Roger Williams University Commencement Exercises May 17, 2024

[Music] [Music] I for [Music] [Music] e e [Music] [Applause] [Music] stay where you are for everybody [Music] [Music] is I [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] I [Music] I [Music] e e [Music] water we for [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] I [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] e [Music] [Music] I [Music] [Music] e [Music] [Music] I [Music] [Music] [Applause] for e [Music] [Music] e [Music] [Music] [Music] for e [Music] [Music] [Music] I [Music] [Music] [Music] is e [Music] [Music] e [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] for [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] good morning I love it my name is Margaret Evert I'm the Provost and vice president for academic Affairs at Roger Williams University and it is my pleasure to serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the 68th commencement ceremony of Roger Williams University you you may take your seats welcome to welcome to one and all on this important occasion to our graduates their families and friends to our dedicated faculty and staff members of the Board of Trustees president meis our commencement speaker Shabana Basi truk our distinguished honorary degree recipients and all of our special guests We Gather today to celebrate you the class of 2024 four to recognize the Milestone you have reached today and honor your achievements as we look forward to your future accomplishments today's commencement begins with the singing of the national an Anthem by The Talented Kristen win a student of the class of 2024 we didn't let you sit down very long please rise now if you're able and remove your hat for the national anthem and then you may be seated for the welcoming remarks which will be delivered by president meis [Music] [Music] atripes Bright Stars through theight [Music] the bombs bur in prove through the night that flag [Music] for the land of the free and the of [Applause] [Music] the to the members of the Board of Trustees to our honorary degree recipients Shabana baziz rashik Elizabeth Moore Arlene Violet Justice Anita ears and judge William Smith to the faculty and staff of rer Olam University to our alums friends and families and especially to our graduates welcome to commencement day for the class of [Applause] 2024 it's a great day to be a hawk on behalf of the Roger Williams University Board of Trustees and the entire faculty and staff Community I congratulate you all for your accomplishments throughout your time here I have been president at Ro Williams since 2019 and have been honored to watch you on your journey I hope you all feel great pride on how far you have come and gratitude for the path that has brought us all here to celebrate today education was the key success for me like many of you I'm a first generation student my parents are very very po education they made a lot of sacrifices with the hopes that I would go to college I left my home in Greece to become an international student here in New England and while that was hard on my family and on me we knew that this opportunity would open doors to the life I dreamed of and bring many accomplishments who would celebrate together I still remember my own commencement ceremony as if it were yesterday it was one of the most meaningful moments of my life let me tell you I know that the road to this moment technical glitch was not easy but through the challenges there are four invaluable traits that I have learned about all of you first you are resilient while Co is no longer an everyday topic on conversation it impacted your educational journey in many ways some of you needed to pause your education to care for loved ones others return for a new degree or professional credential potential to make a necessitated career shift or to pursue a passion or dream for many of the undergraduates receiving your degree today this ceremony is extra special because you're the class that Co deprived many of you the chance to have a traditional High School graduation you have been tested in ways you never could have imagined your path was not about avoiding challenges but facing them head on and emerging stronger on the other side that skill will be with you throughout your life and career do not avoid challenge but learn when to lean into the challenges and push forward I have a very special board bond with your class I have been along with the journey Al with you at every step and I can proudly say that you one of the best prepared and passionate classes I have seen in my 36 years in education today is your special day which leads me to the second trait you are prepared in a world that is constantly changing a Roger Williams University education has prepared you with a real world education every student I meet at rwu can articulate their unique story of the powerful combinations you have made here think about the blends of majors and minors opportunities for leadership student organizations clubs Athletics the rigorous research high impact projects with Community Partners challenging internships legal clinics and student teaching experiences you have gained along the way that this experience of the wide range of knowledge skills and interest you have undertaken at Ro Williams be The Guiding Light of how you should pursue your next steps in life your life is the performance it is not a rehearsal live it love it enjoy it it's happening now continue to combine your work with things you enjoy and cultivate your personal passions and hobbies remember that most of the fun is out of your comfort zone find the life passion and stick with it make it a passion that will continuously Define your purpose fuel you with endless energy and make a difference in the world the third trait I'll share with you is that you are a change maker you carry the spirit of the sacrifices your family has made to get you here just like mine did is your in your rers in your rers William education you Dove deep into understanding and addressing social justice issues and environmental challenges you're already becoming the change maker the world needs next you're now equipped with critical thinking skills you know how to collect and iner data you have built your own designs with your own hands you have performed and created beautiful works of art and you have worked on real problems real research and represented real clients use all these skills and tools tools at your disposal to tackle what is next in your life the key to doing it to doing that is connecting the powerful combinations you make between your discipline and other experiences apply that to your life if you're an engineer explore biology and use your knowledge and problem solving skills to discover innovative solutions that biologist cannot do alone if you're a health scientist learn the creative design process and invent new drug delivery mechanisms that doctors never imagine when you're in a