PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Northern Maine Community College will celebrate the graduation of 190 students during their 53rd commencement exercises on Saturday, May 12.
Students from the Arts and Sciences, Business Technology, Emergency Medical Services, Nursing and Allied Health, and Trade and Technical Occupations will march at the Forum in Presque Isle at 1 p.m. to receive their associates’ degrees and certificates from 37 programs.
This year’s commencement address will be delivered by Stephen Richard, the executive director of the Central Aroostook Association, an organization committed to supporting the education, employment and life of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
In addition to holding his position for 43 years, Richard has served on many state and local committees. His most enduring role has been as co-director of the Aroostook County Special Olympics for the past 40 years. He was also a member of the games management team for the Winter Games and the alpine ski coach and power lifting coach for Maine during the World Games.
Richard has also led multiple major fundraising efforts, including The Aroostook Medical Center’s capital campaign in 2002, which raised $2.55 million, and co-chaired the capital campaign for the construction of the Presque Isle community center with his wife, Lucy, helping raise $3.75 million.
Currently, he is the board chair of Aroostook County Action Program.
Richard and his wife are former Presque Isle Citizens of the Year and in 1999 earned a Paul Harris Fellow. Richard received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005 from the University of Maine at Presque Isle. In 2007, he received the John W. Ballou Award and, most recently, the University of Maine System trustees presented him with a doctorate of humane letters.
NMCC’s Student of the Year, Elizabeth “Betsy” Allen, will be the Class of 2018 student speaker. NMCC faculty and staff chose Allen, a nursing student, based on her academic success, leadership, community involvement and dedication to learning. She left a successful teaching career to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse practitioner, and will attend Duke University in the fall to pursue her master of science in nursing degree in the family nurse practitioner program.
NMCC officials remind all guests attending commencement that no large bags will be allowed in the Forum due to ongoing security measures.
