 What a sweet day. This is, it's sweet for the president of Roger Williams University and the school of law, Dr. Andy Workman, for our president-designate, Dr. Giannis Miollis, for university trustees, for law school directors, for our honorary degree recipients, for the faculty, staff, and alumni of this law school. But it is especially sweet for you. The members of the class of 2019, your families, and your friends, welcome. Please remain standing as, please stand, please sit, and then stand as Emily Rizzo from the university class of 2019. She will graduate tomorrow, sings our national anthem. Emily. Oh, say, can you see what so proud was broad stripes at? Please be seated. So today is that future that you dreamt about. And waking from that dream, some of you must be thinking, how in the world did I do this? How the hell did we do this? And I have some answers for you. First, you worked long and hard. You prepared for and participated in class after class. You wrote and rewrote and rewrote memos and briefs and contracts and settlement agreements and research papers. You represented clients in our clinics and our clinical externships. You worked on countless co- and extracurricular activities. And you provided service, free legal services to the less fortunate, those who found themselves poor, or infirm, or voiceless, or oppressed. Every member of this class provided at least 50 hours of pro bono service during their time at the law school. And almost half of you provided over 100 hours for a total of approximately 14,000 hours of service. And that does not count the work that was done in our clinics and clinical externships. And make no mistake, that service was consequential. For example, through our pro bono collaborative, our students under the supervision of Eliza Warren Berg and Susie Harrington Steppen hold civil legal service clinics at the medium security facility at the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institution. Students assist inmates with issues ranging from family law to estate planning. And I just want to share with you some of the written comments that our students received from the people that they helped this year at the ACI. It meant a lot to me to be able to get this motion put together. It will hopefully help me develop a relationship with my daughter. This clinic means a great deal to me. It's like a light at the end of a dark tunnel. This clinic helps calm my incarcerated situation. And finally, I think what you do is great. God bless you all. Law matters, and our students know it. So the hard work of others also got you here today, as you may recall. You were taught, cajoled, threatened, guided, and supported during your time here by our talented and dedicated faculty and staff. Now is a perfect time to remember a moment when a faculty or staff member helped you think or see something more clearly or motivated you to push yourself or was there for you when you needed support. I ask the faculty and staff to please rise as you put your hands together to acknowledge all they have done to make today possible for you. And each year, the graduating class recognizes three members of that group whose hard work on their behalf stood out. The staff member of the year award goes to Justin Kishbaugh. Justin is the associate director of academic support and professor of writing. Dr. Kishbaugh has an MFA in creative writing and a PhD in English literature. He writes his own poetry, and he's an expert on the work of Ezra Pound. What he does not have is a law degree. And it turns out, he doesn't need one. He is our writing specialist supreme. And I am proud to be at a school that thinks outside the box and has embraced such a talented and thoughtful teacher and advisor. Justin, please rise again. So you can be there. The adjunct professor of the year is Andrew Spocone. Andrew teaches securities regulation, mergers and acquisitions, banking regulation, business organizations. And he does so with controlled abandon. His syllabus for business organizations is approximately 75 pages long. He spent over 30 years at Textron and retired as deputy general counsel, assistant secretary, and head of the litigation group. He retired from the army with 30 years of active and reserve service as a colonel. And I was prepared to say that I could guarantee you that nobody has a better outfit on under their robe than Andrew Spocone. But he's not wearing one. But Andrew, please rise. And last but certainly not least, the class named Brittany Raposa, the full-time faculty member of the year. Brittany is professor and associate director of Bar Support. She teaches applied legal reasoning. She graduated first in her law school class with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. And she brings this perfectionist talent and energy to everything she does. She's been here for two years, and this is the second time she has won this award. She's shown the graduating class unequivocally and in so many ways that their success on the bar examination is her number one priority. Brittany, please rise. It now gives me great pleasure to present the Dean's Distinguished Service Award. The recipient, Chelsea Horn, holds the title of director of the Office of Programs and Events. What that title obscures is that Chelsea is responsible for making sure that we put our best foot forward whenever we host any type of program, such