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In an unprecedented example of academic excellence at the University of Maine, two valedictorians and three salutatorians have been named for May Commencement ceremonies at UMaine.
UMaine's 194th Commencement May 8 will feature two ceremonies at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., in Alfond Sports Arena. Attending one or both of the ceremonies will be the five highest ranking baccalaureate students.
Stacy Brady of Old Town, a double major in elementary education and Anthropology, and theater major Matthew Vire of Biddeford are co-valedictorians of the Class of '99 with 4.0 GPAs.
Co-salutatorians are biology major Julie Bard of Oakland, Hildy Ellis of Hope, a landscape horticulture major, and Justin Hebert of Glenburn, a chemical engineering major. The co-salutatorians all achieved 3.99 GPAs.
The five are among more than 1,000 undergraduates receiving bachelor's degrees this May, more than 900 of whom will be attending Commencement ceremonies. They will be joined by almost 270 of the nearly 300 graduate students earning advanced degrees. Three Ed.D.s, 12 Ph.D.s and more than 240 master's degrees are expected to be conferred during the ceremonies.
Also being honored are Rev. Ansley Throckmorton, president of Bangor Theological Seminary, and Ted Mitchell, recently retired director of the Wabanaki Center and faculty associate in anthropology. Both will be presented honorary degrees.
Commencement addresses will be presented by Sen. Susan Collins and Throckmorton. Collins will speak at 10:30 a.m. for students in the College of Business, Public Policy and Health; the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; and the Division of Lifelong Learning. Throckmorton will address the 2:30 p.m. ceremony for the Colleges of Engineering; Education and Human Development; and Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture. Pre-Commencement receptions begin at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., Wells Conference Center, for graduates, their families and friends, and members of the University community. Students will line up at Wells, faculty at Alfond Arena at 10:25 a.m. and 2:25 p.m. for the processional marches. The processionals will be led by the mace bearer, UMaine's 1999 Distinguished Maine Professor Brenda Power.
Music for the ceremonies will be provided by the University of Maine Commencement Band. Solo performances of America will be performed by graduating music major Luke Hedger.
Marshals for the ceremonies will be faculty members Janice Kristo, Constance Perry, Bill Small and Gary Schilmoeller.
Again this year, the UMaine Parents Association will distribute tree seedlings to parents of graduates. The seedlings are donated by Georgia Pacific.
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