The University of Maine will award an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to Carol A. Dana, one of the foremost stewards of the Penobscot language, whose decades of work have been central to its preservation and revitalization.
UMaine’s 224th undergraduate commencement ceremonies will be held at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. May 9 in Alfond Arena.
Dana, a language master with the Penobscot Nation Cultural and Historic Preservation Department, has spent decades teaching the Penobscot language and helping pass it on to younger generations. She has taught learners of all ages, from early childhood students to adults in the community.
“Carol Dana’s work stands as one of the most important contributions to sustaining the Penobscot language in our time,” UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy said. “Because of her dedication, the language is not only remembered but actively spoken and carried forward.”
Dana earned a bachelor’s degree in education from UMaine in 1991 and a master’s degree in education in 2008. She also holds certification in second-language instruction.
She helped develop a standardized writing system for Penobscot, recorded audio resources for learners and played a key role in creating an English-Penobscot/Penobscot-English dictionary. She has also developed educational materials for students from early childhood through grade school.
Dana is also a published poet, storyteller and traditional artist. Her books include “When No One Is Looking” and “Return to Spirit and Other Musings.” She helped bring traditional Penobscot stories to wider audiences through bilingual publications, including the multi-volume “Still They Remember Me: Penobscot Transformer Tales.”
In 2010, Dana received a lifetime achievement award from the Algonquian Language Conference for her dedication to preserving and teaching the Penobscot language.
Complete details about UMaine’s 2026 commencement ceremonies are available on the UMaine Commencement website.
Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu
