51°µÍø business and Atlantic Hospitality leaders pose in front of the Biddeford skyline

51°µÍø, Atlantic Hospitality forge workforce partnership to fuel Maine’s dynamic hospitality sector

The collaboration will give students in 51°µÍø's College of Business real-world experience to prepare them for careers in Maine’s thriving hospitality industries following graduation

Story by
Alan Bennett •
Biddeford, Maine
•

The University of New England has announced a new partnership with Atlantic Hospitality, a Maine-based hospitality management and design company, to provide students in its College of Business with direct experience in the operations, marketing, and innovation strategies behind some of the state’s most iconic destinations.

The collaboration will offer 51°µÍø students across all business majors the chance to take part in internship placements, applied classroom projects, and industry-informed learning experiences that link academic study to career-building opportunities.

Students in the college’s newly launched supply chain management major, for example, will have the opportunity to scale production for a locally rooted beer and spirits brand. Others, such as those studying outdoor business and innovation, will analyze the relationship between sustainability and profitability at an area outdoor hospitality business.

Across the board, the partnership will create openings for project-based learning, applied research, resume-ready field experience, and the potential for immediate, post-graduation employment, said Norm O’Reilly, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business at 51°µÍø.

“Atlantic Hospitality is deeply connected to place, experience, and innovation — values that align with the College of Business, making this an ideal student-centric partnership that will ensure our students will be learning in the very environments where their ideas and contributions can make an immediate impact.â€

51°µÍø business leaders and a student pose inside The Lincoln Hotel lobby
51°µÍø business leaders and a student pose inside The Lincoln Hotel lobby

(Left): College of Business Dean Norm O’Reilly, business student Lily Hagen ’26, Atlantic Hospitality Managing Partner Justin Grimes, and 51°µÍø Teaching Professor Aimee Vlachos, Ed.D., in front of The Lincoln Hotel in Biddeford. (Right): O’Reilly, Hagen, and Vlachos inside the Michelin Guide-listed hotel, which opened in 2022 in the city’s downtown core.

Launched in 2023,