The University of New England will award nearly 1,300 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees during its 190th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 17. Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson, the first woman and 19th superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy, will deliver the University’s Commencement address.
The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.
Johnson, a distinguished U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and the first woman Rhodes Scholar in the Air Force, led a groundbreaking 36-year military career. She served as the military commander of the academy, was a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours, and held leadership roles spanning policy, communications, logistics and cyber operations.
Johnson’s service included deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq and a senior NATO post in Belgium. After retiring, she became the first woman to serve as senior vice president and head of referee operations for the NBA, overseeing officiation for the NBA, WNBA, and G League. She continues to serve on nonprofit boards supporting veterans, youth sports, and education.
“Lt. Gen. Johnson came from modest means and worked hard and courageously to get to where she is today. Her perseverance and dedication embody what we aim to instill in our students,” said UNE President James Herbert, noting that many UNE students also come from rural backgrounds. “Her diverse experiences in global affairs, leadership, and breaking glass ceilings make her an ideal speaker to inspire our graduates as they embark on their own paths of impact and service.”
An honorary doctor of humane letters will be awarded to David L. Anderson, Ph.D., business executive and a former UNE chair of the Board of Trustees. Anderson is managing general partner of Supply Chain Ventures, a Biddeford-based venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments in marketing, medical, and supply chain businesses, providing critical services for people around the globe. With a decade at Accenture, he helped develop the company’s $2 billion supply chain management practices across North America, Asia, and Europe, and he held executive roles at Temple, Barker & Sloane Inc. and Data Resources Inc.
Anderson joined the UNE Board of Trustees in 2011, serving as board treasurer and later as board chair, where he led the search for Herbert, who was inaugurated as the University’s sixth president in 2017. Even after completing his board service in 2023, Anderson has remained engaged, serving on the University’s Investment Committee and chairing the Alternative Investment Subcommittee, overseeing UNE’s growing endowment.
Anderson and his wife Lindy have been dedicated mentors and sponsors to UNE students, establishing an endowed scholarship and supporting initiatives such as the Pickus Center for Biomedical Research and the University’s entrepreneurial innovation competition, which led to the creation of the business-focused P.D. Merrill Makerspace on UNE’s Biddeford campus.
UNE graduates will receive degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, health sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, human services, education and business, among other nationally leading graduate and baccalaureate programs.
More information about the ceremony can be found on the Commencement website. View the livestream at une.edu/live.
