Unity College's presentation of Honorary Doctorate to Senator Collins

from VillageSoup, the text of Unity College's presentation of an Honorary Doctorate for Senator Susan Collins:

If you want to get a great civics lesson and learn about the essence of bipartisanship, take a look at the Web site of Sen. Susan Collins.
Here are some recent headlines:
“Sen. Collins Announces More than $30 Million in Clean Water Funding”
“More than $8 Million in Stimulus Funds for Acadia National Park”
“Sen. Collins Introduces Energy Assistance Act”
“Save the Children Gives Senator Susan Collins its Champion for Children Award”
“Sen. Collins Questions Secretary of State Clinton about Women’s Rights on Afghanistan”

And finally….The Hill, a Washington based political newsletter asked all 99 senators which member of the opposition they most enjoyed partnering with on legislation. Sen. Collins was ranked the Republican senator who is easiest to work with.

Over the past several months, Sen. Collins has taken courageous stands on issues of vital importance, demonstrating the very essence of political ingenuity in a time of polarization and exaggeration. Her leadership in supporting and crafting the stimulus package is well known. She is widely recognized for providing resilient support and leadership on behalf of environmental conservation. Sen. Collins recognizes environmental conservation has a long bipartisan tradition in American politics. By upholding that tradition, she has strengthened the meaning of democracy and is a role model for civic engagement. She understands environmental conservation transcends party lines.

Unity College is delighted to present Sen. Collins with an Honorary Doctorate of Environmental Citizenship in recognition of her fine efforts.

We present this honor not just because of her environmental leadership, or because her office serves her constituents so well. We do so because in times of controversy, Sen. Collins demonstrates that people can work together, that political action matters, that democracy is alive and well. Through her perseverance, her integrity, her ability to see multiple perspectives, and her ability to compromise, she has been a magnificent patriot and citizen, and a model for young people.

We look forward to her continued leadership on behalf of environmental conservation, higher education, and sustainability. We have confidence that she understands the magnitude of climate change and the loss of biodiversity and will do all she can to bring the very best political thinking to these extraordinary challenges.

Collins urges Unity grads to fight climate change

from the Bangor Daily News:

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins preached to an enthusiastic choir Saturday afternoon when she urged the 90 members of the Unity College graduating class to keep on working for the environment.

“Unity grads already know that the key to making a difference is to get involved,” Collins said. “The impact of your actions will make a difference today and for seven generations to come.”

Collins was the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony, which school officials said was their environmentally greenest ever — and among the greenest in the country.

In her speech, the senator said that for these students, “sitting on the sidelines cannot be an option.” A group of students planned to present her with a letter advocating action for climate change legislation.

“You must be advocates and activists for the causes you believe in,” she said. “Climate change is the most significant environmental challenge facing our planet.”

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Senator Collins with Mitchell Thomashow, President, Unity College


Senator Collins with Tim Glidden, Chair of the Board of Trustees for Unity College