Bailey West, a biochemistry major from Stockton Springs, was the 2021 valedictorian and Drew Bennett, a mechanical engineering major from Brewer, was the salutatorian.
West was the Outstanding Graduating Student in the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture, and in the Honors College. On campus, she was a peer tutor and teaching assistant, and a student ambassador for the Honors College and the Study Abroad Program. West is participating in The Jackson Lab’s Summer Student Program, a 10-week research fellowship in mammalian genetics and genomics this summer. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences in the fall.
Drew Bennett, who minored in robotics, was an undergraduate research assistant in the Advanced Manufacturing Center. He also interned with General Electric in Bangor and with PTC in Boston. On campus, Bennett was president of Black Bear Robotics and the UMaine NASA Robotic Mining Challenge Team. In the community, he mentored youth robotics teams, including one at Brewer High School and one at Bucksport High School.