{"id":102300,"date":"2025-05-19T14:25:54","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T14:25:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=102300"},"modified":"2025-05-29T18:07:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T18:07:47","slug":"commencement-2025-uri-celebrates-achievements-of-3300-graduates-over-exciting-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2025\/05\/commencement-2025-uri-celebrates-achievements-of-3300-graduates-over-exciting-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"Commencement 2025: 溏心vlog免费B站 celebrates achievements of 3,300 graduates over exciting weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 May 19, 2025 \u2013 In front of a lively capacity crowd Friday at the Ryan Center, filmmaker Steven Feinberg offered a whimsical message for members of the 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Class of 2025 during the start of commencement weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday, each and every one of us are here because we had a dream,\u201d said Feinberg, executive director of the Rhode Island Film and Television Office, who over the course of his career has shepherded more than $900 million in film and TV production into the state. \u201cWe dreamed of a better life, of having fun, of bettering ourselves, of seeing how good we could actually be, of finding our purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Sights and Sounds from a memorable Spring 2025 Commencement Weekend<\/h2>

溏心vlog免费B站’s Commencement Weekend brought close to 40,000 members of the Rhody community to campus to celebrate the achievements of our graduates.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

WATCH<\/div><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n

Feinberg\u2019s words were delivered during the College of Arts and Sciences Commencement, one of eight graduation ceremonies celebrating the 溏心vlog免费B站 Class of 2025. During commencement weekend, May 16-18, the University awarded about 3,515 undergraduate and graduate degrees upon 3,300 graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feinberg, who was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters earlier in the commencement ceremony with his 88-year-old mother in the crowd and his father, a 溏心vlog免费B站 graduate, there in spirit, said his purpose was helped along by a daydream he had while driving in the family car. That daydream was that he might one day be in charge of movies in Rhode Island. \u201c溏心vlog免费B站 30 years later, by some miracle, the opportunity came my way. … But it all started with a daydream,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA daydream is great. But a daydream combined with hard work and action is even greater,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd a daydream combined with hard work and action and the partnership of other like-minded daydreamer teammates is the greatest power of all.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

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Steve Feinberg, executive director of the Rhode Island Film and Television Office, is congratulated by Provost Barbara Wolfe after being awarded an honorary degree on Friday.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Along with Feinberg\u2019s advice, President Marc Parlange, Gov. Dan McKee, and other 溏心vlog免费B站 officials offered praise and encouragement to the graduates, ringed by family and friends who made the Ryan Center sound as if they were there for a playoff basketball game. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Two graduates show off their diplomas after jubilantly crossing the stage during the College of Arts and Sciences graduation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cToday, we are here to celebrate a commencement\u2013the culmination of your achievements, perseverance, and hard work,\u201d said Parlange. \u201cBut commencement, by definition, also marks a beginning. As I look out here today, I see determined faces. I see the potential to shape the world. I see eagerness to challenge the status quo. I see hundreds of awesome graduates from the number-one ranked public university in New England and R1 research institution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

