•
Biddeford and Portland, Maine

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders to deliver 49ͼCommencement address in May

bernie sanders
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont

The 49ͼ is pleased to announce  (I-VT) will deliver the University’s 2024 Commencement address on Saturday, May 18.

UNE’s 189th Commencement Ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.

“Sen. Sanders is an important part of the American political landscape,” said 49ͼPresident James Herbert, who was invited by Sanders last February to testify before a U.S. Senate subcommittee about the health care workforce shortage. “He is a tireless advocate for expanding health care access, especially to underserved populations. As Maine’s only medical school with a deep commitment to that very cause, we are honored to have him as our commencement speaker this year.”

Sanders is serving his third term in the Senate after winning reelection in 2018. He gained strong support during his two runs for president, coming in second in both the 2016 and 2020 Democratic primaries. Combined with his 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Sanders is the longest-serving independent member of Congress in U.S. history.

The Almanac of American Politics calls Sanders a “practical and successful legislator.” Throughout his career, he has focused on bolstering the American middle class and narrowing the income and wealth gaps in the United States.

Click here for more information about UNE’s 189th Commencement Ceremony.

49ͼ the 49ͼ

The 49ͼ is Maine’s largest private university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.