ORONO, Maine — Nearly 2,000 newly minted University of Maine graduates received some life advice Saturday from two people who most, if not all, could relate to — Orono entrepreneurs Abe and Heather Furth.
The owners of Woodman’s Bar & Grill, Verve burritos in Orono and Bangor, the Orono Brewing Co. and a property development company, Heather and Abe Furth met as students at UMaine. A cross-country motorcycle trip cemented their relationship and taught them the value of taking risks.
In their morning and afternoon commencement addresses at Alfond Arena, the pair offered three simple pieces of advice:
“One, come to terms with the discomfort of pushing your boundaries. Two, define your own version of success. And three, don’t wait — do it now,” Abe Furth said.
“Pursuing things that make us nervous is fundamental to our success,” he said. “My hope for all of you is that you appreciate that life is finite and that you dare to do what you want with your time, even if it scares you.”
Heather Furth said that she and Abe were just 23 when they decided to start their first business, Woodman’s.
“We had a lot of fear and self doubt but like all of you, we had youthful energy, tenacity and something to prove,” she said.
In 2005, the Furths and fellow UMaine grad Mark Horton created a business plan, quit their jobs and took out their first business loan and in 2005, dove into the Orono pub scene when they started their first business.
“The discomfort of pushing your boundaries is real. We felt it most acutely at that time but it’s still part of our lives today. Launching that first venture was a pivotal moment for us and each of you will experience a moment like it,” whether while starting a new job, moving to a new city or running for public office, she said.
Abe Furth told graduates that they also will experience that feeling of discomfort.
“You’ll be faced with a choice. You can either back away from a fear of failure or you can meet it head on. My sincere hope for all of you is that you will meet it head on,” he said.
UMaine’s Class of 2017 comprised more than 1,900 students, including 34 doctoral degree candidates.
Commencement for students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Education and Human Development, the Maine Business School and the Division of Lifelong Learning took place in the morning, while the afternoon ceremony was for those in the College of Engineering and the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture.
This year’s valedictorian was Allyson Eslin of Bangor, an honors student who majored in economics, political science and psychology. Salutatorian Joshua Patnaude of Sanford majored in computer engineering and electrical engineering.
Also during the commencement, honorary doctorates were awarded to alumni Donna Loring, a Maine Native American tribal elder, and Kenneth Hodgkins, director of the Office of Space and Advanced Technology in the Bureau of Oceans, International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. State Department.
UMaine’s top annual faculty award winners for 2017 also were honored.
This year’s Distinguished Maine Professor was John Mahon, an internationally recognized professor of management and one of the world’s foremost experts on corporate social responsibility.
Research Professor Marcella Sorg, a forensics researcher on the front lines of the drug abuse crisis in Maine and nationwide, received the Presidential Public Service Achievement Award. English Professor Harvey Kail, founder of UMaine’s Writing Center, was the Presidential Outstanding Teaching Award winner.
Professor of Anthropology and Quaternary and Climate Studies Daniel Sandweiss, an international expert on El Niño, was named the Presidential Research and Creative Achievement Award recipient.