as, for example, commencement. Her portfolio is enormous. She's been responsible for hosting the United States Supreme Court justices, the many courts that travel to hear argument at this law school, the Rhode Island Supreme Court, elected officials. She's hosted academic conferences, lectures, room dedications, memorial services, program launches, retirement parties, banquets, the barristers ball, the list goes on and on and on. She may have developed, in fact, the highest profile of anyone at the law school in her 19 years here. Everybody in this community knows her, and everyone likes her because she makes them feel truly welcome. And part of what makes her so great is her grace under pressure and her thorough preparation. She handles the large, managing to get all these people lined up in order and on time. And the small, making sure that there was a welcome note for Professor Epstein when she checked in yesterday to the Bristol Harbor Inn. Chelsea has made each one of us look good on many occasions, maybe even better than we had a right to look. And she manages to be uncompromising in her attention to detail and generous at the same time. So it is with great respect and admiration that I present the Dean's Distinguished Service Award to Chelsea Horn for her dedication and service to the School of Law. She knows that we're supposed to stand here for a photo. I also want to take the opportunity to formally thank Deborah Johnson, who, for eight years, has been our Director of Diversity and Outreach and an adjunct professor. Deborah's contributions are too numerous to mention, but I would be remiss if I didn't thank her on behalf of the law school community for making this a more inclusive and equitable place. Deborah, good luck on your next adventure. So we have established that you worked hard, and you're great, and that we worked hard, and we're great. But there are many others outside the law school who work to get you to this day, who are also great, your families and your friends. If you are a parent or grandparent of a member of the graduating class, please rise and accept congratulations and the thanks of your children and grandchildren. If your sibling is graduating today, please rise. How about extended family, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends? You can only be in one category. Finally, all spouses, partners, and children of the members of the class, please stand. I think it's fitting at this point to also take a moment to remember those who did not make it to this day and whose absence weighs on many of you. I want to say a few words about two members of the law school community whose passing has left us poorer. In July, our president, Donald J. Farage, passed away suddenly. His leadership and his humanity have been missed, and I know he would have loved to be here today to present you your diplomas. Also, class of 2019, noticeably missing today is your classmate, Mordecai Elijah Smith, who passed away just over two years ago near the end of his 1L year. Mordecai was gentle and kind. He was smart and curious, and he was committed to using his talents to help the less fortunate. Please join me in a moment of silence to remember Don and Mordecai. Thank you. This law school is quite fortunate that Dr. Andy Workman agreed in July to serve as interim president of the University in the School of Law. Andy had been the university provost for six years before taking over the presidency last summer, and he's done a remarkable job under difficult and somewhat tragic circumstances. He's done what the best interim leaders do. He didn't shy away from taking on the weighty responsibilities of the presidency, and he did what he could to set up President Mialis for success. It's unsexy work, but it is exceedingly important. And along the way, we had some good times this year. Andy has always been a big supporter of the law school. And I want to personally thank him for that support, and it's my pleasure to turn the program over to President Andy Workman. Mr. President. Thank you, Michael. I welcome tonight honorary degree candidates, Mr. Peter de Vasse, Professor Lee Epstein, members of the Board of Trustees and the Board of Directors, and other distinguished guests, faculty and staff of the Roger Williams University School of Law. Also our alumni, friends, and the families of the graduates. Good afternoon, and thank you for your presence here to support our graduates. To the graduates, I extend a special welcome in this day, commencement for the class of 2019. As interim president for the last year, I've been privileged to get to know the School of Law better, to meet many of its students, and to attend the lectures of the marvelous speakers that it brings to campus. It's truly a jewel in the crown of RWU, and of Rhode Island as a whole. As the law school celebrates its 25th year of existence, it's appropriate to reflect on its remarkable development. Over the last quarter century, it has grown from a wobbly fledgling school in temporary digs to a mature institution with a dedicated building in Bristol and an experiential learning campus in Providence. From a humble beginning, it now sits as a central institution of the bench and bar of the state. Many people, some now present among us today, had a role in this dramatic story of growth and development. Over the years, four deans joined by numerous