Graduation ceremonies will be held this weekend at Husson College in Bangor and at the University of Maine System campuses at Orono, Machias, Fort Kent, Presque Isle, Augusta and Portland-Gorham.

Two ceremonies, at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., will be held Saturday in the Alfond Arena at the University of Maine. Those in the colleges of business, education, and natural resources, forestry and agriculture; the graduate school; and the division of lifelong learning will attend the morning ceremony. Students in the colleges of arts and humanities, engineering, sciences, and social and behavorial sciencies; the engineering technology school, and University College will attend the afternoon ceremony.

For the first time in the University of Maine’s history three graduates will share the position of valedictorian. The three students, Kerry Capelle of Stanford, Jenny Moulton of North Yarmouth and Tamra Woodward of Orrington, all maintained 4.0 grade point averages while at UMaine.

Retiring President Frederick E. Hutchinson will deliver the commencement address to 1,172 graduates at the 190th commencement. Former Sen. George Mitchell, composer Kay Gardner and computer scientist Robert Metcalfe will receive honorary degrees, and retired paper industry executive John Luke will receive a Distinguished Achievement Award.

The commissioning ceremony of the UMaine Army and Navy ROTC detachments will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday at 100 Corbett Business Building. Hutchinson will give the President’s Charge, and University of Maine graduate William Libby will deliver an address. Brig. Gen. Libby is deputy adjutant general, Maine Army National Guard, and director of the state’s Emergency Management Agency.

University of Maine System board of trustees chairwoman Sally G. Vamvakias will deliver the keynote address at the University of Maine at Machias commencement, which will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday with the traditional march across campus. Exercises will be held in the Reynolds Center. Vamvakias, a native of Bath, is an alumnus of the University of Maine.

The 109 UMM graduates will be joined by 14 students receiving degrees from the University of Maine at Augusta. A Distinguished Achievement Award will be presented to Ethel “Billie” Wilson Gammon, a 1934 graduate of UMM’s predecessor, Washington State Normal School in Machias and founder of the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center in Livermore Falls.

In addition, Helen G. Vose of Machias and Frank H. Farren Jr. of Cherryfield will receive Distinguished Service Awards. Kim Westcott-Huttman of Jonesport will be the first graduate of UMM’s reinstated honors program.

The commencement for the 442 Husson College graduates will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the Newman Gymnasium. A second graduation ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Westbrook College gymnasium for the 100 graduates of Husson’s Portland and Lewiston programs.

Susan M. Collins will receive an honorary doctorate for public service. She was the founding and executive director of Husson’s Center for Family Business before her election to the Senate. Collins will also deliver the commencement address.

James Carlisle, a Husson alumnus, will be recognized for his work in the aerospace industry as CEO of Carlisle Enterprises with a doctorate in business administration. Sister Barbara Brillant, also a Husson graduate, has spent a career in mission work and in public health and education. She will receive a doctorate in public service.

Elizabeth “Libby” H. Mitchell, speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, will deliver the commencement address at the University of Maine at Augusta’s 29th graduation ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the Augusta Civic Center.

The graduating class of over 400 students is the largest in UMA’s history. In addition to conferring degrees, the university will present a Distinguished Scholar Award to Gary Wittner of Scarborough for his work as lecturer and the coordinator of UMA’s jazz and contemporary music program.

A Distinguished Achievement Award will be presented to author Michael Kimball of York Harbor. Kimball is a member of the Maine Arts Commission’s Artists in Education and Maine Touring Artists program, and conducts screenwriting workshops around the state.

More than 900 graduates will receive degrees at this year’s University of Southern Maine commencement at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland.

H. Draper Hunt, III of South Portland, one of 20 retiring professors being honored for their achievements, will deliver the commencement address. Hunt is a professor of history.

Civic leaders Peter and Pamela Plumb will receive Distinguished Service Awards, and a posthumous award for distinguished service will recognize Maine civil rights activist Jean Byers Sampson, who passed away Nov. 4, 1996. The Distinguished Achievement Award will be presented to Aaron Fauersteing, president and CEO of Malden Mills, and author Carolyn Chute of Kezar Falls, who will be honored in absentia.