Collins lauds Unity College record

LARRY GRARD
Staff Writer

05/10/2009

Photo by Jeff Pouland
A GOOD REASON TO SMILE: Class of 2009 members Amanda Walker and Rachael Adamovich, right, take a self portrait before commencement exercises at Unity College on Saturday.

UNITY -- In her commencement address to 90 graduating Unity College seniors Saturday, Sen. Susan Collins praised the college for 44 years of producing graduates "ready to meet the demands of today."

College President Mitchell Thomashow conferred an honorary degree upon Collins, whom he described as a courageous leader in environmental conservation. Unity College, Collins said, is America's environmental college.

"Your hiking boots have been just as essential as your laptops in your journey to today," Collins said. "Your community and your college and your country need your active involvement."

Collins referred to the book "The End of Nature," written two decades ago by environmentalist Bill McKibben.

These 20 years later, she said, the environment is our biggest challenge. Increases in greenhouse gases have led to climate change, weather disasters, disease, the disruption of agriculture and more, she said.

"I saw firsthand the dramatic effect of climate change in 2006, in Antarctica and New Zealand," Collins said.

Collins said she stood in a spot in New Zealand that, 140 years ago, would have been covered by ice. The melting of ice is even more dramatic in the northern hemisphere, she said.

In addition to Collins, the college bestowed an honorary degree to Mwalimu Musheshe, who has done significant work for social change in his native Uganda.

Unity College, which focuses on sustainability, celebrated its greenest commencement yet. The college served more local and organic food than ever.

"We've done everything we can to make sure that this is an absolutely sustainable commencement," Thomashow said earlier.

Graduating senior Rachel Mestas, who decided to attend Unity College after already landing a good job, was one of the earlier speakers. Mestas, who lived in Gulfport, Miss., and lost her home during Hurricane Katrina, said she was unhappy with her world.

"I spoke out on my environmental concerns," Mestas said. "I realized I needed a place that would give me the knowledge to oppose careless building practices, and shortsighted development. I visited Unity and immediately knew this was the place for me."

Mestas urged her fellow graduates to "get out there and be leaders in the clean-energy revolution."

The college bestowed citations of the Maine League of Conservation Voters, 2000 graduate Jeff McCabe of Skowhegan, John Piotti of Unity and the Unity Barn Raisers.

McCabe, executive director of Lake George Regional Park, is a freshman Democratic state representative.

Piotti, House majority leader, is a founder of Unity Barn Raisers and a director for Maine Farmland Trust.

Tess Woods, a 1995 graduate, is executive director of Unity Barn Raisers.

To the music of bagpipes, graduating senior Darrick Adams and James Nelson, a retiring professor, led the processional.