faculty, staff, board members, and generous donors have worked hard to develop a first-class curriculum to build a culture of excellence, to create the experiential learning programs that now form such an important part of the school's identity. Indeed, the special focus on the latter is consistent with the broader vision of the university, and also as in no small part was made the school's name as a training ground for attorneys who cared deeply about justice and service to their communities. Likewise, the School of Law has made a commitment to diversity in all aspects of its operation. It now stands as an example of what the rest of the university, as well as other law schools can do if they are thoughtful and diligent in this regard. A new law school is always a risky venture and we owe a great deal to those with the foresight to create it and the patience and fortitude to nurture it to its present strength. The incredible members of the class who will receive their degrees today is a testament to their work. So my duty as president to charge this amazing class as it moves out into the world, this is a daunting challenge given your intelligence, talents, accomplishments, but I do have a few thoughts that may offer and may have some resonance. As you know, only too well, earning a law degree is not an easy task. You have all had to work very hard to gain the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind essential to the practice of law. You should be very proud of having done so, but you must take care that this pride is tempered by humility. If you leave here thinking that you are complete as a lawyer and have learned all you need to know, we have failed you. In my experience, the greatest lawyers and judges have been the curious ones who know what they do not know and who seek to learn throughout their careers. My charge to you is to set aside your well-earned sense of competence and confidence to the degree necessary to remain open to change, to difference, to ambiguity, even as you hold fast to the bedrock belief in the rule of law and the pursuit of justice that are at the heart of our law school. That I add my best wishes as you charge your pathway into the practice of law. It's now my pleasure to introduce our next speaker. One mark of a great law school is a great board of directors, and this law school has one. That board is chaired by the Honorable William E. Smith, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. He became a member of that court in 2002 when his nomination by President George W. Bush was confirmed by the United States Senate, and he became Chief in the Court of the Court in 2013. He's well regarded for his performance as a trial judge, for his intellect, his temperament, and his character, and he has an impressive record of effective and forward-thinking leadership in his role as Chief of the Court. He has served the law school in many capacities for many years. He hosts our students in his chambers as part of our clinical externship program, and he has taught as an adjunct professor every semester for many years, and despite his heavy duties as Chief Justice, he's sometimes done more than one course in a semester. Now we're benefiting from his leadership and wise counsel as not just the chair of the law school board, but also as a trustee of Roger Williams University. During greetings from the board of directors, I'm pleased to introduce you to the Honorable William E. Smith. Well, thank you, Andy. It's wonderful to be here. It's such an exciting day. All of us on the board look so forward to this day every year. I'm sure many of you graduates are sitting out there thinking to yourselves, I didn't even know this law school had a board of directors. But it's true, we do. And it is an important institution. These folks, most of whom did not attend Roger Williams University Law School, they come from all walks of the legal and business profession from the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court to the general counsel of the Boston Red Sox, to the retired president of Women and Infants Hospital, and on and on and on. And they give of their time and their resources and their treasure and their experience to make sure that this law school continues to improve and to thrive and to be the important institution that it has become for the state of Rhode Island and beyond. So I'm going to ask all the members of the board of directors of the law school to just take a moment and stand and ask you to give them a little bit of recognition for what they do for you. So not too long ago, I was privileged to be asked by Melissa DeBose, who is a member of our board and was recently sworn in as a district court judge for the state of Rhode Island to speak a little bit at her investiture about Roger Williams Law School. And one of the things that I said is that those of us who are here in these roles, we have adopted the law school as our own, even though we didn't go here. And we have grown to really love this place and we do love it. And so as I look out at this class and think about what's in your future, I ask that you too look back to your experience and your time here, and hopefully as time goes on, you too will have an increased love for the school that you're graduating from. This is an exciting time for the law school. 