A large group recently got together at Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell for the presentation of the 2019 Student of the Year awards for the Maine Community College System.

Each community college, a total of 7, presented one student this distinguished award as well as the John and Jana Lapoint Leadership Award scholarship.

NMCC Dean of Students Dr. William Egeler was there to present Erik Lamoreau of Caribou his Student of the Year award. As Egeler was introducing Lamoreau, he  made mention of some of the difficulties Lamoreau faced in getting to college. Those included criminal convictions, drug addiction, self-doubt and displaced dreams. "Once sober his challenge was to remain so, and break the cycles of his past. One dream set aside years earlier was earning that college degree.” Egeler went on to say that everyone, like Erik Lamoreau, are masters of their own destiny.

Lamoreau took to the podium and, through tear-filled eyes, said he walked into Egeler's office petrified. "You listened to my story, made some boundaries, and told me to show you the effort. I told you that I would do my very best, and I hope I made you proud.”

Once enrolled at Northern Maine Community College, Lamoreau excelled. He earned a 3.83 GPA, an active member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society and is a sponsor for numerous others facing the same challenges he has.

After graduating this month, where he will deliver the commencement speech, Lamoreau will pursue a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences at UMFK where he intends to complete his master’s degree.  Besides being a full-time student, Lamoreau is also a father of three girls and works full-time at the local AMHC rehab facility in Limestone.

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