Watch Gov. Janet Mills speak at SMCC graduation

Gov. Janet Mills will deliver the commencement speech at Southern Maine Community College on Sunday to more than 1,000 graduates.

The 2024 class of 1,089 is the largest in the school’s history, according to a Saturday press statement, earning 1,171 degrees and certificates. The ceremony will take place at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland starting at 2 p.m.

Mills is expected to tout the success of Maine’s Free College Scholarship program. Among this year’s grads who benefited from the program is Angela Holden of South Paris, who earned a certificate in Medical Assisting Apprenticeship. Holden says the program “empowered me to transform my life.”

“Despite challenges, including family living separately after a natural disaster, SMCC, my friends, family, and coworkers at Western Maine provided unwavering support,” Holden said in a release from the school. “Today, I’m a proud full-time medical assistant with a new home and restored hope.”

This year’s graduating class includes students from 15 out of Maine’s 16 counties and 33 countries outside the United States.

“Our programs have empowered students and equipped them with the skills they need to achieve their goals,” SMCC President Dr. Kristen Miller said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to witness them transition into the workforce or pursue further education, entering environments where they can deeply influence their chosen fields while positively impacting the lives of others.”