News Releases

USM's 124th Commencement

May 15, 2004

Ray C. Anderson, the University of Southern Maine's commencement speaker, told nearly 1,000 graduates and 7,500 guests, "I think the world of 2054 will be better, safer, and healthier than the world of 2004, because so many of you 'get it' already ... you know about the need to walk lightly on Earth," during his address on May 15 at the Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland.

Anderson, CEO of Interface, Inc., one of the nation's leading advocates for sustainability, received an honorary degree shortly before his address. Anderson, and his company, have received many awards, including the inaugural Millennium Award from Global Green, and the George and Cynthia Mitchell International Prize for Sustainable Development. Interface, Inc. was twice named one of the top 100 companies to work for in America by Fortune magazine. Guilford of Maine, a manufacturer of commercial fabrics with headquarters in the Piscataquis County town of Guilford, is part of the Interface Fabric Group.

A Distinguished Achievement Award was presented to Southport Island's Ruth Lepper Gardner, a Maine artist who, even as she approaches her 99th birthday, continues to attend drawing classes and is an active member of the Boothbay Region Art Foundation. Gardner spent more than 60 years drawing the Maine coast and recently donated several of her maps to USM's Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education.

The student commencement speaker, Sandra Hamel Rivard of Brunswick, is a social and behavioral science major at USM's Lewiston-Auburn College. She also addressed the issue of environmental sustainability as she stated, "Sustainable behavior is our chance to make a difference. Living sustainably offers the opportunity for change in our lifestyle." She has been accepted to USM's summer Stonecoast Writers' Conference, is working on a book, and plans to work with AmeriCorps in the coming year.

The oldest student to graduate was Ruth Thomas, age 76, of Port Clyde, Maine, who graduated from Maine Central Institute (MCI) in Pittsfield, in 1946 and dreamed of earning an art degree. Lack of money for tuition, marriage, and a family of five postponed Thomas' dreams of an art degree for 58 years. Today, she received her bachelor of fine arts degree. Thomas rented an apartment in Gorham for three years while she earned her degree with a double concentration in drawing and painting.

Another non-traditional age student, Richard Whitaker, earned a D.V.M. from the University of Georgia in 1979, and has been practicing veterinary medicine in Maine since 1987. A large animal vet, he owns a practice specializing in embryo transfer in cattle, and has ownership interest in a small animal practice in Turner. Realizing that he was a skilled vet, but less skilled in managing his businesses, Whitaker turned to USMÕs School of Business to earn his M.B.A. degree because it was Òlocal, accredited, and user-friendly for people who have full-time jobs.Ó He was cheered on today by his six-year-old daughter.

On a more solemn note, a posthumous degree was awarded to Christopher D. Gelineau, the Maine Army National Guardsman killed April 20 near Mosul, Iraq. Gelineau was a senior information technology communication major in USMÕs School of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology. He was one semester short of graduating. His mother, Victoria Chicoine, and his wife, Lavinia Onitiu-Gelineau accepted his degree as the audience gave a prolonged standing ovation. Onitiu-Gelineau made two other trips to the stage while receiving her own degrees in business and English.

The ceremony opened to the march, "Processional for Spring," during which 26 members of the Class of 1954 entered. The music was composed by Robert Ek, of Brockton, Mass., a member of the Class of 1967, and a 1957 graduate of Deering High School, Portland. Ek won a competition sponsored by the Class of 1954, open to all USM alumni and students, to find a march to be played each year as the 50-year class processes into the ceremony.

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