Dr. Jacqueline Edmonson to Speak at Upcoming USM Connencement Celebration on Saturday, May 4th.

The University of Southern Maine will celebrate its 144th Commencement on Saturday, May 4th at 9:00 am in the Cross Insurance Arena, Portland.  More than 1.000 graduates are scheduled to participate with thousands of family and friends in attendance.

The event will feature remarks by University President Jacqeline Edmonson and from student speaker Hamido Hassan.  The keynote speaker is Tom Caron, NESN sportcaster who is also a Lewiston native.  An honorary degree will be conferred to Lyndel J. Wishcamper, who has had a successful career of developing affordable housing across the country.

Mr. Wishcamper has been an owner/developer of over 15,000 units of affordable housing throughout the country.  He has chaired a number of non-profit boards including The Nature Conservancy and Maine Public Broadcasting Network.  He is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School.  The Wishcamper Center at USM is named for him.

Hamido Hasson will be graduating wih her master’s degree in counseling.  She was born in a Kenyan refugee camp to Somali parents.  She immigrated to the US when she was six years old and settled in the Somali commuity in Lewiston.

“I want to honor the community that’s helped me, teachers and mentors and supervisors,” she said.  “I want to be that person for other people.”