25 years old, it's a mere teenager in the pantheon of American law schools. And you look at everything that has occurred in the last 25 years and it's really remarkable. We're nationally recognized as a school that is devoted to public service. We are graduating probably the most diverse class in our history and the classes continue to get more and more diverse. We're entering a new era with a new president, Giannis. Miola, where is Giannis? There he is. Our new president of the university filled with exciting ideas about everything that the university in this law school can become. A new chair of the board of trustees of the university, Tim Baxter, who is also here, a newly retired senior executive of Samsung. So as you think about 25 years that have been and the next 25 years, I think the future of this law school is enormously bright and I hope that all of you will be a significant part of that future. You are becoming lawyers at a time when interest in the law and the need for lawyers has never been greater. Whether it's because of all that's happening in the national scene or world affairs, whatever the reason is, people now realize we really need those lawyers. So as you enter the profession, what you learned here in this law school is the importance of pro bono work and public service. You're now going to become leaders in the communities that you will go off to. And I would just ask that you keep in mind the notion of servant leadership. You are servant leaders. Remember as you do well to continue to do some good. You can bring a lot of good to the world with the law degree that you have just earned. And I'd ask that you just reflect on that a little bit as you celebrate your great achievement. Give back to your community and take those values that you learned here and embed them in your life as a lawyer. So congratulations and thanks very much. Thank you Judge Smith. So graduates as you know today you become members of the RWU law alumni community. The alumni support our unique program of legal education and each other in many important ways and speaking of Judge Melissa Dubose in this our 25th year I cannot think of a better person to welcome you into the law alumni association than Judge Dubose. She's a 2004 graduate of the law school. She was teaching in the Providence Public Schools when she studied law part time here and after graduation from law school she worked in the Rhode Island Attorney General's office later moved to the Schneider Electric Company to practice law in-house with a focus on supporting Schneider's global units. And as Judge Smith just mentioned she was nominated recently by Rhode Island Governor Gina Ramondo and confirmed by the Rhode Island Senate to a lifetime position on the Rhode Island District Court to bring greetings from the Law Alumni Association Judge Dubose. Good afternoon. Honored guests, family, friends and most importantly very soon to be alumni. On this commencement day 2019 it is my pleasure and greatest honor to bring you greetings from over 3,300 members of the Law Alumni Association. For days, years and decades to come the Law Alumni Association will be your lifeline to the School of Law, its faculty and its fellow grads. I urge you all to be active members of the Alumni Association and to continue to advance the interest of this institution that has given us all so much. I have absolutely no doubt that you will all go on to do great things. Personal note, I'd like to extend a heartfelt congratulations and thank you to graduates Allison Gehry and Mackenzie McBurney. These young powerhouses appeared before me daily in courtroom 4F as I transitioned into my new role as a District Court Judge. Their professionalism, preparedness, compassion and intellect really embodies what it means to be a RW Law School grad. They will be missed. I would also like to acknowledge the presence of two of my colleagues, the Honorable Judge Anthony Capraro and my mentor, the Honorable Judge Stephen Isherwood both of whom have daughters graduating today. We are absolutely thrilled and proud to include Caitlyn and Camille amongst our ranks as with all of you. So in recognition of your tremendous achievements I would like to formally welcome you to the Rogers Williams University School of Law Alumni Association. Congratulations, you've earned it. Thank you Judge DeVos. The School of Law is indeed fortunate to be able to award honorary degrees today to Peter DeVos, Asheville T. Wall, the Second and Lee F. Sting. Would RW Law Board of Director member Mark Mandel please escort Peter Angelo DeVos to the podium? Attorney Peter DeVos, over the course of a successful career spending five decades you have proven yourself to be not just an outstanding trial attorney but a model of legal professionalism with a demonstrated commitment to public service. Your career in the law began in 1973 at the Rhode Island Public Defender's Office where you worked as a summer clerk. After your graduation from law school the following year you were hired as an assistant public defender a position you held through 1977. From 1974 until 1978 you were also the Rhode Island mental health advocate. You served with distinction in both positions again clearly demonstrating your commitment to service. When leaving the public defender's office you went into small firm private practice until 1999 when you opened your current practice. You have served as a member of the Supreme Court Disciplinary