leadership position use Integrity honesty and transparency to help those you manage make decisions and if others lead you always use the problem solving skills your professors have taught you to weigh both sides of a case and make sound decisions based on real facts and finally the fourth trait is that you are forever a hawk as you leave Roger Williams University and embark on your next chapter as a hawk you have learned to SAR here now you'll continue to SAR higher in your personal and professional lives and to lift others up with you always think about the impact of your actions on others the impact of a business decision on the environment the impact of a policy on marginalized individuals the ability of a piece of art or artistic performance to bring joy and a sense of community and insight into society in your personal life start a family of little hawks because you really want to not because others tell you that you should by the way children are wonderful but Grand children are even better I have two daughters and now two granddaughters and I'm crazy about all of them and professionally be a true ambassador to your profession get involved with local schools and Inspire young people to dream of becoming a professional like yourself be an ambassador to Roger Roger will always be a big part of your life rwu is a great University remember the better Roger is the more valuable your degree has the better Roger becomes the more your Roger degree appreciates come back and see Roger but that I mean get involved as an alarm in leadership and our alni events and reunions as much as I mean come back and visit the the faculty and staff that have helped you the most come back and cheer on your on our teams here you competed on and of course come back to see our first dog Roger Roger processed with me today and you can follow him on Instagram at RW first dog remember RW first talk he got 1750 followers I think graduates of R Williams University class of 2024 now is your time to go forth with confidence and resolve and make your mark in the world I wish you the best of luck thank you and here we go [Applause] Hawks thank you president meis I would like to take a moment to introduce the members of the platform party in addition to Roger Williams University president yanis malalis Grand Marshall Robert Blackburn our distinguished honorary degree recipients Elizabeth Moore Arlene Violet Justice Anita Earls chief judge William E Smith and our 2024 commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient Shabana basich rasuk also the senior leadership of Roger Williams University is represented here by members of our Board of Trustees our Academic Deans and the University's vice presidents we recognize them for their dedicated and responsible stewardship of the institution as they continue to shape rwu as a transformation leader in higher education it now gives me great pleasure to introduce chairman of the board at Roger Williams University Tim Yeon Tim a former president and CEO of multinational software and technology management companies is an alumnus of the class of 1980 and has given his time to RW for many years as a trustee and past president of the RW Alumni Association chairman Yeon [Applause] good morning we're got we have fun with this one okay so um fellow trustees distinguished faculty uh University Administration family and friends and a special welcome to you the class of 2024 congratulations so uh I first have to do a little housekeeping so for those of you mostly facult and admin that were here for my Commencement Address last year I want to reassure you I've updated all the jokes they now end in 2024 so um as board chair and as an Alum I'm especially honored to get to speak with you you today um particularly because your class is so unique and both the challenges you've faced and the accomplishments you've achieved and as I'm excited to speak with you today I promise the president and my colleagues on the board to keep my mar remarks shorter this year so going try to keep it to just 45 minutes absolutely no no longer so you know to say your class is unique is an understatement and I personally deeply understand your struggles and tenacity this is the first real graduation ceremony uh that many of you had since grade school and I feel your challenges and accomplishments more than you might think you see um although she didn't go to Roger Williams our youngest daughter just graduated from a large West Coast uh College last week so she's also class of 2024 so my family went through everything you did and your parents and your families so we understand deeply what it's been like the last four years now unfortunately for my daughter she went to that University in California that did not have a main tent graduation ceremony and and she was really upset and then I remind that look the main tent is just boring speeches from the president of the university and the chairman of the board so so the the you all arrived on this campus uh as the most academically accomplished socially diverse uh and engaged class we've ever admitted and at the same time our graduate programs at law school students were poised for Success despite Co and for all of us there was tremendous anticipation of the up coming four years but it was tough we all know that how hard it was but you thrived uh good example when we reopened campus um Roger Williams had one of the lowest incidents of covid of any institution in the region and this is because you took care of yourselves and you took care of each other you pres persevered with grit with Grace with fortitude and resilience so like you today I am also a proud Alum of Roger Willams class 1980 hey so it turns out there are three of us whoops I just got my student athlete thing I don't want to lose it um there are three of us from the class of 1980 on this board uh pretty extraordinary so that makes the class of 1980 the second most extraordinary class after class of 2024 so I've been on the board for over 12 years uh took on chair responsibilities from my good friend and fellow alum Tim Baxter a little over two and a half years ago um and we really look now to have our successful Alum aspire to be on the board now it helps if your first name is Tim or at least begins with a T so we have any Tims out here tinas terries you've got an inside track when the time comes but it's funny um I I so vividly remember my time here I was a a country boy from New Hampshire um and when my first day on campus literary I was blown away uh at the at the diversity and engagement of all the all the students I met incredible uh students from all sorts of exotic places Thailand uh Iran uh Honduras Spain seon but it was a young school it was still evolving we had no gym no pool very few amenities but the drinking age was 18 we had our own Pub uh but you know I don't know if it's coincidental or not but um for some reason four-year graduation rates and grade point averages have soared since we