BANGOR, Maine — Shouts of recognition Saturday morning nearly drowned out the Maine St. Andrew’s Pipes and Drums as the families and friends of Husson University graduates filled the Winkin Athletic Complex for commencement.
The cloudy skies and intermittent drizzle did not dampen the joyous mood as Husson marked its 113th graduation ceremony. This year, more than 600 students earned their degrees, including about 200 who earned graduate degrees.
Husson prides itself on educating native Mainers and the top students in the Class of 2012 both have deep roots in the state.
Shanna G. Allen, 25, of Mount Desert was valedictorian. The daughter of Timothy Allen of Mount Desert and Carmen Tocco of Bucksport, she earned a grade point average of 3.993 and received Bachelor of Science degrees in criminal justice and psychology.
“I chose the dual major at Husson because its curriculum was nothing but intriguing,” she said in an email interview. “I was instantly struck with excitement when I found course descriptions for offerings like Profiling, Investigations and Serial Homicide; and I could not wait for the final semester’s Forensic Psychology course.
“Although I have never really been interested in becoming a law enforcement officer, nor a therapist for that matter, I remained at Husson because I loved learning about the deviant behaviors of criminals and the motives behind such actions,” she continued. “Furthermore, I loved learning from professors with extraordinary backgrounds.”
Allen said she will spend the summer working in Bar Harbor and study for the Law School Aptitude Test. She hopes to fit in a trip to New Zealand before beginning law school in the fall of 2013.
Bethany J. Roberts, 25, of Boulder, Colo., was the salutatorian. The daughter of Kimberly Anne Holman of Boulder and Jay Frank Roberts of Bangor, she earned a grade point average of 3.968 and received a Bachelor of Science in psychology.
“My ultimate goal in life is to have my own school for children with autism,” she said in an email interview. “My school would run off [Applied Behavior Analysis] principles. Essentially, I want to make a difference in the lives of children with autism and their families.”
Roberts plans to work in special education as an educational technician before going back to school in fall 2013 to earn a master’s degree in special education.
Former Ambassador Patrick D. Duddy urged Husson graduates to embrace the changes that will impact their future. A native of Bangor, Duddy spent 29 years at the State Department, including postings in Chile, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Panama, Bolivia and the Dominican Republic.
Duddy served as assistant secretary of state for the western Hemisphere and as consul general at the U.S. consulate in Brazil. A graduate of Bangor High School and Colby College, he received an honorary doctorate Saturday from Husson in public service.
Old Town native Arthur A. Comstock received an honorary degree in business administration. Comstock earn his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Husson in 1956. He began his banking career in 1959 at Northeast Bank in East Millinocket and rose to the position of president and chairman of the board. In the 1990s his bank merged with Bank of America and Comstock was appointed senior vice president for investment and community affairs.
“Spend 90 cents of every dollar you earn,” Comstock advised the graduates.
As a younger man he was a member of the Rotary and worked with several local nonprofit groups in the Millinocket area, advising them on investment strategies. During the next 40 years he served on more than 30 boards.
“I suggest that as you graduate, you look into your communities to what organizations there are that you can join,” Comstock said.
Clara Swan, who received the President’s Medal of Honor, has attended most of the school’s commencements, Husson President Robert A. Clark said Saturday. She graduated from Husson in 1933, when it was called the Maine School of Commerce.
Swan, who marked her 100th birthday at a party last weekend at Husson, has been affiliated with the university since enrolling as an undergraduate in the fall of 1930. During her time at the school she served as director, coach, teacher, assistant principal, academic dean, registrar, corporate officer, assistant to the president and vice president. In 2000, Husson named its new fitness center for her.
While most of the degrees were handed out Saturday, Husson will hold a second ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 12 in Portland at Woodfords Corner Congregational Church.
Congrats to all grads
“Seven years of college down the drain”-Bluto
Congratulations to all the graduates! And also to Arthur Comstock!
