This Saturday, Valdete “Mimi” Cargill will walk across the stage at the University of Maine at Augusta’s commencement ceremony, cheered on by 52 family members traveling from across the country to celebrate the completion of a goal decades in the making. Just two weeks shy of her 85th birthday, Mimi is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and a minor in Justice Studies.
A lifelong love of learning
Arriving in the U.S. from Brazil in 1964, Mimi was 22 with a fourth-grade education and limited English. She focused on building a stable life, then raising her family. Mimi often set her own aspirations aside to support others, but never stopped learning. Over time, she taught herself to fluently read, write, and speak five languages—English, Portuguese, Spanish, French and Italian.
When Mimi enrolled at UMA in her late seventies, she found the right place to pursue her goal. With the support of the senior tuition waiver and a community that welcomes students at every stage of life, she was able to fully engage in her studies and turn a long-held dream into a hard-earned degree.
“It takes courage to take that first step,” Mimi says, “but if you really want it—if you crave that degree like I did—you go for it.”
Beyond the classroom
During her time as a student, Mimi didn’t just attend classes. She balanced her coursework with a deep commitment to her community, volunteering as an interpreter and delivering handwritten notes and home-cooked meals to neighbors in need.
The next chapter
For Mimi, graduation marks the start of her next chapter. She plans to increase her volunteer work helping people navigate legal systems in a new country and a new language, while pursuing projects like writing a pantry cookbook and a children’s book rooted in care and connection.
Mimi’s journey is UMA’s mission in action, expanding access to education and empowering students at every stage of life to grow, contribute, and make a difference in their communities.