Local student news

Suitter graduates magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
Paul Edwin Suitter, son of Heidi Pratt of Oakfield and Tim Suitter of Houlton, received a bachelor’s degree from Bates College, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, on Sunday, May 31. He was one of 472 seniors who graduated during the college’s 143rd commencement exercises.
    Guest speakers and honorary degree recipients at the ceremony were Academy Award winning actress Geena Davis; the Reverend Robert M. Franklin Jr., president of Morehouse College; biologist and MacArthur genius award recipient Mimi A. R. Koehl; Bates philanthropist and Orrs Island resident Ralph T. Perry; and Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International and CNN host.
A 2005 graduate of Southern Aroostook Community High School, Suitter majored in political science at Bates, writing an honors thesis entitled “A State House Divided, the Effects of Legislative Term Limits on the Policymaking Process of the Maine Legislature.”
His undergraduate activities included serving as president of the Bates College Democrats and president of the Bates College Student Government. Suitter studied abroad in Vienna, Austria in the fall of 2006 and worked as an intern for Congressman Michael H. Michaud in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2008.
Suitter made a two-year commitment to joining Teach for America in its Greater Boston region this fall. Teach for America is a program that recruits college graduates and professionals to teach in low-income communities across the United States in a movement to eliminate educational inequality in America.
Sjoberg graduates cum laude from Malone College
Colleen R. Sjoberg, daughter of Fred and Marilyn Sjoberg of Hodgdon, received a bachelor’s degree in social work from Malone University, graduating cum laude. Graduation was held on May 9, at First Christian Church, Market Avenue in Canton, Ohio.
Sjoberg was one of 603 seniors who graduated during the university’s 117th commencement exercises. The baccalaureate speaker was Pastor Laureate Ronald J. Fowler and Stan D. Gaede delivered the commencement address.
Local residents graduate from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
The following Houlton residents, Jena Codrey and Jordan Hill both earned their undergraduate degree at Saint Joseph’s College of Standish during Commencement exercises held on May 9.
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is a Catholic liberal arts college located on Sebago Lake in Standish. The college has an undergraduate enrollment of 1,000 students and offers 30 academic majors.
Targonski  graduates cum laude  from Clark University
Alisha R. Targonski of Monticello, received a degree from Clark University in Worcester, Mass. on May 17. Targonski graduated cum laude earning a bachelor of arts and is a graduate of Houlton High School.
 Dean’s list students
Thomas Elliot, son of Lisa and Keith Gallagher of Smyrna and Robert Small of Ludlow has been named to the spring 2009 dean’s list at Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor. He is enrolled in the computer aided drafting and design program.
Fort Kent – Dr. Rachel E. Albert, vice president for academic affairs at University of Maine at Fort Kent has announced that 220 students were named to the dean’s list for the spring 2009 semester. Students attaining the honor must be degree candidates, enrolled as a full-time student, and must maintain a 3.25 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for the semester. Students from Houlton included in the announcement are, Colby Dunn, April Miller and Arthur Myers.
Haley M. Nickerson, a freshman majoring in university studies at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. has been named to the dean’s list for the spring 2009 semester.
To qualify for the dean’s list, students must attempt at least 12 credit hours graded on the A-F option and earn a 3.4 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) during the semester.
Founded in 1872 as a land-grant college, Virginia Tech is the most comprehensive university in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is among the top research universities in the nation.