Brian James Parker, son of James and Joan Parker of Lewiston, recently graduated from the University of Maine in Orono at the 204th commencement ceremony. He received his bachelor of arts degree in English, with a concentration in creative writing.

As a member of the university’s Honors College, he wrote a 298-page novel to satisfy the requirements of a degree with honors, and a committee of four professors reviewed his work and bestowed upon him the judgment of “with highest honors.” He also completed four consecutive semesters with a 4 grade point average, bringing his cumulative grade point average to 3.91 and making him a summa cum laude graduate.

Parker was also inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa society, the oldest academic honors society in the U.S. He is also a member of Phi Kappa Phi, the top 10 percent of his graduating class; Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society; the Golden Key International Honour Society; and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. He will return to the University of Maine for the fall semester to begin work on a master of arts degree in English.

Veronica Anne Rioux of Lewiston graduated from Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, Calif., with a bachelor of arts in liberal arts on May 13 The title of her thesis was “Happiness in Unity: An Argument for the Necessity of the Body in the Final Happiness of Man.”

Zakk W. Maher of East Poland graduated cum laude from Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vt., on May 13 with a bachelor of arts degree in self-designed: pragmatic self-sufficiency.

The following local students recently graduated from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa.: Dean J. Deschenes of Lewiston, with highest honors; Chantal M. St. Laurent of Monmouth.

Nicholas P. Cain, son of Paul and Kathy Cain of Auburn, earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, Vt., during ceremonies May 18.

Two Bowdoin College students have been awarded the Edward E. Langbein Sr. Summer Research Award. The awards were among those announced May 10 at the college’s annual Honors Day ceremony.

The grant was established to enable the recipients to participate in summer research or advanced study directed toward their major field. Recipients were Carolyn Renee Hricko 08 of Minot and Nicholas Anthony Kasprak 08 of West Hartford, Conn.

Christopher G. Shaw, a junior at the Maine College of Art, has attained the dean’s list for the second time this year with a grade point average of 3.64. Shaw is a sculpture major and a recipient of a Maine College of Art vision scholarship award.

He was also awarded an honorable mention for his exhibit in the merit scholarship program at MECA this spring.

Shaw is the son of Diane and Jeffrey Handler of Auburn and Keith and Barbara Shaw of Turner. He is a 2003 graduate of Leavitt Area High School in Turner.

Jeffrey Phillips of Auburn graduated cum laude from Columbia College in Chicago on May 14. Phillips received a bachelor of arts degree in theater with a concentration in acting.

He is the son of Susan Phillips of Auburn and the late Jim Phillips. He is a 2002 graduate of Edward Little High School.

Matthew J. Smith received his masters in business administration in marketing from Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass., on May 22. He was also inducted into the Scholastic Business Honor Society, Beta Gamma Sigma.

Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in an undergraduate or master’s program. A graduate of the Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, Conn., and Amherst College, Amherst, Mass., he is the son of Pamela and Bradley Smith, North Bridgton. He has accepted a position with Proctor and Gamble.

Rebecca Perreault of Lewiston has graduated from Boston College with a bachelor of science degree from the William F. Connell School of Nursing in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Perreault majored in nursing.