PORTLAND — The University of New England celebrated its 190th Commencement on Saturday, May 17, awarding degrees to nearly 1,300 graduates during a ceremony at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.
Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson delivered the keynote address, sharing insights from her groundbreaking 36-year military career and post-service leadership, which includes serving as senior vice president and head of referee operations for the NBA. Johnson was the first woman to serve as superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy and is the first woman from the Academy to be named a Rhodes Scholar.
In her address, Johnson encouraged graduates to lead with integrity, remain open to reinvention, and embrace service as a lifelong pursuit. She compared the “real-world” to that of being a referee — embracing criticism, accepting one’s personal limitations and, most importantly, the value of showing up for every opportunity.
“We can all strive for excellence, but no one is perfect,” Johnson told graduates. “I’m delighted to know that you have the knowledge and learning tools from UNE to follow your own paths, cultivate rich experiences, and continue to learn everywhere.”
She further encouraged graduates to expect to encounter the unexpected, keep open minds, learn from their experiences, try new endeavors, and embrace moments of failure with a sense of calm.
“I hope that you will take time to reflect, remember who you are, and show up,” said Johnson, who also received an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from UNE.
In his own remarks, UNE President James Herbert celebrated the perseverance and ambition of the Class of 2025, acknowledging their readiness to meet the evolving needs of the world and embody UNE’s mission to promote the health of the world’s people, communities and natural environment.
“Find a way to connect your expertise with a career that will make the world a better place,” he said. “If you do, your work will be far more personally meaningful than if you just show up each day for a paycheck.”
An honorary doctor of humane letters was also conferred upon David L. Anderson, Ph.D., a former UNE chair of the Board of Trustees and current fixture on the board’s Investment Committee. A veteran executive in global supply chain innovation and a dedicated advocate for UNE students, Anderson has played a key role in advancing the University’s research and entrepreneurship infrastructure.
Graduates of the Class of 2025 represented a wide spectrum of academic disciplines — including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, health sciences, marine sciences, business, human services, education and the liberal arts — reflecting UNE’s role as Maine’s largest independent university and the state’s leading provider of health professionals.
The ceremony served to remind students of the experiences, values, and education that have gotten them to this moment and inspire them to pursue lifelong leadership and impact across communities and disciplines.
Herbert left the Class of 2025 with three ideas to guide their futures: dream big dreams, work alongside others to achieve them, and know that there are many different ways to make the world a better place.
He likened graduates to superheroes because — in many ways, he said — they are.
“Every superhero has an origin story, a path they follow to eventually arrive at a place of great import in the world. In real life, every successful person has an origin story, too,” Herbert said. “Wherever your story begins, you have worked hard to attain your degree. And now, a world of possibilities lays at your feet.
“The next step to achieving greatness is daring to believe you can do great things — daring to dream those big dreams,” he said.
The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible online offerings. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. We are the state’s top provider of health professionals and home to Maine’s only medical and dental colleges, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care programs and nationally recognized programs in the marine sciences, the natural and social sciences, business, the humanities, and the arts. Visit www.une.edu.
