LEWISTON – Ninety-five students graduated from the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College on Saturday.
More than 1,000 graduates were honored during the USM commencement, in which U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, delivered the keynote address. About 7,000 people attended the ceremony at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland.
Eighty-three Lewiston-Auburn College students received bachelor’s degrees, including 43 in the social and behavioral sciences, 14 in nursing and 13 in leadership and organizational studies. Ten students also graduated from the natural and applied sciences program and three from the arts and humanities program.
Twelve students received master’s degrees, including 11 in occupational therapy. One graduate, Ismail Ahmed of Lewiston, received a degree in leadership studies, the college’s first.
This year’s class size was about average for the small campus based in Lewiston. At least 70 percent of the graduates were older, nontraditional students, according to Roger Philippon, assistant dean for student and community affairs.
Nine members of the class were members of Phi Kappa Phi, the national academic honor society. It was the college’s largest number of honor society students ever.
Anne Byrne of Auburn and Karen Erdmann of Topsham received Outstanding Achievement Awards, which are presented to graduates who have demonstrated noteworthy achievement in scholastic, work, home and community responsibilities.
Monique Bartlett of Brunswick and Penny Sargent of Poland Spring received Distinguished Student Awards, which are presented to students who have demonstrated superior academic performance, who have been active in the college, who show outstanding leadership qualities, and who are involved in community service.
The first USM/Lewiston-Auburn College Student Research Award was given to Rebecca Lebrun of Lewiston. That award is reserved for a graduating senior who has demonstrated commitment and excellence in the area of science research, learning and service.
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