FARMINGTON -- The mother of a man who died in the September 11 attacks in New York City encouraged University of Maine at Farmington graduates Saturday to work toward reducing terrorism.

"You carry with you our hope for a better world," Sally Goodrich said before an audience of 400 graduates and their families. "Go forth and join the great struggle. Farmington has equipped you well to direct your life in ways that are good for you and the overlapping communities of this small world."

While the weather was dry, college officials made a decision before 6 a.m. to move the ceremonies inside the Fitness and Recreation Center because of a forecast of showers. Nevertheless, it took little away from the festive celebration.

Goodrich's son, Peter, died at age 33 as a passenger in the United Airlines Flight 175, the second plane to strike the World Trade Center in 2001.

Now a teacher in North Adams, Mass., Goodrich said she and her husband chose to honor their son's memory by creating the Peter M. Goodrich Foundation, which raised money to build and support a school for 500 girls in Afghanistan.

There, she said, they depended on Americans and Afghans alike to teach them how to behave honorably and minimize unintended harm.

"Hope and knowledge are the agents of real personal and social transformation," Goodrich said.

Goodrich said that in the days following the Sept. 11 attacks, she was comforted by the fact she and her husband loved Peter and he loved them.

"I was not just motivated by a need to respond to terrorism when we built a school in Afghanistan. We were continuing Peter's journey. Today we draw on his legacy of love to care for the Afghan exchange students for whom we are responsible and who fill a void we thought could never be filled."

She urged the graduates to "love well. Be assured that love or the memory of love will carry you through your darkest days and nights. Love never fails."

Goodrich received a standing ovation after her address.

Similarly, class speaker Jessica Longstreet of Georgetown told her fellow graduates that they need to be more involved in the world.

"It is not enough to talk about the problems we see around us each day," Longstreet said. "Talking does not solve all problems. We need to stand behind our words. We need to get messy, jump into the situations we want to fix."

She said class members have the ability to cause change for the better.

"The rest of our lives are waiting. Let's make it count," she said.

Also during the commencement, Liz Lerman of Takoma Park, Md., a choreographer and leader in contemporary dance, and Roger G. Spear, UMF's leading financial officer for nearly 40 years before retiring, received honorary doctor of humane letters degrees.

Continuing a tradition, UMF President Theodora J. Kalikow singled out a member of the graduating class for special accomplishment.

This year it was Brian London of Bath, an honors student who Kalikow said was a learner of everything, ranging from geology to photography.

Kalikow told of London's involvement with such activities as creating newsletters and materials for a women's empowerment center in Zambia and leadership on the men's soccer team.

"Brian has made a real difference to the campus and to the wider community," Kalikow said, asking him to stand for a moment of recognition.