BANGOR ? One foot in front of the other.

That is how Benja Ruth Lane describes the five-year journey that transformed her, opening her eyes to concepts she did not know existed and opening doors to a more secure life for herself and her son, Austin, 5.

“In some ways, he’s kind of been through college with me. This is as much for him as it is for me,” Lane said in an interview.

“This experience has changed my life,” Lane said Friday, on the eve of her graduation. “My view of the world is a lot wider. There are things that I did not know existed. I have discovered a passion for economics.”

One foot in front of the other also is how her journey culminated Saturday, when she marched into Husson College’s new 3,000-seat Winkin Sports Complex to accept a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance and minor in English, as well as a master’s degree in business administration. Husson granted 233 undergraduate degrees, 117 master’s degrees and two honorary doctorates on its Bangor campus that day.

Also holding graduations on Saturday were Eastern Maine Community College and the University of Maine at Augusta, alma mater of students who earned degrees from UMA’s University College of Bangor. In addition, the University of Maine at Machias, University of Maine at Presque Isle, Northern Maine Community College and Unity College also awarded degrees.

As Lane now sees it, economics influence virtually every aspect of life, from politics and religion to literature. That’s one of the reasons she said she finds it so fascinating.

Like many, Lane started college fresh out of high school, was not ready or mature enough and dropped out. She moved to Florida and worked a series of jobs, including a stint as a mortgage broker. She still felt something was missing, especially when she joined her college-educated peers for happy hours at local bars. Shortly after she became pregnant with Austin, she got laid off and life began to look bleak.

The turning point came one March night five years ago on a Florida parkway, when her car engine blew and began to smoke, leaving her and her infant son stranded.

“It was terrifying. I tucked Austin in my coat, he was 3 months old then, and began walking,” she said. “It occurred to me that all I had to do was go back to school.”

So Lane sprang into action. She called her father, Husson College math professor Kenneth Lane, and made arrangements to enroll in classes there. By summer, she had moved to Bangor. By fall, she was enrolled in college full time.

But the road to a college education hasn’t been easy. Because her father is on the Husson faculty, Lane got a tuition break. She was responsible, however, for living expenses and struggled along on grants, work study and student loans.

She lives in low-income housing and for a long time drove a 1971 Ford pickup to and from class. Schedule conflicts required that she take Austin to one of her English courses, with her professor’s permission.

“I had many sleepless nights, and there were many times I handed my professors papers hot off the press,” she said.

What now?

“I hate that question,” Lane said with a laugh. “I don’t quite know yet.”

She has no specific career plans at this point, but says she keeps in touch with a connection who works for an up-and-coming international company.

“Life is good. We’re going to be OK,” she said.

During Saturday’s graduation at the Husson stadium, Van Buren native and Husson alumnus Robert O’Donnell spoke about success in his commencement address.

Born in a family of 11 children, O’Donnell said success could be defined as “the ability to envision the invisible and accomplish the impossible. You must put one foot in front of the other in pursuit of your dreams.”

It is a lesson he has lived. Among O’Donnell’s claims to fame was his decision to leave a comfortable banking position and take a 66-percent pay cut to take over Community Bank of New Jersey in Freehold.

In just seven years, the business grew from two to 12 branches, increasing its value from $24 million to $248 million before recently selling it.

O’Donnell, who received an honorary doctorate’s degree on Saturday, is in the process of giving Husson its largest gift to date, nearly $1 million toward the construction of a campus common that will be named in his honor. The common will serve as the gateway to the Bangor college, housing a reception area, three-story lobby, student services center and a large lecture hall.

University of Maine at Machias

Countering author Stephen King’s advice to graduates a few weeks ago urging them to make their careers in Maine, fellow Maine author Sanford Phippen on Saturday encouraged the graduates at the University of Maine at Machias to leave the state.

“So on this day of your leave-taking from Machias, I am not going to echo my contemporary Maine writer Stephen King and tell you stay in Maine,” he said. “I think you should probably leave and experience the world.”

A total of 105 graduates received bachelor’s degrees and 12 received associate degrees, one of the largest graduating classes from the college in recent years. The university also gave distinguished service awards to Leona “Noni” McBride, who has been active in community affairs for many years, and to Doug Kell Sr., the founder and president of Kelco Industries and a member of the UMM board of visitors.

Richard Larson and Elsie Larson were named emeritus professors of business studies and William Weigle was named professor emeritus of mathematics and environmental studies.

Eastern Maine Community College

Eastern Maine Community College held morning and afternoon commencement ceremonies on Saturday for its 300 graduates. John Fitzsimmons, president of the Maine Community College System, delivered the morning address, while Gov. John Baldacci spoke during the afternoon session.

In his address, Baldacci urged graduates to “help build a Maine for everyone” by getting involved in initiatives like the state’s fledgling creative economy and RealizeMaine! efforts aimed at creating new opportunities for Maine people.

“You are the new entrepreneurs of Maine,” he said, adding, “you will help form the Maine that we all want for the future. ? Get to work, do what you’ve been trained to do, trust in your fellow workers and you’ll find all the pieces can fall into place. The knowledge you’ve gained over the years spent studying and your experiences will guide you.”

University College of Bangor

Nearly 450 students, including graduates of the University College of Bangor, received their degrees during a ceremony at the University of Maine at Augusta.

Michaela Walsh, founder of the Women’s World Banking and director of women’s leadership at Manhattan College in New York City, delivered the commencement address.

Walsh was the first woman partner of Boettcher and Co. and the first woman manager of Merrill Lynch International to work in its New York, London and Beirut offices.

University of Maine at Presque Isle

The career of the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s longest-serving faculty member, Dr. Caroline Gentile, was highlighted on Saturday during the school’s 96th commencement.

The 81-year-old retiring health and physical education teacher was lauded for her dedication to UMPI.

A total of 321 people received undergraduate degrees during the ceremony.

Gentile, English professor Dr. Stanley Scott, English professor Dr. Kenneth Taylor and biology professor Charlton Loder were all recognized as emeriti faculty during the two-hour ceremony.

Northern Maine Community College

Northern Maine Community College graduates received a dose of both reality and hope during their weekend commencement exercises in Presque Isle when J. Nicholas Bayne, president and CEO of Maine and Maritimes Corp., gave the commencement address.

“You must not go timidly into the world without knowing what you are doing with your life,” Bayne cautioned the graduates.

Bayne, who has headed up Maine and Maritimes Corp., known more commonly as Maine Public Service Co., since March 2002, spoke before a crowd of several hundred people, who packed the college’s gym for the graduation.

NMCC official conferred degrees on 221 graduates during the Saturday morning ceremony.

Unity College

A total of 104 graduates at Unity College clad in black caps and gowns walked off the commencement stage on Saturday with a degree clasped in one hand and a tree seedling cradled in the other hand.

All majors studied at Unity College are environmental in nature, Mark Tardif, associate director of College Communications, said Saturday, noting Unity College celebrates its 40th anniversary in September.

Commencement speaker Naomi Schalit, executive director of Maine Rivers in Augusta, spoke to graduates about being activists for the environment.

“Being an activist means having the imagination to speak the truth to power,” Schalit said. “There is no more fundamental truth about activism than this.”