COLLEGE NEWS
Graduations
BURLINGTON — On Sunday, May 19, the University of Vermont Class of 2024 celebrated the university’s 223rd commencement, held on the University Green in Burlington. All told, 3,412 graduates from 33 countries and 46 U.S. states had degrees conferred upon them. This included approximately 2,638 bachelor’s, 493 master’s, 133 doctoral, and 122 medical degree recipients. The undergraduate Class of 2024 includes roughly 969 Vermonters and 464 students of color.
Four years ago, in the spring of 2020, as high school seniors making plans to come to UVM, a worldwide pandemic suddenly locked down daily life. This class had to make do with high school graduations over Zoom, or drive-by recognitions in parking lots or, in many cases, no ceremony at all.
A poignant moment was the conferring of a posthumous Bachelor of Science degree on class member Madie Christine Saltsburg, an agroecology and landscape design major and UVM Army ROTC member who died in a back-country skiing accident in March.
Class of 2024 medical students received their doctorates at the Larner College of Medicine’s Ceremony in UVM’s Ira Allen Chapel. Class of 2024 was the first cohort to confront the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic since beginning their journey as medical students. Notable graduates include Elise Prehoda, Class of 2024 Student President and Class Marshal, who grew up on a small farm in rural Vermont; Mialovena Exume, a first-generation college graduate from Haiti; and Alayna Westcom, Bakersfield, Vt., native and Miss Vermont 2015.
BENNINGTON — On Saturday, June 1, 122 members of Bennington College’s Class of 2024 gathered at the southern end of campus to receive their degrees. The institution conferred three master’s degrees, two in dance and one in public action, and 119 bachelor’s degrees. Undergraduate students studied Cultural Studies and Languages; Dance; Drama; Environmental Studies; Literature; Music; Science & Mathematics; Society, Culture & Thought; and Visual Arts.
Graduates hailed from 28 states and eighteen countries, including Egypt, India, Kenya, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Vietnam, and ranged in age from 19 to 53. Both Friday’s Eve of Commencement speeches and Saturday’s Conferring of Degrees ceremony are available on the College’s Commencement webpage.
AROUND TOWN
Vermont Days
As part of Vermont Days, the state of Vermont is offering free admission to Vermont State Parks and Vermont State Historic Sites June 8 and 9. Saturday and Sunday. To request accessible accommodations, email elle.ocasey@vermont.gov or call 802-760-9967. Several family-friendly events happening include:
Vermont State Historic Sites — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Fly a Kite. Visitors are encouraged to bring a kite and fly it at a State Historic Site, or it can be purchased at sites with gift shops.
MONTPELIER — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 8, Vermont History Museum, 109 State St., with admission by donation for residents and nonresidents, various exhibits tell the story of Vermont and the people who have lived here.
TOWNSHEND — noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 8, Lorie DeHimer Concert at Townshend State Park, 2755 State Forest Road. Acoustic music from local performer.
NORTH HERO — 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 8, Knights Point State Park, 44 Knights Point Road. Musical storytelling by Eli Elkus, free concert with park entry.
Yellow Barn Project
HARDWICK — A public information meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 10 at Hazen Union Auditorium, concerning the Yellow Barn Project and future use of the new space. Onsite child care and light refreshments will be provided for attendees. The agenda includes an overview of the Center for an Agricultural Economy work in the community and region, how the new spaces will be utilized, time for community input, and a question-and-answer session.
This is a joint infrastructure project between the Town of Hardwick and local partners to renovate an iconic barn at the west entrance of Hardwick, and to build an adjacent 25,000-square-foot structure to support the region’s post-pandemic agricultural economy. Cabot Creamery Cooperative will open a retail outlet in the historic Yellow Barn. The two anchor tenants are Jasper Hill Farm and the CAE. Email jon@CAEVT.org if unable to attend the information session.
Flood protection
Gov. Phil Scott and Vermont Emergency Management announced $90 million of federal funding is now available to Vermont municipalities to implement hazard mitigation measures that reduce future flood risk. These funds are available to all Vermont towns with no local match requirement.
The federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funds to municipalities to harden infrastructure against future flood losses and for voluntary buyouts of homes in floodplains. The program traditionally requires towns to pay 25% of total project costs; the state of Vermont will now pay the local match.
Cities and towns are strongly encouraged to identify problem areas and submit a pre-application by Aug. 16. Pre-applications need only provide basic information on a proposed project; more technical information will be reviewed as the application progresses. Vermont Emergency Management and Regional Planning Commission staff will assist communities throughout the process.
Visit www.vem.vermont.gov/funding/mitigation for more information, or email dps.hazardmitigation@vermont.gov.
Catholic Daughters
HARDWICK — Vermont State Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court was instituted Feb. 4, 1924. The State Court held a 100th anniversary celebration May 4 at St. Norbert Church in Hardwick, with a prayer service, reminiscing, games, followed by Mass celebrated by Rev. Fr. Patrick Forman, state chaplain. The Knights of Columbus Council 1568 of Hardwick prepared a turkey dinner for the Catholic Daughters.
AROUND VT
Eye on the Sky
St. JOHNSBURY — A new voice is keeping an “Eye on the Sky,” meteorologist Megan Duncan will create and produce forecasts beginning this month for the weather service from the Fairbanks Museum and Vermont Public. She is the museum’s first female meteorologist. Duncan joins Mark Breen and Lawrence Hayes, taking over for Steve Maleski, who will retire this summer.
Duncan studied Atmospheric and Water Resources Sciences at Oregon State University and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology from Plymouth State University. Eye on the Sky has been airing on Vermont Public (formerly Vermont Public Radio) since December 1981.
VTF&W
Free fishing
Vermont’s annual, statewide, Summer Free Fishing Day is this Saturday, June 8, and will be celebrated at the “Grand Isle Family Fishing Festival” held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ed Weed Fish Culture Station, 14 Bell Hill Road in Grand Isle. Vermont’s regular bass season also opens on June 8.
Designed for young or novice anglers and families, this event offers basic fishing instruction and the chance for kids to catch trout in a hatchery pond. No prior fishing experience is needed. Vermont Fish & Wildlife will supply fishing rods, reels and bait for use by participants.
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