closed that thing and I'm sure they're related so I settled into Campus Life um was really supported uh by an Engaged caring faculty and administration many of whom I stayed in touch with until they retired in fact two professors that I had in 1980 still teach here today uh which is extraordinary now speaking of curent professors I'm going to give a shout out that he doesn't know is coming uh the first ever endowed professorship in the gabelli school of business professor Michael Melton Michael here [Applause] awesome he's now the Yon distinguished professor of finance and director of the cafe program and I personally want to congratulate Michael and thank him in advance for having to do the Yon family's taxes estate and financial planning for the rest of your natural life which back brings it back to you the class of 2024 let's take a quick Sprint down memory lane uh for this year's graduating class now many our undergrads already have jobs or or graduate schools lined up our Advanced degree in law school graduates are thriving as our University College grads and our professional programs and students have received numerous Awards and recognition finally being near and dear to my heart as a four-year Varsity soccer player um for all of you student athletes congratulations um I want to recognize some of the accomplishments that the sporting team have first our women's rugby club runner up in their division in the Nationals shout out conf runner-ups men's soccer yeah let's hear it women's soccer field hockey women's lacrosse and just last week softball Conference champions men's golf men's cross country Men's Track and field and men's basketball well done now wait for it there's an even bigger one our national champions the Roger Williams University sailing team who beat all the ivys the Coast Guard Academy the Naval Academy they cleaned up congratulations [Applause] and and yesterday our at our board meeting the trustees all decided that we're going to get together and buy rings and pendants for your number one Championship so congratulations so just to wrap up um here you are today a graduating class that fulfilled all the promise four years ago with tenacity grit and a sense of community and self that will bold well for you forever not just for your individual career but for you as a family bonded together through adversity you are the generation destined to change our world some of our Generations haven't done such a good job so far so we really are counting on you uh on behalf of the board and entire Roger Williams Community our deepest pride and most sincere congratulations to you the class of 2024 [Applause] thank you so much chairman yon it is with great pleasure that I get to introduce our 2024 undergraduate speaker Samuel [Applause] treber sorry I thought I'd get a taste of my core before I start speaking good morning my name is as mentioned Samuel treber I'm a criminal justice major with minors in Psychology and history and today I'm honored to be your undergraduate student commencement speaker I hope that in 4 minutes I can capture four years more or less of experience for all the friends and families that are here this early making the effort for a student in their lives I cannot thank you enough for your dedication support and love that have made these past years a little easier for those who could have been here I know it's early but couldn't wake up before 9:00 a.m. most phones have alarm clocks on them I look into it as we graduate and Forge a path into a landscape that is economically politically and socially tumultuous I'm sure we will continue to need your your unwavering support for some time however Roger Williams has given us the tools to independently navigate this landscape with confidence whether you're a business major predicting the next big burst a marine biologist researching coal reefs an architect designing sustainable buildings or if you're graduating with the best degree that there is criminal justice we are [Music] ready personally I am continuing my education here at Roger and I hope that some familiar faces join me and some unfamiliar faces become familiar ones for those of you who are entering the real world in places far away from karaoke night at Aiden make sure to take all of your experiences here with you I know that I'll be using my experience experence as treasure and Art Club to balance my own budget sheets my experience in Georgia as part of the burst Fellowship to perfect how I conduct research and my experience studying abroad in Italy to truly appreciate and immerse myself in other cultures still not really tastes any difference between expensive and cheap wine opportunities like these have allowed us to take on perspectives beyond our own granting us not just the essentials of higher education but greater intellect benevolence and wisdom they enabled us to be ready not just for the problems that may arise within a classroom but for the problems that are bound to arise outside the scope of academics along with these beautiful and informative experiences the natural beauty of this campus was something to behold nestled on the rocky Rhode Island Shoreline with the Mount Hope bridge on the horizon I don't think you could get a more picturesque campus if you were here in 2020 you even had the frequent opportunity to watch herds of deer stroll p through campus as if they too had paid for tuition for those of you who attended the Providence Campus you had your own luxuries in the nearby streets with never-ending entertainment highly rated restaurants and the traffic filled bridges of the city as well as and I cannot stress this enough a Traitor Joe's before you go on your way to other cities states and countries to do great things reflect on these past years grasp how much we have grown as people know that we are ready for whatever comes next we have all had successes failures and challenges whether you aced a test wrote a fantastic research paper made some lifelong friends or did poorly on a project struggled in a new place far from home forgot to add water to a craft easy mac and cheese cup we are ready for the next big step we are started this journey with fear and confusion maybe even a little skepticism and you may be feeling some of those same emotions now but we faced years of challenges and have overcome them time and time again to be able to be here today we are ready for big hurdles and small Hoops whatever it takes to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves in addition to giving yourselves a pat on the back we should not forget those who have helped us to be here today and be ready for what comes tomorrow thank you to all the friends and family who have supported us all the professors who have educated us all the professionals who have assisted us all the coaches who have challenged us all the students who have entertained us with events activities and clubs and all the staff who have kept our campus clean and our stomachs