Maine
Northeastern celebrates 215 graduates during commencement ceremony in Portland, Maine
The Class of 2025 included master’s degree recipients from 19 countries, nine U.S. states and 41 cities or towns across Maine.
When Emmanuella Wiafe lost her aunt to breast cancer, it ignited in her a need to understand the disease and “do something.”
“That pain turned to passion and purpose, what I personally call ‘PPA’ — ‘Pain turned into Passion and Ambition,’” said Wiafe, the student speaker at Northeastern University’s Portland campus commencement on Friday.
The Portland campus Class of 2025 included 215 master’s degree recipients who came to study at Northeastern from 19 countries, nine U.S. states and 41 cities or towns across Maine.
Wiafe came to Northeastern with a strong foundation in clinical diagnostics, quickly engaged in cutting-edge breast cancer research, launched the BioPILOT Lab with faculty, and participated in real-world collaborations with biotech startups across Maine.
Wiafe, who earned a master’s degree in biotechnology, said she found a welcoming and empowering community at the Portland campus that helped her grow.
“Beyond the titles and projects, what will always be a part of me is the sense of belonging and support,” she said. “I’ve learned that success isn’t just measured by what we achieve, but by the people who walk with us, challenge us and believe in us along the way.”
She reminded her classmates that the Portland campus shaped them and prepared them to step forward to lead, to build and to transform the lives of other people.
Wiafe will continue working as a research associate at MaineHealth, advancing work in oncology, cardiology and infectious disease, while preparing for a future Ph.D. in cancer biology and drug development.
L.L.Bean CEO Steve Smith, also speaking at Northeastern’s Portland campus, encouraged graduates to keep seeking meaningful experiences and develop new skills throughout their lives.
Smith, the fourth president and CEO of the iconic Maine-based company, used a backpacking analogy to share lessons from his own career journey and emphasize the value of regular reflection for career development.
“May your packs be full, your paths be purposeful and your impact be lasting,” said Smith, who previously held leadership positions at Walmart International, Hannaford and J. Walter Thompson.
Early in his career, Smith said he regularly evaluated the skills and experiences he wanted to gain to make himself better prepared and more resilient. He sought out transferable skills such as project management or public speaking as well as expert-level knowledge in merchandising and general management.
“As I’ve paused, emptied the pack and looked at the contents, I’ve also asked myself where do I want to go next,” Smith said. “And more deeply, I have looked for places where I find joy and motivation — and made sure that I am moving in that direction.”
He deliberately declined some promotions and moved laterally, pursuing roles in merchandising, supply chain and operations, to gain a holistic view of the business and leadership. This, he said, helped him develop qualities like resilience, fortitude, humility, empathy and transparency.
“I used my pack to be sure I was building a diverse, interesting set of skills and experiences that I would be able to use as my career progressed into bigger and more complex roles,” Smith said.
When he found himself in a job that didn’t align with his values, reflection helped him pinpoint the moments that had felt most fulfilling — ultimately leading him to L.L.Bean.
“That reflection led me to my current role that I have at L.L.Bean, where I could join great people in service of a very clear purpose and build the strategy and the culture to achieve our potential — all in line with my values,” Smith said.
As a founding partner of Northeastern’s Roux Institute in 2019, L.L.Bean has supported the university’s Portland campus from the beginning, Smith said, “back when it was still an ambitious idea to reshape Maine’s future.”
“The bold mission of the Roux Institute is no longer just aspirational — it’s alive in all of you, the Class of 2025,” he said.
Smith gave a shout-out to two graduates with L.L.Bean ties — Ganesh Venu Gopal, an L.L.Bean lead data engineer, and Chinonso Victoria, a co-op student. L.L.Bean has enrolled more than 20 employees in Northeastern programs, hired students and partnered with the university on experiential courses in supply chain management.
Smith praised the long-term commitment to Maine shown by David and Barbara Roux and the Harold Alfond Foundation, who partnered with Northeastern in 2020 to launch the institute. He was especially moved to learn that 80% of Roux graduates over the last five years have decided to stay and work in Maine.