溏心vlog免费B站 Board of Trustees chair Margo Cook told graduates that while they enter a \u201ccomplicated\u201d world, they are not powerless. \u201cThe truth is, you have more power than you realize,\u201d she said. \u201cNot just because you have degrees in your hands\u2014but because you have voices, values, and a generation with you that isn\u2019t content to sit on the sidelines. You don\u2019t have to wait your turn. You are the turn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Student speaker Lucia Caito addresses her fellow graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In his remarks, McKee praised the graduates\u2019 resilience in the face of hurdles like the pandemic during their time at 溏心vlog免费B站, and urged them to make a difference, recalling a saying by his father, James McKee, a businessman who helped found the Boys & Girls Club in Cumberland.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy dad was one of my mentors. Along with helping to bring up five kids, he founded the Boys Club in our town. What are you going to contribute?\u201d asked McKee. \u201cMy dad always said, \u2018Remember, no matter what you strive for, if you have the desire, the ambition, the confidence, your chances of success are tremendous. Success is there for you. All you have to do is earn it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to marking the University\u2019s Carnegie R1 classification<\/a>  and its Wall Street Journal ranking<\/a>, Commencement 2025 also marked an important milestone\u2014the graduation of the 5,000th Talent Development scholar since the program\u2019s start in 1968.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milan Gil, a communications major from Providence and the first in his family to graduate college, was among the Talent Development scholars to graduate this spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be here without TD,\u201d said Gil, waiting in the maze of hallways at the Ryan Center before the College of Arts and Sciences commencement. \u201cFinancially, I couldn\u2019t afford it and there was a really good support system. My advisor, Corey, checked up on me a lot to make sure I stayed focused and he was really just involved in my academic career.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy mom sacrificed a lot for me to be here,\u201d he added. \u201cSo graduating means the world to me. I accomplished this for my family as well as myself and I know they\u2019re very proud of me.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nine student speakers<\/a> across the weekend\u2019s eight commencement ceremonies also shared messages that recalled the obstacles they and their classmates faced, from the pandemic to personal challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs we close this chapter of our lives and begin a new one, there will be so many complex feelings,\u201d said Joceline Rodrigues, a first-generation student, addressing the graduates of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences and the Graduate School of Oceanography. \u201cWhether this is happiness, anxiety, excitement, or even something you can\u2019t quite yet put a label on, know that although we have constantly been living through unprecedented events, you can and will achieve all the goals that you set for yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Puja (Diya) Banerjee, who graduated with a Ph.D. in oceanography, recalled journeying away from her home in a small, hilly town in remote Northeast India. \u201cUnfortunately, it\u2019s a disaster-prone zone and having seen nature\u2019s power of destruction, I knew I wanted to study Earth sciences,\u201d she said. \u201cEven though my parents were unsure about it, I set out from home with a bag of curiosity, a spark and gut feeling, and never looked back. No clear answers, no roadmaps. Yet, something did come of it. And here I am standing today wearing this doctoral hat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we first started this journey, none of us could have predicted that we\u2019d be starting amid a global pandemic,\u201d Sarina Thapar of Monroe, New Jersey, who graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, told fellow College of Pharmacy graduates. \u201cThere were moments when it felt like everything was against us\u2013the isolation, the constant uncertainty, the challenges of navigating this new way of life. But we didn\u2019t give up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs we reflect on our time here, I am reminded of the challenges we\u2019ve faced,\u201d said Colby Constantine, of Leicester, Massachusetts, who graduated from the College of Engineering with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering. \u201cFrom those grueling group projects that tested our patience to those moments of triumph when we finally understood a complex concept we thought we\u2019d never grasp. Every challenge has contributed to our growth. We\u2019ve learned how to collaborate with others, how to innovate, and perhaps most importantly, we\u2019ve learned how to persevere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the College of Arts and Sciences graduation, Lucia Caito of East Greenwich, who majored in English and human development and family science, reflected on the power of stories\u2014sharing your own and listening to others\u2019\u2014a lesson she learned from her late father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI like to think of our stories as threads weaving ourselves into each other\u2019s lives, making up a tapestry of belonging,\u201d Caito said. \u201cAs we move forward, let us continue to tell our stories, but more importantly, let us continue to listen. Let us remain open to perspectives different from our own, to experiences we may never personally have, to truths that expand our worldview.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Class of 2025 has faced uncertainty, loss, and immeasurable change,\u201d said Lauren Peckham of East Haddam, Connecticut, who majored in psychology, criminology\/criminal justice, and political science. \u201cBut we\u2019ve also built community, found our voices, and stood up for what we believe in. We didn\u2019t just react to the world around us; we responded with purpose and a mission: to make the world a better place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Helene Tjoumakaris, a nursing graduate from Egg Harbor, New Jersey, her personal challenge came when she discovered her why\u2014when she saw firsthand a nurse \u201cturn fear into comfort\u201d after her friend was diagnosed with kidney failure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery single person sitting here has their own why,\u201d she said during the College of Nursing ceremony. \u201cWhatever your why is\u2014hold onto it. Because there will be days ahead that test you. There will be moments where you\u2019re exhausted, frustrated, and questioning everything. But your why will always bring you back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Jennifer Melgar of Providence, who graduated in elementary education, her journey at 溏心vlog免费B站 has been transformative, she told graduates of the Feinstein College of Education. \u201cFor me, this moment is more than just a celebration; it is a declaration. A declaration that Latinas belong in places of leadership, in education, and in advocacy. That our voices matter, that our presence is powerful, and that our contributions are essential. I will continue to advocate for students of diverse backgrounds and needs, ensuring that they see themselves reflected in their teachers, their leaders, and their role models.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klara Nelander also recalled a challenge to her fellow College of Business graduates. The finance major wasn\u2019t sure she had made the right choice when she came to 溏心vlog免费B站 from Malmo, Sweden. But her parents urged to give it a year. \u201cI know each of you has had your own version of this experience,\u201d she said. \u201cStarting college isn\u2019t easy for anyone, whether you\u2019re from another country, another state, or even just down the road. Think back to your freshman year, think about the person you were, and now look at who you\u2019ve become today.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 May 19, 2025 \u2013 In front of a lively capacity crowd Friday at the Ryan Center, filmmaker Steven Feinberg offered a whimsical message for members of the 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Class of 2025 during the start of commencement weekend. \u201cToday, each and every one of us are here because we had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":102301,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1914,1912,1915],"class_list":["post-102300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives","tag-graduate","tag-special-events","tag-undergraduate"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102300"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102300\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":102373,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102300\/revisions\/102373"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102301"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}