full thank you all for Lending me your ears and thank you chat GPT for wunning this speech good luck in your future endeavors and congratulations graduates of Roger Williams University class of [Applause] 2024 too many local references for chat GPT I think thank you Samuel it is with great pleasure that I now introduce our 2024 graduate student speaker Elizabeth demilio [Applause] welcome to everyone here today professors dignitaries friends and family and graduates of the class of 2024 no matter which graduate program we are matriculating from our time at Roger Williams University has gifted us with one piece of indisputable wisdom Rhode Islanders are terrible drivers some of our guests have had the pleasure of experiencing this for themselves this morning yes it is always like that our lack of signaling traveling in the passing lane or conversely switching lanes every 5 seconds in standstill traffic is as much a part of Rhode Island culture as coffee milk good pasta and bad Bridges the lane changing thing isn't really our fault though back in 1999 when bucket hats were big the first time around a group of scientists empirically validated that generally people are just really bad at accurately predicting which lane moves the fastest they named it roadway illusion an incredibly generic term for what was an incredibly specific finding but maybe that's appropriate because there are plenty of times in life other than the times when I'm weaving in and out of traffic that I think about the roadway illusion and whether the same thinking patterns that guarantee the Toyota Corolla next to me will reach the exit first are influencing my behavior there are many scenarios in life where the only easy way to evaluate our progress is to compare it to the person next to us and it's easy to make choices based on how we perceive our success relative to that other person like so many of my graduate program fellows I have returned to Roger Williams after building a life outside of Academia it's difficult to return to school it's not easy being patient while the world World your friends and your family move forward without you it's not easy to commit to chasing a dream when switching to an established road map would lead maybe not to fulfillment but certainly Comfort within this Roger Williams University community that is fiercely loyal and intensely motivated to do good we deeply committed to our individual passions and talents at Roger Williams I have had the privilege of being supported by some of the kindest and most determined individuals I've ever learned with today we receive our diplomas in recognition that we never abandoned our dreams we never switched lanes and we have accomplished incredible things because of that every Roger Williams graduate has been told by a professor that the answer to their question is as long as it takes how long should this paper be as long as it takes how long should I research this as long as it takes how long until my anxiety levels return to nor normal as long as it takes the Roger Williams University graduate program mentality rejects the fast lane it Thrills in plotting towards the achievement of deep knowledge in areas so fascinating that no one outside of your graduate cohort will ever want to hear about it ever I hope that each of us brings that determination with us after graduation that every time comparisons to others leave us unsure we remember remember our time at Roger Williams University and are comforted secure in the knowledge that our efforts here have prepared us for our chosen paths I am so proud to be part of this graduating class full of unique stories and inspiring goals to my fellow graduates thank you for showing me that dreams should never be abandoned and always grow bigger congratulations class of 2024 thank you Elizabeth and thank to our wonderful student speakers for such great inspiring remarks it is now my honor to introduce you to our kot's commencement speaker Shabana bash rashak sabana embodies the rwu spirit of making a positive impact in the world through access to education since she was 6 years old Shabana has been fighting for girls education in her native country of Afghanistan she and her sister courageously attended secret schools together hiding their identity and act so they could get an education while living under the Taliban regime she has continued to demonstrate the same courage and commitment with the opening of her school the school of leadership Afghanistan which has provided education to girls in Afghanistan since 2016 and Remains the only boarding school dedicated to Afghan girls education in the world sabana is a change maker who making it that makes tremendous difference in the world and she's here today to share her inspiring words with her graduates who will be the next leaders and Chas makers in our world please welcome [Applause] Shabana thank you president meis and good morning to all the faculty and staff and the trustees and all the distinguished guests and good morning to the parents and loved ones here today and to all of you the Roger Williams graduating class of 2024 and of course good morning to Roger the first dog more than 1200s of you 1200 students 1200 lives 1,00 paths all running through years and converging on a single moment this moment right here right now graduation day congratulations you did it this is [Applause] yes this is your day and I think for all of us here I know this is true for me we can't help but to think back to our own graduations I graduated from college 13 years ago which doesn't make me old but maybe kind of makes me a little old maybe just a little bit but I'll tell you I came to my own graduation day and I left my college campus with a mission and a motivation my mission then was exactly what it is now my mission is to educate Avon girls my mission is to help create the best educated generation of women in my country's history because they are the ones who will help rebuild aan they are the ones whose fires will drive away the darkness that has settled on my homeland my mission is the school of leadership Afghanistan Sola the only legally operating boarding school for Avon girls that exists anywhere on the planet that's a terrible thing to have to say but it's also a hopeful thing I could co- founded Sola when I was a college freshman I was 18 years old Sola has been the beating heart my Beacon of Hope through college and up to this very moment Sola is my mission and my life's work and while my mission may not be your mission I wonder if my motivation might be my my motivation is to seek knowledge even to the ends of the Earth that's a phrase that Muslims will be familiar with it comes from a Hadith which is one of the sayings and teachings of prophet Muhammad it applies to all Muslims everywhere seek knowledge even to the ends of the Earth it's a teaching in the Islamic tradition but I really don't see it as a religious sentiment I see it as a call to action in our own lives