FARMINGTON – The University of Maine at Farmington has unveiled its plans for the upcoming graduation ceremony, which will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 17.

Delivering the keynote address for the school’s 150th commencement will be Lincoln F. Ladd, who lives in Wayne with his wife, Gloria.

A former Bates College trustee and a humanities patron, Ladd was chosen because he has devoted his life to furthering the field of education in the state.

In addition to being the highlighted speaker, Ladd will receive an honorary degree, as will a UMF mathematics and computer science professor emeritus, Verne A. Byers of Farmington.

Byers, who graduated from UMF in 1951, taught at the college from 1966 to 1992.

In 1995, he was honored for more then 25 years of volunteer service to the UMF basketball program with his induction into UMF’s Athletics Hall of Fame

Representing the class of 2003 will be graduating senior Bethany Ann McCallum, a resident of Buxton and a 1999 graduate of Bonny Eagle High School.

A community health education major, McCallum has made an impact on the campus community through her involvement in the women’s cross-country team, the peer education program, the student-athlete advisory committee, of which she was president for two semesters, the Campus Residence Council and her academic performance, which has netted her many appearances on the dean’s list.

Outside of the college arena, McCallum has also affected her new community, volunteering as an emergency responder for Sexual Assault Victims Emergency Services Inc. and working at LEAP Inc.

The ceremony will be held outdoors behind UMF’s Olsen Student Center. In the case of inclement weather, it will be moved indoors to UMF’s Health & Fitness Center.

The event will be broadcasted live on Mount Blue Community Access Television (Channel 11 in Farmington and Wilton).

For more information, call 778-7276 or 778-7256.

sdepoy@sunjournal.com