UMaine Awards Graduate Degree Started in 1950, Media Report
The Portland Press Herald, WLBZ (Channel 2), WMTW (Channel 8) and The Forecaster covered a ceremony held at the University of Maine’s Regional Learning Center at Tidewater Farm in Falmouth to award Howard Reiche Jr. with a master’s degree he started in 1950. After graduating from Bowdoin College, Reiche enrolled at UMaine to pursue a master’s degree in zoology and study microbial genetics. He completed the two semesters of coursework, passed his final exams and was set to finish his thesis when he learned he was supposed to have taken organic chemistry at Bowdoin before enrolling in the master’s program at UMaine. “At the time, I was 21, married, with no money and the draft hanging over my head,” the 85-year-old Falmouth resident said. “Spending another year at UMaine to take one undergraduate course was out of the question. But it’s been on my bucket list all this time.” Carol Kim, UMaine vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School, handed Reiche his framed diploma in front of his family during the event. “I’m expecting an application for a Ph.D. degree now,” she told him.