and in the lives of others seek knowledge even to the ends of the Earth it's a call to action an encouragement and an exhortation to all of us be curious be Fearless ask hard questions of others and of ourselves and with our knowledge with compassion and with confidence be the actors who create a better world this is the motivation behind my and in my life the two have walked side by side hand in hand in my childhood and in my youth as president malawa said I had to pretend to be something I wasn't in order to seek knowledge under the Taliban regime in the 1990s when girls education was forbidden by law I had to be I had to pretend to be a boy I had to disguise myself dress in boys clothing and walk walking secret through the streets of cell to attend underground schools run by some of the bravest women I've ever known I faced risk and my parents faced an even greater risk an existential one but they knew that the greatest risk of all was to raise a daughter who is not educated seek knowledge even to the ends of the Earth Go the Distance walk without fear offer hope and create opportunity this is what we did with Sola in my country's capital of Afghanistan cabal City we brought girls to us from all across Afghanistan from all different ethnic groups we were a safe place to learn and to grow we were a place where girls lived together and helped each other we were a place where strange s girls became sisters but things have changed in my country the Taliban have returned the darkness I lived in as a child that same Darkness blankets my homeland once again if you are a woman in Afghanistan right now you cannot attend college you cannot receive a driver's license you cannot travel far from your home without a male chaperon you cannot visit a park you cannot go to a gym you cannot choose your own own profession you cannot choose your own clothes and if you are a girl in Afghanistan right now you cannot attend school past sixth grade days like today graduation days those days are dreams once you had now cloaked in Shadow and yet and yet in Afghanistan the women the girls they are seeking knowledge and they will go to the ends of the Earth to find it I know this because I've seen it with my own eyes I've seen the bra The Bravery of these women and girls and I've seen the support of husbands and fathers and the men in their lives who stand behind them who support them who willingly willingly will go into Exile will take up the burden of the word Refugee and they will do this to ensure that the dreams of the days like today will not go down down in darkness at Sola we're enrolling new students young Avan girls were in the final months of our admission season for the new school year we have room for 30 girls and we have already received application from nearly 2,000 girls Avon girls seeking knowledge all of them and at Sola this year we have launched a new Online Academy Sola x with which we can reach all of these girls and more many thousands more we were a school for girls in Afghanistan we are reestablished now in the nation of Rwanda we're educating our students and we are building a Global Network of Sisterhood that will be ready to stand among the young leaders of the world the Future Leaders of society leaders like the ones I see here today I said it earlier and I will say it again there are more than 1200 of you here 1,200 lives 1200 paths all running through the year and converging on a single moment this moment right here right now I wish you could see what I see because what I see is you The Seekers of knowledge women and men who have come through Co who have come through challenges and created their own successes not alone but with the support of each other and the support of your professors and the support of your families and the support of everyone here today who's proud of who you are and I am among them you are the Curious ones the thoughtful ones The Fearless ones and with you I share my motivation seek knowledge even to the end end of the Earth and with your knowledge with compassion and with confidence lift our world to a better place it begins today and I'm so honored to be with you thank you so much and congratulations thank you so much Shabana for that inspiring address to our graduates and celebrating this momentous day with us I would now ask president meales and chair chairman Yeon to return to the podium for the presentation of honorary degrees each year Roger Williams University has the privilege of awarding honorary degrees to distinguished individuals who have each in their own exceptional way benefited humankind it is now my distinct pleasure to continue this tradition and to confer rwu honorary degrees upon five highly regarded recipients thank you Mr president president meales will now confer the honorary degrees as voted by the Board of Trustees trustee Lynn fredman will you please escort Shabana basich rasuk to the center of the stage Mr President I have the honor to recommend Shabana Bish rasuk to receive from you the degree of doctor of Humane letters on Norris C Ela sabana bash ruk your leadership vision and unwavering advocacy for providing access to Quality education for women is inspirational and exemplifies how an individual's perseverance can make a profound impact in our world as the founder of the school of leadership Afghanistan Sola you have brought education to girls who have been denied in education for many years under the Taliban regime in your home country of Afghanistan as a child living under Taliban rule you knew what it was like to be denied equal rights and access to education because of your gender at the age of six you began your fight for girls education when you and your sister with the support of your family attended secret schools for girls risking severe reprisal of The Rime this inspired you years later to create your school Sola even after the Taliban reclaimed power in 2021 you ensured that Sola would continue its Mission and to be a safe heaven for our students you coordinated an escape for the students and reestablished the school in Rwanda where it is the only school that provides an education to Afghan girls anywhere in the world your impact on girls education and women's rights have been tremendous in scope in addition to your work with the Afghan girls school you have been a global Ambassador and voice calling for greater access and investment in girls education worldwide you have been awarded the Mali medal one of the Afghanistan's highest nation National Hors the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the year and named one of CNN Internationals leading woman for the Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list through your dedication and courageous acts you provide an education to Afghan girls and your leadership on a global scale for raising awareness for girls education worldwide you have personified rw's mission of being a change maker and leader the world needs next thank you for dedicating your