BAR HARBOR — Nearly 90 students from 23 states and 20 nations are among those set to graduate from College of the Atlantic June 10 during the coastal Maine institution’s 50th commencement ceremony. The event, which is open to the public, begins at 2 p.m., on the north lawn of COA’s Eden Street campus.
COA’s 2023 commencement keynote speaker is decolonial feminism scholar, author, Stephanie Bennett-Smith Professor of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Richmond Dr. Julietta Singh. Receiving an honorary degree is Native American Passamaquoddy historian, author, teacher, filmmaker, lecturer, storyteller and community leader Donald Soctomah.
Performers, educators, entrepreneurs, conservationists, writers, artists, scientists, health and wellness practitioners and social justice advocates are among the degree candidates. The class of 2023 includes a Watson Fellow, two Goldwater Scholars and two Projects for Peace winners. Despite the challenges COVID-19 has presented over the last three years, more than 55 percent of this year’s senior class had an international academic experience during their tenure here.
Retiring professors Davis Taylor and Steve Ressel will share grand marshal duties along with retiring librarian Jane Hultberg. The procession will be led by the Anah Shriners bagpipers.
A total of five students will present as part of the ceremony. The student welcome will be given by Ninoska I. Ngomana, who has primarily focused on Black studies and political and cultural anthropology during her time at COA. Sharing a student perspective will be Lisa-Marie Kottoff, who has mainly focused on economics and Spanish, Maria Fernanda “Mafe” Farias Briseno, who has focused on political and cultural anthropology with a focus on Latin American studies and education, and Silas Sifton, who has focused on literature and education. Liv Soter will introduce Dr. Singh.
As part of the college’s commitment to sustainability, COA celebrations always consider environmental impacts. All paper used at the commencement is recycled, all disposable tableware is composted, no bottled water is served and as much food as possible is organic and sourced locally. All food waste is composted.
COA was founded in 1969 on the premise that education should go beyond understanding the world as it is to enabling students to actively shape its future. A leader in experiential educations and environmental stewardship, COA has pioneered a distinctive interdisciplinary approach to learning – human ecology – that develops the kinds of creative thinkers and doers needed by all sectors of society in addressing the compelling and growing needs of our world.
