UMaine 2021 Virtual Commencement Will Honor Two Years of Graduates

The University of Maine will honor the achievements of the more than 2,000 UMaine students receiving degrees in 2021 with a virtual 218th Commencement presentation, highlighted by video of students\u27 in-person stage walks. congratulatory remarks by Valedictorian Bailey West and a keynote by Dr. Edison Liu, president and CEO of The Jackson Laboratory. Alumna Melissa Smith, chair and CEO of WEX in Portland, and Wayne Newell of Indian Township, a Passamaquoddy scholar and educator, will be awarded honorary degrees. UMaine has 412 graduate students and 1,639 undergraduates receiving degrees in 2021. Following COVID-19 health and safety guidance, nearly 1,000 members of the Class of 2021 and Class of 2020 participated in commencement stage walks Apr il 23- May 3. Recordings of the livestreamed events over six days, which received a total of more than 12,400 views, will be part of the virtual presentation that will feature elements of UMaine\u27s traditional in-person commencement ceremony. The health and safety of our University of Maine community is our top priority. As President Ferrini-Mundy wrote in an email to the University of Maine community on February 10, due to continuing public health concerns related to COVID-19, 2021 Commencement ceremonies will be conducted virtually. The virtual ceremonies out lined below are designed to honor and recognize the hard work, dedication, achievements, and perseverance of our UMaine undergraduate and graduate students during this particularly challenging time. Our sincere hope is that someday in the future, we will be able to invite both 2020 and 2021 graduates back for in-person celebrations