life to making our world a better place Roger Williams University is honored to confer upon you the degree of honor of human letters honoris kza given this day of May [Applause] 2024 trustee Jackie rer will you please escort Elizabeth Moore to the center of the stage Mr President I have the honor to recommend Elizabeth Moore to receive from you the degree of doctor of Humane letters anoris Kaa Elizabeth Moore you have demonstrated leadership and a steadfast commitment to advanc environmental and conservation issue issues and Science Education in critically important areas throughout New England and in Florida in professional outlets and in your professional life you have champion and philanthropically supported initiatives that protect our planet and provide education about the environment and our Waters with a focus on reaching young generations to help them connect with our world to understand their place within it and what they can do to be part of a solution as a conservationist and philanthropist your work is inspirational and exemplifies how convenient and uniting efforts across public and private Partners is critical to making a collective impact in our world at Ru our faculty staff guide the education of our students with an understanding of the complexities and interdependence of prog of problems they will be asked to solve in their careers protecting our Waters from overe exploitation and preserving our natural world are some of the top challenges that our graduates will inherit and those that you have already began laying the groundwork to address through your philanthropy and conservation work you embody that professional passionate drive to tackle Monumental challenges and create meaningful change that Roger Williams University strives to inspire in our students missm for your leadership in building sustainable Futures and teaching generations of Youth to be leaders who are committed to living the world in a better place for the next Generations rwu is honored to confer upon you the degree of doctor of human letters honoris COA given the 17th day of May 2024 [Applause] trustee Lisa Rola will you please escort Eileen Violet to the center of the stage Mr President I have the honor to recommend Arlene Violet to receive Reed from you the degree of doctor of Humane letters anoris Cowa Arlene Violet your advocacy for the people of Rhode Island and commitment to Public Service as the first female attorney general in the United States serve as an inspiration and underscore the importance of perseverance and compassion in effecting positive change in our world you have led a remarkable life and career serving the people in rhod Island you started out serving the poor in Providence in our region for 23 years as a Sister of Mercy before becoming a public interest attorney practicing consumer law environmental law and developmental dis disability law as the first female attorney general you became a Trailblazer who has modeled the leadership and expertise that will inspire the next Generations of young women to further shatter the glass ceiling aspiring to leadership roles in the law and public service for the legal presidence you have established in your your career you were named alongside Supreme Court Justices Ruth Ginsburg and Sandra de o Conor in the book The 50 most influential women in American law not to be outdone Rhode Island has named you to the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame and Rhode Island radio Hall of Fame in addition to be named The Woman of the Year by numerous organizations throughout your accomplished career you have dedicated yourself to the mission of serving the greater good and to being a change maker the world needs next just as rwu as the home to Rhode Island's only law school has embedded the principles of Justice equity and service to the community into the fabric of our institution further your dedication to education as a trustee emeritus of rwu and supporter of the Arlene Violet public interest law scholarship exemplifies your passion in fostering the next generation of legal Minds Miss Violet your dedication your life to dedication for your life to serving our communities and your commitment to Justice and Equity Roger Williams University is honored to confer upon you the degree of doctor of human letters honor is COA given this 17th day of May [Applause] 2024 trustee Nicole Benjamin will you please escort Justice Anita ears to the center of the stage Mr President I have the honor to present Justice Anita ears to receive from your hand the degree of doctor of laws anoris Kaa Justice Anita ears you have dedicated your career to championing equality fairness and access to justice for all as associate Justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court you have been a steadfast advocate for civil rights and social justice writing opinions on matters including privacy racial Justice and defamation since 2020 you have served as a co-chair of North Carolina's task force of racial equity and criminal justice where you have acted as a leading advocate for freedom of speech prior to your service on the bench you founded and served as executive director of the Southern Coalition for social justice and as a deputy Assistant Attorney General for civil rights at the US Department of Justice in your roles you let groundbreaking legal battles and have reshaped our understanding of voting rights racial and economic Justice an equitable access to education and you fought for the rights of the underrepresented and underserved as a litigator in private practice you argued cases that have had a profound impact on marginalized communities including the case on North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP versus mcroy which challenged discriminatory voter suppression laws and ensure that every citizen's right to vote is protected and upheld among your many accolades you have been honored with the th Marshal award from the North Carolina Advocates of justice and as a woman of Justice by North Carolina lawyers weekly just as ear your unwavering dedication to upholding social justice is an inspiration and exemplifies the Law's power to to effectuate positive change and to dismantle systemic buyers to equity and Justice You're a trade blure in the legal community and a role model for aspiring lawyers committed to making a difference for your lifelong and ongoing service to the cause of justice and Equity we are honored today to confer upon you the degree of doctor of laws honor COA given this day 17th day of May [Applause] 2024 trusty Brian Stern will you please escort chief judge William E Smith to the center of the stage Mr President I have the honor to present chief judge William E Smith to receive from your hand the degree of doctor of laws anoris Cowa chief judge William Smith you have led a distinguished career of service to the state of Rhode Island and its communities as a former Chief Justice of the US District Court judge