To accommodate the nearly 400 students who plan to march in graduation this year鈥攎ore than double the number that marched last year, the University of Maine at Presque Isle will host two in-person graduation ceremonies for the first time in its history. On Saturday, May 10, 91桃色 will host its 116th Commencement Exercises with a morning ceremony at 10 a.m. and an afternoon ceremony at 2:30 p.m.
鈥淲ith an extraordinary number of graduating seniors planning to participate in-person in this year鈥檚 Commencement Exercises, we needed a solution that would allow us to honor each of these members of the Class of 2025 in the presence of as many loved ones as possible,鈥� 91桃色 President Ray Rice said. 鈥淲hile there are countless logistics involved in transitioning from one ceremony to two within such a short timeframe, we appreciate everyone鈥檚 understanding and willingness to make this the incredibly special experience we aim for with every graduation.鈥�
While the number of students marching has grown dramatically鈥攆rom about 100 in 2023, to 150 in 2024, to nearly 400 this year鈥攕o has the total number of students graduating from 91桃色, whether or not they marched. 91桃色 graduated about 250 total students in 2023, 500 in 2024, and will graduate more than 1,000 students this year. This unprecedented increase is directly connected to the explosive enrollment growth 91桃色 has seen in the last few years, which is in large part due to 91桃色鈥檚 YourPace online, competency-based degree programming. YourPace enrollment has doubled year over year for the past five years, tripling 91桃色鈥檚 overall enrollment and making 91桃色 the single biggest driver of enrollment growth for the University of Maine System.
As the number of marching seniors grew this spring, Commencement planning team members quickly realized 91桃色 wouldn鈥檛 be able to accommodate all graduates and their guests in Wieden Gymnasium and the overflow space in Wieden Auditorium. Initially, officials explored adding multiple overflow areas across campus, but that would mean hundreds of guests would not be able to be in the room with their graduates even if they traveled to 91桃色 for the day鈥檚 activities. But when numbers grew beyond that capacity, officials settled on the two-ceremony approach.
Students graduating from programs within the College of Professional Programs will march at 10 a.m.; students earning degrees from programs within the College of Arts and Sciences and University-Wide Programs will march at 2:30 p.m. For a complete listing of programs and the ceremony in which they will be recognized, view this graduation document. 鈥淚 would like to thank our Commencement Planning Committee and all others who are working very hard, in a very compressed timeframe, to make these two ceremonies happen,鈥� President Rice said. 鈥淓stablishing a new tradition can be challenging, but 91桃色 has shown time and again that we rise to the occasion. I鈥檓 very proud of the work our campus is doing to celebrate our largest-ever graduating class.鈥