Mars Hill woman honored
as NMCC Student of the Year
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — NMCC has named Duska Kingsbury of Mars Hill as its 2015 Student of the Year.
Kingsbury, along with the Students of the Year from each of the community college campuses across the state, was honored during a ceremony and luncheon in Augusta April 29.
During the ceremony, Dr. William Egeler, NMCC dean of students, shared what makes Kingsbury an outstanding choice.
“Not only has Duska earned an impressive 3.9 accumulative GPA in our liberal studies program, but she is a role model for her classmates,” he said. “According to her academic adviser, she is driven, engaged and has a no-excuses personality.”
Beyond being a full-time student, Kingsbury is the mother of six and is very involved in her community as a volunteer coach and referee at the recreation department. She volunteers at the school department and FFA, assists on the family farm, and competes in adult league soccer and softball. Kingsbury is also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society on campus.
While admitting she was apprehensive about enrolling in college, Kingsbury said NMCC has awakened a part of her.
“NMCC is definitely feeding a part of me that needed feeding and I was determined to show my children that I could be successful in college,” she said. “I want them to know important dreams are worth working for.”
Kingsbury plans to go on for a bachelor’s degree upon graduation.
As a result of this recognition, Kingsbury will be the Class of 2015 graduation speaker during NMCC’s commencement, which was held Saturday, May 16, 2015 at 10 a.m. at The Forum in Presque Isle.
