We began this year unified in our commitment to being Together for Maine in support of our students and their success and the safety of our campus and Maine communities. We end the academic year as we hoped we would, marking the commencement and accomplishments of our graduating students as we have for more than 150 years.
We want to acknowledge that our commencement ceremonies, though special, will still not be the normal crowded celebration we all wish you could have. But the cause for celebration this year is all the more special because of your sacrifice, and deserving of a special “caps off” note of appreciation and recognition for everyone earning a degree or credential this month.
The Class of 2021 may not have its equal in modern higher education. You’ve been tested in ways not experienced in the last century, requiring an unparalleled resilience to earn a college degree. None of us could have imagined how much life and learning would change over these last 14 months, nor the lengths to which Maine’s public university students would go to achieve their college dreams.
Nearly 4,900 graduates have completed their academic journey with us in spite of COVID-19. Each of them will be honored as part of our university commencement ceremonies this month. We are inspired by everyone’s commitment to learning, resolve in the face of great challenges, and adaptive strength since the global pandemic first forced us to change how and where we connect and engage as a community of learners.
We owe our talented faculty and dedicated, student-focused staff a debt of gratitude for the incredible amount of ingenuity, hard work, and resolve they displayed in their work with the Class of 2021. We are proud of the many ways our colleagues helped lead our universities and state forward in a time of great student and public challenge.
From the start, we knew that students would determine the fate of our Together for Maine commitment to in-person learning and our public health campaign. Only now, as we help lead Maine’s march back to normalcy and an end to the pandemic, can we truly assess and appreciate the selfless commitment to safety practices and the impactful public health leadership of students.
The Class of 2021’s contributions and resiliency will always be remembered, with each and every graduate forever a valued member of the University of Maine System community of proud alumni, leaders, and lifelong learners.
Congratulations, Class of 2021! We are proud of your accomplishments and wish you all the best in everything that is to come.
Sincerely,