in the district of Rhode Island you have the distinction of being the youngest chief judge in the district of Rhode Island's history having served on the federal bench since 2002 under your leadership The District Court embraced modernization established a court Twitter law account modernized PRACK F processes and initiated proon councel programs for young lawyers you have served with a focus on fundamental fairness as demonstrated in your Landmark opinion on sentencing disparities between crack and cocaine a written opinion that has influenced significant legal reforms from serving on the federal bench to your early public service work in the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and working as a leading attorney in labor and public sector law you have distinguished yourself as a dedicated jurist legal scholar and educator iding the highest standards of Integrity fairness and excellence in the legal profession since 2007 you have also been a part of Roger Williams University law Community serving for many years on the school's law board directors including as board chair and as an a Jun faculty member impacting our know your knowledge to our students judge Smith for your desicated service to advancement of Law and just and Justice in the state of Rhode Island and for your wiing commitment for Roger Williams University School of Law and its students were honored today to confer upon you the degree of doctor of law onor is COA given this 17th day of May [Applause] 2024 each year The Faculty Senate recog recognizes each year The Faculty Senate recognizes faculty members whose outstanding and Innovative teaching and commitment to students is exemplary this year I'm pleased to announce that Robert angal professor of Justice studies and John barick chief justice Weise Berger visiting professor of law have been selected by the faculty Development Committee of the faculty Senate as this year's recipients of the rwu Excellence in teaching award this year's awardees embody our values in engage teaching and learning Unfortunately they could not be here this morning to receive this honor in person but we thank them for their dedication and thank all of our faculty for their efforts to support and Inspire our students it is now my pleasure to introduce Dean Bowman to present the School of Law faculty of the Year [Applause] award the school of law has a longstanding tradition for selection of our faculty of the Year this award award is selected by our graduating students and the award embodies not just classroom performance but also student support and mentorship Professor Monica Texar dza will you please come forward to accept your law faculty of the Year award from president meis [Applause] [Applause] it is now my pleasure to present our 2024 alumni speaker Megan Grady Masters 2008 [Applause] thank you president meis members of the Board of Trustees for this opportunity to share a little bit about my journey as a Roger Williams University alumni I want to offer my congratulations to today's honorary degree recipients and you the graduates on your achievement I grew up here in Rhode Island just a few Towns over from this beautiful campus and I'm so proud to be a third generation public service I was interested in public service from a young age I remember following the 1992 presidential election as a second grader traveling to Washington DC to visit our country's monuments in eth grade and starting a part-time job at Rhode Island state house in 10th Grade I went on to study political science and had the opportunity to spend a semester interning at our US Capitol building for a US senator and after these experiences I was completely committed to a career path in public service I will admit my dad saw a slightly different pathway forward for me it was one that focused on higher education and obtaining an advanced degree he had heard of a relatively new Masters in public administration program at Roger Williams University and he thought I should get more information about it but life was very different back in 2006 and the internet well it was still a relatively new thing there were no online applications there were no virtual information sessions and since I was attending college out of state he did what any supportive parent would do he attended the open house on my behalf to obtain printed brochures and the paper application for the program and this gave me a great reputation ation to start the Masters in public administration program as the young woman whose dad attended the open house for her I had an incredible experience in this program learning alongside elected officials established public servants Community leaders and decision makers and it helped me prepare for a service-based career by learning how to apply Theory to real life situations learning how to manage a nonprofit organization how to contribute to the public policy process and how to communicate with diverse groups and this program has set me up for a successful career where I've had the opportunity to serve others and make an impact and so today when you turn your tassel as you can see mine just fell off so we're just going with it um your connection to Roger Williams University it's really just starting the Alumni Association will keep you connected and it will provide opportunities for you to stay engaged with the University today here's the great news your membership it's automatic but it's up to you to connect with the school in a way that's meaningful you can join an alumni chapter you can volunteer and once you get your first paycheck you can make a donation to The Hawk fund I encourage you to stay connected via social media and of course reach out to your fellow alumni for support on behalf of the thousands of alumni I'm happy to say we're here to help and please don't forget once a hawk always a hawk [Applause] congratulations thank you Megan for those words of wisdom all right now it's time to have a little fun and recognize our graduates we shall now bestow the degrees earned in course by students of the respective Colleges and Schools of the University as recommended by myself the Provost to the chairman of the board trustees Tim yon Mr President Mr chairman and members of the board of trusties in the name of the faculties of the university and by their Authority I declare that the candidates of several divisions have been found worthy of recommendation for degrees degree candidates when instructed by your Dean please rise and be recognized and know that we want to hear from you I say this every year it's not a compettition I but there will be a winner for the faculty of the of the university college dean biano please come forward to present the University degree and certificate [Applause] candidates Mr President Mr chairman and trustees of Roger Williams University on behalf of the faculties of the unity University College I have the honor to present to you 239 candidates who have fulfilled the requirements