University of Maine Awards Degrees at Spring Commencement
Contact: Joe Carr, Dept. of Public Affairs and Marketing, 207-581-3571
ORONO — Some 1,993 University of Maine degrees were awarded today at two commencement ceremonies. The Class of 2005 is the largest in UMaine’s history. An estimated total of 11,000 graduates, family members and friends attended the events, which featured a commencement address by author and UMaine graduate Stephen King.
Cold, rainy weather caused UMaine to hold two commencement events inside Harold Alfond Arena, rather than the single, outdoor event that had been planned. Graduates from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the College of Business, Public Policy and Health; and the Division of Lifelong Learning received their degrees at a 10:30 a.m. event. The 2:30 p.m. ceremony was for graduates in UMaine’s College of Engineering; College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture; and College of Education and Human Development.
King, who graduated from UMaine in 1970 and received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater in 1987, spoke at both events. In the fall of 2001 King spoke to UMaine’s first-year students, at which time he offered to return for the class’ graduation in 2005.
“I’m honored, I’m delighted, and I’m just about flattered out of my socks, but think about it,” King said. “You’ve asked a man who’s spent the last 30 years trying to scare the hell out of everyone in the English-speaking world to send you out into the 21st century.”
King, who shook hands with each graduate as they crossed the Alfond Arena stage, encouraged the graduates to spend their lives in the state. He offered a list of ten pieces of advice. Numbers seven, eight, nine and ten were the same: stay in Maine.
“I was born here, I’ve lived my whole life here and I’ll probably die here,” King said. “It’s Maine where I’ve spent most of my time and, except during black fly season, I can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else.”
Calling Maine “the best place on earth,” King said that the state offers abundant opportunities for members of the Class of 2005.
“Acknowledge your good fortune by sharing it, and show your good sense by sharing it in Maine,” he said. “You’ll never be sorry.”
UMaine President Robert Kennedy presided over the ceremony, the first commencement since he was named UMaine’s 18th president on April 15. He acknowledged the UMaine faculty members who received special university recognition at Friday’s Academic Honors Convocation.
This year’s Distinguished Maine Professor is Robert Strong, professor of finance and University of Maine Foundation Professor of Investment Education. The annual award presented by the UMaine Alumni Association recognizes outstanding achievements in teaching, research and public service.
The 2005 Presidential Public Service Achievement Award winner is David Lambert, from the UMaine Dept. of Plant, Soil and Environmental Sciences. The recipient of the 2005 Presidential Research and Creative Achievement Award is James Acheson, professor of anthropology and marine sciences. The recipient of the 2005 Presidential Teaching Award is Patricia Burnes from the UMaine English faculty.
In keeping with UMaine tradition, Strong, the 2005 Distinguished Maine Professor, led the procession into Alfond Arena and spoke to the new graduates near the beginning of each ceremony.
“Don’t be afraid to take risks,” Strong said. “But remember, as someone once said, that the mistakes to avoid are those that eliminate the opportunity to try again.
Be careful about burning bridges or rolling the dice with your career.”
Lisbon Falls native Dusty Lavoie is the UMaine Class of 2005 valedictorian. An education major, Lavoie will teach English at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield beginning in the fall. Engineering physics major Tyler Dunn of Skowhegan is the class salutatorian. He plans to enroll in a doctoral program at Boston University.
The graduating class included 316 people who earned graduate degrees, including 34 at the doctoral level.
Journalist Douglas Kneeland, a Lincoln native and UMaine graduate whose professional career included work as a reporter and editor at the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune, received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree at the morning commencement. An honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree was awarded to Andrew Shepard, the president/CEO and co-founder of the Maine Winter Sports Center, at the afternoon ceremony.
William Johnson, a 1956 UMaine graduate and a member of the University of Maine System Board of Trustees, brought greetings from the board. Bion Foster, chair of the University of Maine Alumni Association, welcomed the graduates to the ranks of the more than 90,000 living UMaine alumni at the morning commencement. Alumni Association Interim President Donna Thornton filled that role in the afternoon.