Board the Supreme Court's Committee on Character and Fitness and the Judicial Tenure Commission. In 2016 you received the Rhode Island Bar Association's Ralph P. Seminoff Award for Professionalism and I should add that you and your wife Linda have two sons and two grandsons. Attorney Peter de Vassi, your exemplary professional skill, ethics and character offer strong and inspiring example for our graduates and we are honored today to confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Laws Honours Casa given the 17th day of May 2019. Law School didn't teach him how to do that. If there's such a thing as a legend or at least a minor celebrity in the field of corrections it is the state's own A.T. Wall who recently retired as a director and chief executive officer of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. A.T. Wall's work in corrections began in 1976 when he served as a line probation officer in New Haven, Connecticut. After graduating from law school and completing stents at the New York District Attorney's Office and the Vera Institute of Justice he joined the Rhode Island Department of Corrections where he spent the rest of his long and happy career eventually becoming the longest serving corrections director in the United States. He retired in 2018 as the DOC's chief executive officer. Wall engaged with every aspect of Rhode Island's adult correctional system including prisons, jail operations, probation and parole supervision and home confinement. He set policies and oversaw institutions with some 13,000 pretrial and sentences missions each year. All the while, he championed and implemented innovations in the field he loved. Under his leadership, for example, institutional programming expanded into several critical areas including specialized supervision and treatment of sex offenders, specialized interventions for perpetrators of domestic abuse, improving victim services, a pioneering treatment model for offenders suffering from opioid addiction and the engagement of inmates to train service dogs for veterans in the armed forces of the United States. Wall is a father and a grandfather and he lives in Providence with his wife, Maria D. Carvalho. Due to illness, Director Wall is unfortunately unable to join us today. He has requested that Assistant Attorney General Michael W. Field, R.W.U. Law 97, accept this honor for him. Director A.T. Wall for your life, Director A.T. Wall for your lifelong service to the enforcement and execution of both law and justice in the state of Rhode Island. We are honored today to confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, given the 17th day of May, 2019. With R.W.U. Law board of directors member, the Honorable William E. Smith, please escort Lee Epstein to the podium. Professor Epstein, you are a leading teacher and researcher with a particular focus on the behavior of judges. You currently, and particularly Will's behavior, you currently serve as the Ethan A.H. Shepley Distinguished University Professor at Washington University in St. Louis. Of course, the level of scholarship you are known for happens in a context and is an extremely impressive one. You are a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences. You also serve as co-director of the Center for Empirical Research in the Law, as a lecturer in law at the University of Chicago, and as a principal investigator of the U.S. Supreme Court database project. In this past academic year alone, you have been a visiting scholar or professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, National Taiwan University, and the University of Bergen in Norway. Professor Epstein, you are the recipient of 12 grants from the National Science Foundation, have authored or co-authored more than 130 articles and essays, as well as 18 books. The choices, including The Choice's Justice Make, which won the Pritchard Award for the best book on law in the courts, and more recently, the Lasting Contribution Award for a book or journal article 10 years or older that has made a lasting impression on the field of law in the courts. And yours certainly has. Your love for changing American series is now in its ninth edition, and has received the Teaching Inventory Award from the American Political Science Association. Your other co-authored books include The Behavior of Federal Judges, An Introduction to Empirical Legal Research, and the Oxford Handbook on U.S. Judicial Behavior. In September 2016, you received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Law and Court section of the American Political Science Association. Professor Epstein, for your outstanding scholarship and your lifelong service to the cause of justice and equality, we're honored today to confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, given the 17th day of May, 2019. I now invite Lee Epstein to make the commencement address. Congratulations, Class of 2019. Congratulations to all the parents, the siblings, the grandparents, the partners, the spouses, children, friends, and other family members. This is your day, too. Congratulations. In fact, you all look so great. Would you mind if I took a photo with you? Class of 2019, you came to this distinguished law school from all over the country, from Colorado from New York to Texas and also, of course, from the great state of Rhode Island. Some of you immigrated to the United States from