for several degrees in certificates 67 candidates for bachelor's degrees 64 associates degree candidates 13 certificate degree candidates 18 electrical apprenticeship program candidates 18 teacher certification for Career and Technical education and 59 teacher certification for English as a second language will the candidates please rise and be recognized will the candidates please be seated thank you for the faculty of the engineering computing and construction management school all right all right we see you Dean Griffin please come forward to present the engineering Computing and construction management degree candidates I think you can do better come on Mr President Mr chairman and trustees of Roger Williams University on behalf of the faculties of the engineering computer in construction management school I have the honor to present to you 122 candidates who have fulfilled the requirements for their degree 122 bachelor's candidates will you please rise and be recognized [Applause] they missing a page it says we might be missing a page but we're going to figure it out for the coming School of [Music] [Applause] Architecture come on we're all hawks today come on Dean white please come forward to present the coming School of Architecture degree candidates am I missing good to see you all thanks much Mr President Mr chairman and trustees of Roger Williams University on behalf of the faculty of the coming School of Architecture I have the honor to present to 117 candidates who have fulfilled the requirements for several degrees 35 Master's candidates which that other school doesn't have yet 82 bachelor's [Music] candidates sorry I I I don't know I thought I had to do that will will the candidates please rise and be recog [Applause] nied will the candidates please be seated and thanks for [Applause] coming okay for the faculty of the school of Justice studies okay got a competition here Dean Lambert please come forward to present the school of Justice studies degree candidates Mr President Mr chairman and trustees of Roger Williams University on behalf of the faculties of the school of Justice studies I have the honor to present to you 190 candidates we keep the lights on who have fulfilled the requirements for several degrees 48 Master's candidates 142 bachelor's candidates will the candidates please rise and be [Applause] recognized well done candidates will you please be seated yes congratulations Alex all right for the faculty of the Feinstein School of Social and Natural Sciences [Applause] [Laughter] degree okay okay okay Dean Greenstein please come forward to present the Feinstein School of Social and Natural Sciences degree [Applause] candidate Mr President Mr chairman members of the Board of Trustees of Roger Williams University on behalf of the faculty of the school of n of Social and Natural Sciences is I have the honor to present 199 candidates who have fulfilled the requirements for several degrees 22 Master's candidates and 177 bachelor's candidates will the candidates please rise to be [Applause] recognized and please be seated we'll see you in an hour [Applause] wow all right here here's where it gets interesting for the faculty of the Feinstein School of humanities arts and education [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Dean Merryweather please come forward to present the Feinstein School of humanities arts and education degree candidates I'm sorry where is [Applause] Shay Shay Roger the dog cannot hear you [Applause] Mr President Mr chairman and our fine Trustees of Roger Williams University on behalf of the faculties of the Feinstein School of humanities arts and education I have the distinct pleasure and honor to present to you 127 of the finest undergraduates on this campus who have fulfilled the requirements for several degrees nine Master's candidates 118 bachelor's candidates Shay please [Music] [Applause] rise it's my honor to work with you please be seated thank you very [Applause] much again wow for the faculty of the Mario J gabelli School of [Applause] Business Dean dos please come forward to present the Mario J gabelli School of Business Degree candidates Mr President we save the best for the last [Applause] so Mr President Mr chairman and the trustees of of Roger Williams University on behalf of the faculties of the most exceptional Mario J gabelli School of Business I have the honor to present to you 188 candidates who have done the most amazing job of fulfilling the requirements for several degrees 24 Master's candidates and 164 bachelor's candidates can you guys please rise up gabelli School of Business and give yourselves a big round of applause please be seated thank you wow wow wow for the faculty of the school of law Dean Bowman please come forward to present the School of Law JD [Applause] candidates as Dean dos said we did Save The Best For Last so here we go Mr President Mr chairman and trustees of Roger Williams University on behalf of the faculties of Rhode Island's best law school I have the honor to present to you 175 candidates who have fulfill the requirements for their jurist doctorate will the candidates please rise and be recognized will the candidates please be seated well we're so proud of you all and you all really brought it this year but I'm going to give it to Social and Natural Sciences this year I would now like to invite the president of the class of 2024 Edward Conley to join us on stage to lead the Turning of the [Music] [Applause] tassels immediately following the Turning of the tassel please remain seated for the recessional [Applause] [Music] sup everybody alrighty um so I am very honored to lead my classmates you all in the Turning of the tassel the Turning of the tassel is a symbol of our graduation as we turn our tassels let's take a moment to remember all of the academic and personal achievements that have brought us to this day let's also remember all the family members faculty staff and classmates with whom we have shared these past four years would the class of 2024 please stand as a symbol of the completion of our respective degrees please join me in moving your tassel from right to [Music] [Applause] [Applause] left congratulations to the class of 2024 one more round of applause oh for [Music] in [Music] I [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] for for [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] [Music] is [Music] I [Music] [Music] for [Music] [Music] e e [Music] [Music] [Music] you for e around the world [Music] andwhere it's a up in [Music] it keep how do we get from the beace and understanding world now I he coming that attitude I just ain't got no [Music] yeah baby do I deserve break and that's reason is on the side in the bedroom door is open wide don't want to arue for some fight

Channel: Roger Williams University

Views: 3,604

Keywords: RWU, Roger Williams University, Commencement 2024

Id: d5dkI8Jq3CE

Length: 109min 0sec (6540 seconds)

Published: Fri May 17 2024