Area students to graduate from Bates

Two area residents received bachelor’s degrees during Bates College’s 133rd commencement exercises Monday, May 31 in an outdoor ceremony on the main campus quadrangle. Richard C. Holbrooke, career diplomat and chief negotiator for the 1995 Dayton peace accord that served to suspend ethnic cleansing and warfare in Bosnia, received an honorary doctorate of laws and delivered the commencement address to an audience of some 2,500 at the ceremonies in front of historic Coram Library. Beneath sunny skies, Bates President Donald W. Harward conferred bachelor’s degrees on 417 graduates.

Joining Holbrooke as honorary degree recipients were career educator Robert E. Dunn, Bates class of 1950 (doctor of humane letters); biochemist Leroy E. Hood, M.D. (doctor of science); and urban sociologist William Julius Wilson (doctor of laws).

WEST NEW PORTLAND
Samuel Harold Anderson
of West New Portland received a bachelor of arts degree in economics. Anderson played varsity football for the college in 1997 and was a member of the men’s alpine ski team throughout his Bates career, serving as captain in the 1998-99 season. He is the 1999 recipient of the college’s Dr. Lloyd Lux Award, given annually for overall contribution, dedication and leadership in the college’s skiing program. A graduate of Carrabassett Valley Academy, Anderson is the son of Paula Anderson, West New Portland, and William Anderson, North New Portland.

WEST PARIS
Melissa Vining
of 52 Kingsbury St. received a bachelor of science degree (magna cum laude) in chemistry. Vining, who has a secondary concentration in French, was named Bates College’s 1997-98 Ruggles Scholar, a fellowship awarded to a junior for academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. Vining used the $1,000 fellowship to fund her senior thesis as well as to attend a number of scholarly conferences to discuss the thesis findings. She was elected to Sigma Xi, a North American Honor Society founded in 1886 to reward excellence in scientific research. Named a Dana Scholar after her first year at Bates, Vining has been a dean’s list student, junior adviser and member of the varsity softball team. The granddaughter of Ruth Hazelton of West Paris, Vining is a 1994 graduate of Oxford Hills High School.