Canada, Guatemala, India, Benin, Morocco, Paraguay, and the United Arab Emirates. You were teachers, activists, advocates, police officers, and I hear even an actor. Together, you have completed the equivalent of 11,800 semester hours taken 2,640 exams. Written papers of 726,000 words and devoted, as the dean noted, a stunning 14,000 hours to law-related pro-bono work. Wow, congratulate yourself. Along the way, I understand you had some fun, too. You played Jeopardy! You attended a barista ball or two and you heard from Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Rachel Rollins, Albert Grophy, and Martha Jones among other notables. And now you're off to impressive jobs to judicial clerkships all over the country, to law firms big and small, to fellowships, and to public defender offices. You are awesome. And I am. We all are humbled to be with you today. You have accomplished so much already. But I'm here today to tell you that there's so much more to do. Today, leaving the halls of this beautiful school as a lawyer, you will be entering a society with many fault lines. Though perhaps none bigger than the party affiliations that so divide us. This is all too apparent in my field, judicial behavior, where study after study shows that judges appointed by Democratic presidents and judges appointed by Republican presidents make different decisions on many hot button issues of the day, like abortion, guns, campaign finance, and capital punishment. Of course, judges are hardly the exception. These days, the difference between people who identify as Democrats and who identify as Republicans may be larger than ever. And with that growing divide has come fear and loathing on both sides. Social scientists confirm what we all know. Republicans and Democrats increasingly choose to live in different communities and watch different television shows. Both Republicans and Democrats are increasingly hostile towards inter-political party marriage, Democrat Republican marriage, and they are even unwilling to discriminate in hiring based on party. The causes of this intense us versus them thinking are a matter of some debate. As for the consequences and polarization, they can be devastating affecting economic exchange, trust in the workplace, personal relationships not to mention governance in our society. How do we solve the problem? How do we end the polarization? I don't have all the answers, but I know Class of 2019 that you, is part of the solution. Your training at this great law school has equipped you with exactly the right tools and exactly the right set of skills to help bring society and people together, whether in your law work or beyond. Skill number one, you have learned respect in a necessary. Imagine walking into a courtroom and telling the judge I win because my opponent is a dimwit. Right? That sort of name calling now may be a normalized part of the political environment, but as you've learned, it's entirely unacceptable in the courtroom. That you know that respect is crucial for defending your client because good arguments can come from either side of a case. Just as good policies can come from either side of the partisan divide. Grappling with rather than rejecting ideas simply because you don't like the messenger is yes, a crucial part of legal training, but it is also one that transcends law. Skill set number two, you have learned how to speak and you have learned how to listen. Imagine that a client told you that she had received a notice from the IRS saying she owed a thousand dollars and that she wanted to settle her debt with the IRS. But you responded with great, let's take the IRS to court, let's take them down. Honestly, that's sometimes how I hear Democrats and Republicans talking to one another. But you know that kind of exchange is not only unacceptable, it's counterproductive. You have learned that every successful and effective interaction in the classroom, in the courtroom and in the clinic is two way. Yes, speaking, questioning and challenging, but also listening, really listening. We all value the first part, our freedom to speak, but without the latter, the listening part, we're in a perpetual shouting match, always talking past each other. Bringing both parts, speaking and listening to every interaction, whether in your workplace, your community and even your home also would be transcendent. Last but not least, you have learned the importance of independent thinking but also of collaboration. You know that when we come together we are stronger. But better yet, as a lawyer, you now have the skills to unite us in common purpose, to bring us together, to defend the values we all, regardless of party identity, hold so dearly the liberty of equality and justice for all. This much all societies understand and applaud about their lawyers. So why then, you might wonder, did William Shakespeare write the first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers. Not a line usually spoken at a law school graduation. I know. But this one line from a 400 year old play is so famous that it shows up on t-shirts, caps, mugs and bumper stickers across the world. Its meaning though is very different from what many think. The characters in Shakespeare's play who proposed eliminating all the lawyers wanted to provoke widespread civil unrest in the hope of destroying the ancient rights of the English. They wanted to