So where are the jobs? The Myth of plenty of jobs just lack of skilled workers. Was A time when hard work really paid off now it is more who you know. New bubble is going to be the education bubble. I personally Know people who hold 4 year degrees (not from Husson) That are not nearly as smart as some people that never when to college. Was A time when jobs trained workers with strong basic skills. What we have now is doing more to make a class system .
Hey Bob…great story. On another note, congratulations to the students who graduated today. ( THIS IS WHAT THE ARTICLE IS ABOUT )
Yes good job students now no whining about student loans .
My goodness, Bob. Are you upset that you did not receive an honorary degree from Husson today? Your anti-education sentiments coupled with the sentence structure of your posts…well, I just wish you could comprehend the irony.
I agree I may have a mild learning disability in some areas. I also Happen to know someone who reads at 3rd grad level . Can not do basic times tables or division . scored a 400 on the SAT . Maybe a 75 IQ an is enrolled in college. I have a above average aptitude in math. Graduated HS (Graduated 9th out of a class of 64). I could not get into college. Now that being said even if this person finishes college this person will never be able to do math or read on the level I can. It could also be do too being from a lower social class and lack of social skill at a younger age when I should have learned things like proper Grammar I was put into a room to play sand box. Some things are critical to be learned at an early age. I am not against education . Now that being said I honestly feel that just having a degree does not prove you are smarter of even know more in a particular subject. I worked with many people who in my field who have a 2 year degree that do not know nearly as much about the subject they were taught than I do. They can claim all this credit for being educated in my field because a degree. Makes no sense to me. Just proves they spent more money and did not learn as much. One person thinks a million is 100 times 100,000 . Now what with that kind of aptitude in math this person could have learned the required math or theory, But has the degree to prove they know more than I do. Should be some kind of exit testing and if someone can pass without college they should not have to pay for a degree. Yes some people do learn a lot in some fields . A degree is no real prof they did.
I appreciate the fact that you took the time to explain your situation. I would never poke fun at someone who struggled with a learning disability and I commend you for your perseverance. It is true that many people (like yourself) did not have the opportunity to attend college, and it has become unaffordable for people with average or below average means. I would agree that much of what one gets out of college depends on the effort one puts forth, as well as market demand for particular fields of study. I also agree with your posts that college will be the next bubble to burst; costs have spiraled out of control in the past two decades. I’m glad to hear that you are not anti-education and I also get your point about how some people just muddle their way through and end up with a degree, having absorbed very little. I don’t think that is typical of most students who finish a four year degree program though. Anyway, I apologize if I offended you.
Please do not take me too seriously . On September 11th 2001 I was going on and on about the price of houses . I tried to tell people they can not go up at that rate forever. A few years latter a few builders and Friends when Bankrupt . I put away as much as I could payed off trucks payed cash for everything . I survived being in construction . I started to not let anyone have more than a $1,000 credit with me on materials Back in 04 . Was the smartest thing I could have done. I might be negative . Most people tend to think positive and do not prepare for the worst. Sometimes I am wrong and will admit it when I find out. I see all this stuff that will more likely than not happen if nothing is done and No one is doing anything real about it. College Kids god bless them I respect the effort of MOST. They have not scene enough of the world to see what might be coming. It could be fixed now If we learned some lessons and all worked together on this. First cutting cost of college . No more pumping millions into sports with little return . Let people test out of classes not needed or they already know.
Congrats, grads! Hope you all find great paying jobs!
How about great careers?
If educators and students are so smart why are they not out raged at the rise of college spending. Nothing can rise at a rate much higher than inflation for ever. If it did it would be bigger than the GDP of the universe . I think anyone who took higher math classes and can not see this should be given an F .
Obviously this is true, if you neglect the GDP of Uranus.
“Overcome the drizzle”, but can they overcome the OVERPRICED education that Husson offers compared to the University of Maine system. Good luck grads because you will need it.