bar Harbor college viable, new interim leader says
Incoming interim president Lynn Boulger highlights the $95 million endowment and unique academic focus keeping COA secure, via Bangor Daily News.
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From rare visitors to regular sightings, the bears in Acadia National Park
College of the Atlantic students and faculty will collaborate with the National Park Service and Maine Department of Inland Fisheries on a multi-year study of the local bear population, the Bangor Daily News reports via Bar Harbor Story.
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COA students spin and knit for cancer support in global challenge
The College of the Atlantic Spinsters make history as the first collegiate team to compete in the international Back to Back Wool Challenge.
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Andie Piliouras ’26 stars in televised student business competition
The College of the Atlantic senior is competing for more than $20,000 to help grow her health-focused dog treat business.