promote chaos and disorder, but they knew that the lawyers would stand in their way because they understood that lawyers unite, not divide, and lead us in our quest to defend and guard our most precious values. This reason the lawyers were a threat precisely because of their great power to bring people together to do good. Class of 2019, lawyers of the class of 2019 do good. Each and every one of these extraordinary skill sets to your workplace of course. But I am, all are, depending on you to take them everywhere you go to bridge the gaps among us, to shape our society for the better. We can't wait to see you do it. Congratulations, lawyers of the class of 2019. Thank you, Professor Epstein. The valedictorian of the class of 2019 is Nicole Rohr. Nicole, Dr. Rohr, has a PhD in Biological Sciences and is Assistant Director of and Assistant Research Professor at the Coastal Institute at the University of Rhode Island. It's a pleasure indeed to welcome Dr. Rohr to the podium to offer her remarks. Thank you. Good afternoon, Dean Yolanski, Interim President Workman, members of the Board of Trustees, members of the Board of Directors, faculty and family, especially my family and friends that are like family and most importantly, graduates of the class of 2019. When I was told I would have the honor of delivering this talk, I turned to the wisdom of fellow Missourian Mark Twain. His advice, it usually takes three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech. But this being law school, I was given three days. Nevertheless, I'm very honored to stand before you today as your valedictorian. I recognize that I'm not your typical law student. I'm about a decade older than most of you. So my path to law school today has had twists, turns and playing go on the wrong way down on One Way Street. Consider this, when you were likely headed off to elementary school with your Pikachu lunchbox, I was graduating from high school in the majestic cornfields of Northwest Missouri. The Cherry Potter movie may have inspired dreams of your attending Hogwarts, but I was leaving home and half to attend the equally exotic Missouri State University. 2004 likely ushered in your awkward teenage years with braces and acne as I packed up my freshly minted BS in biology and headed off to the Bahamas to lead snorkeling trips and demonstrate the proper consumption of pina coladas at a beach resort. Exactly how every parent hopes their child uses their college degree. After I emptied countless bottles of sunscreen, it was time to get serious about my then goal of becoming a tenured professor of marine biology at a research university. 2006 marked the start of five years studying one type of invasive crabs that inhabits the shores of Narragansett Bay. Let me say that again, I spent five years looking at one crab. For you, that year may bring to mind the launch of Justin Timberlake's solo career. Dancing to sexy back at your high school prom and eagerly anticipating the start of college and your independence. I learned many valuable lessons during my doctoral studies. One, always wear gloves when picking up the big crabs. Two, resist binge-watching the entire series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer when you should be writing papers. And three, a career in academia was just not for me. So in 2011, while you switched majors, maybe for the third or fourth time, I switched career paths yet again. In a mashup of legally blonde and Mad Max Fury Road, I headed to D.C. to work on Capitol Hill. I found my work as a legislative assistant to be challenging, rewarding, and completely maddening. But in the midst of it all, I finally figured out my path, the law. Which would require a law degree. And for those of you keeping track, this would be about my fifth turn in the road. So in 2014, I finally embarked along this path of part-time law school while holding down a full-time position at the University of Rhode Island. At the same time, many of you envisioned and assessed the feasibility of law school in your future. Our paths finally converged in 2016. As you began your 1L year, and I began my third year of an ultimately five-year journey, culminating in us being here today at a law school graduation in 2019. In truth, we have all had different paths to this point. And my experience was just one. Each of us has a unique story, each set of circumstances that has led us through aspirations with their setbacks, sidetracks, and successes. By virtue of my decade-long headstart, what I have come to realize and I dare to offer as advice is to never fear changing your direction. Branching down a new path often requires leaving something behind. Whether that is moving from familiar surroundings, leaving a decade of disciplinary education, or letting go of a career choice that no longer fits your vision of the future. Take a risk. I would not be here if I had not risked changing direction. Multiple times. Instead, I would be in my 13th year of studying that same crab. I don't regret a single experience I've had. Maybe I made some questionable fashion decisions as an undergrad, but I no longer fear change. I'm on the lookout for it. Change is what keeps us vital, and taking risks is what leads to genuine growth. Each decision we have made has contributed to who we are as we sit here today. Each opportunity we have taken has enhanced the prism through which we