“I hope you carry a piece of Maine’s beauty, soul and resilience with you wherever you go,” Smith told the graduates. “But let it remind you to pause, to reflect and to stay grounded in what matters most — things like community, integrity and purpose.”
Abby Bridges, who completed her master’s in analytics from Northeastern last year, welcomed the Class of 2025 to the university’s global alumni network of over 350,000 graduates in nearly 185 countries. Bridges now works as a data analyst and program evaluator at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health.
Two 2025 graduates from the College of Professional Studies — Sampson Boateng and Alexander Campbell Legore — were named to the Laurel and Scroll 100 Society of Distinction.
As a final gift, all Class of 2025 graduates received a scholarship to pursue one of six tuition-free graduate certificates in the future.
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BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Monday’s telethon held by WABI in partnership with Penquis and Heart of Maine United Way Monday raised money for the heating of homes, something so basic, yet so significant in a state like Maine.
Danielle Hewes, Penquis contributor and volunteer, says some people might not even know that they qualify for heating assistance.
“I think there’s this misconception that you can’t get that if you’re working. Like that’s just for people on general assistance. The truth of the matter is this is for the people that are maybe not able to work, but also for the people that are working. They’re making ends meet,” she said.
For Danielle, that’s what makes events like the telethon so special: it’s making a real difference in the community with people who need the help the most.
Speaking about Penquis in particular, she said, “You learn about all of the other things they do and how they help the community and you can’t help but want to be a part of that.”
If you weren’t able to donate Monday, donations are still being accepted.
You can go to homeunitedway.org/heat.
You can also call 941-2800.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine Democrat Graham Platner has picked up another high-profile endorsement in his bid to flip a key Senate seat blue, marking another sign of the oyster farmer and combat veteran’s political resiliency even as he continues to face controversy throughout his campaign.
Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego announced Monday that he was backing Platner, saying that the first-time candidate “reflects the grit and independence that defines Maine.”
“Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasn’t seen in a long time, someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesn’t owe anything to the special interests, and wakes up every day thinking about working families,” said Gallego, who won a Senate seat in Arizona in 2024 by more than 2 points while Trump carried the state by nearly 6 points.
Platner has previously been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat.
However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has endorsed Platner’s main opponent, Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
Both Platner, 41, and Mills, 78, are hoping to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 73, a five-term incumbent who announced last month that she was running for another term. A victory in Maine is crucial for Democrats’ efforts to take back control of the Senate. The Democratic Party needs to net four seats to retake the Senate majority, and they are aiming to do that in Maine, North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio.
READ MORE: Maine’s Graham Platner thinks voters will overlook his past to support a new type of candidate
Platner has gained traction with his anti-establishment image and economic equality message. He’s pressed forward despite controversies over old social media posts and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he recently had covered up.
Gallego is among the Democrats named as possible 2028 presidential contenders. Last fall, he stumped in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida, where he campaigned for Democrats who went on to win their elections.
“I have an immense amount of respect for him and I’m looking forward to joining him as a fellow Marine and combat infantryman in the U.S. Senate,” Platner said in a statement.
Kruesi reported from Providence, Rhode Island.
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On March 2, Spurwink will join community partners for a special viewing of Building Hope: Ending Homelessness in Maine at the University of Southern Maine’s McGoldrick Hall.
Directed by Richard Kane and produced by Melody Lewis-Kane, the film shines a compassionate light on the realities of Maine’s homelessness crisis. Through deeply personal stories, Building Hope explores the challenges faced by unhoused individuals and families, while highlighting the hope that emerges when communities come together to create solutions. It’s been praised for its honesty, dignity, and inspiring message: change is possible when we work together.
Following the screening, a panel of local leaders and advocates will discuss the film and the ongoing effort in Maine to end homelessness. Panelists will include Katherine Rodney, Director of Spurwink’s Living Room Crisis Center; Cullen Ryan, Chief Strategic Officer at 3Rivers; Donna Wampole, Assistant Professor of Social Work at USM; and Preble Street staff. Catherine Ryder, Spurwink’s Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, will bring her expertise in trauma-informed care and community collaboration to the panel as the moderator.
This event is free and open to the public.
McGoldrick Center, USM Portland campus
05:00 PM – 07:30 PM on Mon, 2 Mar 2026
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