USM Holds 129th Commencement

Craig Pushard, Producer Tiffany Buchanan, Multimedia Producer

9 months ago

PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER)--About 900 students at the University of Southern Maine received their degrees Saturday in Portland.

Among the grads is Justin Pease of Portland who earned a degree in English with honors and walked in the procession with his grandmother Jane who graduated in 1959 from what was then known as Gorham State Teachers' College. Jane returned to get her masters in adult education in 1983 while raising her four kids and going to school in the evening.

Justin worked about 30 hours a week while going to USM. His first job was a night janitor.