view the world and the perspectives that we will bring to our work as lawyers. The law degrees we earn today are our first steps down our once again diverging paths. They are the golden tickets that allow us entry into our legal careers. And as we navigate our individual paths, I encourage us all to continue to investigate things that engage our curiosity, challenge our imaginations, and embolden us to face profound challenges. It has been a pleasure to travel a bit of our path together, and I'll always have an eye out for you along the road. Thank you, congratulations class of 2019, and best of luck. So now it's time for the main event. Will the candidates Will the candidates for the degrees of Juris Doctor and Master of Studies in Law please rise. There's still some magic that needs to happen here. President Workman, I certify on behalf of the faculty of the School of Law that these candidates are eligible for the degree of Juris Doctor or Master of Studies in Law. By the virtue of the authority granted by the State of Rhode Island in Providence Plantations and delegated by the Board of Trustees of Roger Williams University, I confer upon you the respective degree for which you have been recommended with all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities pertaining thereto. Will the candidates please come forward. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Jared Goldstein will present each candidate. Jason Joseph Mucino Master of Studies of Law Megan Brenna Betz Jenny Azanero James Luis Escobedo Nicole Elizabeth Roar Summa Cum Laude Vivian Maria Carian Esquire Magna Cum Laude Mark T. Tichinole Kailin R. Phelps Magna Cum Laude Patrick T. Tichinole Kailin R. Phelps Magna Cum Laude Patrick K. Burns Magna Cum Laude Stephanie Laban Diorio Cum Laude Kelsey Dayo Weber Cum Laude Curtis Tyler Haynes Sean Anthony Mark Cum Laude John A. Sousa Cum Laude Kaylee Rebecca Logiston Robert Albert Savoy Jr Nicole Lynn Anderscavige Katelyn Oriana Pechenko Cum Laude Gianna Leigh Fulteri Cum Laude Allison Kathleen Regan Magna Cum Laude Koyejo Isaac Nicholas Damilala Idowu Summa Cum Laude Jesse Heisler Thank you Antonio A. Zoran Allison Mary White Cum Laude Rachel Elise Victoria Fiden Cum Laude Dylan Marcus Mello Michael Andrew Myles Cum Laude Ryan Edward Gallagher Arjun Vedmerthi Sarah J. Jankeric Cum Laude Jessica Marie J. Janker Tichinole Tichinole Jessica Marie Hall Magna Cum Laude Christine Marie Bradley Cum Laude Ashley M. Papoyla Elora D. Murphy Cum Laude Lisa Marie Neary Dylan Henry Mitchell Adam Ramick Kendall Makato Shurai Gianna L. Dittmar Kendra Camila Hussein Saman Bhatt Munya L. Arar Mark Emanuel Hartman Cum Laude Emily Victoria Heisler Cum Laude Alfred Gerald Giorgio The Third Michael A. Lafredo Keegan Moody Cum Laude Alexandra Cretian Gabriella Marie DeSimone Rainer Antero Randall Michael Jr. Asad Hashem Matthew T. Riley William Pullman Cote Vincent Michael Crotwell Suzanne Elise Pendergast Kim Hu Duli Jeanette Garcia Jordan Chanel Thompson Caitlin Crowley Isherwood David R. Fitzpatrick And in a correction to the program Summa Cum Laude Ryan C. Ng Matthew Cole Rapetto Cum Laude James Patrick Gagdon Jr. Mackenzie William Collins Cum Laude Ryan Martin Cummins Cum Laude Joseph Bingaman Callie Marie Longvaugh Catherine Ann Landis Cum Laude Kiskystall Abru Kiskystall Abru Alexis Kristen Koch Alexander Louis Reed Magna Cum Laude Sean Michael Rock Magna Cum Laude Brenna Paige Riley Magna Cum Laude Jillian Marie Nobus Summa Cum Laude Maxwell L. Bierman Cum Laude Jessica Allison Roburge Cum Laude Allison M. Geary Steven D. LePayton Summa Cum Laude Steven J. Antonucci Cum Laude Mary B. Poirier Jesse Mitricho-Renier Magna Cum Laude Crystal Lee Medeiros Cum Laude Melissa A. Rodden Stephanie M. Ward-Smith Mitchell J. Young John Steven Skaferiello Alexander T. Joyle Esquire Joseph Anthony Palumbo III Christian Bo Akers Eric Francis Mastriano Shelby Elizabeth Knispel Erica Catherine Wheat Catherine Rose Scharnagel Shannon C. Garrity Emily Ann Watson Adam M. Wernicke Alicia Lorraine Anthony Cum Laude Emily Ann Watson Adam M. Wernicke Alicia Lorraine Anthony Cum Laude Daria Rosalind Capaldi Maria Pierce Lethingwell Camille Karen Capraro Magna Cum Laude Mackenzie C. McBurney Magna Cum Laude Catherine Martha Moran Summa Cum Laude Adam John Fague Cum Laude Ryan Vincent Noble Cum Laude Samantha Marie Klein Cum Laude Hannah R. Vitullo Magna Cum Laude Tyler J. Perry Summa Cum Laude Perry J. Hall IV Cum Laude Alec Castano Cum Laude Dylan Scott Marshall Matthew McGrath Cum Laude Justin M. Perry Samantha Marie Regan Cum Laude Michael William Arena John E. Montalbano Sebastian L. Voight Sean Travis Scott Andrew William Plosica Magna Cum Laude Matthew A. McKenna Cum Laude Tyler Nugent Miller Joseph Bradford Staff Cum Laude Matthew Dalton Karn Cum Laude Tannis Grace Kane Cum Laude Amanda Louise Weber Camila Shawnee Land Braxton Howard Bedlin Mikaela Moyland Magna Cum Laude Ladies and gentlemen, the Class of 2019 Please be seated. Excellent work by Associate Dean Goldstein, I have to say. Let's first go around. Before we close, I just want to tell you on behalf of the law school community that we will miss you. You've enriched our lives. You've made this law school a better place. And not just the law school. As many people have told you already today, you've already begun to improve the world by taking the time and doing the work to become lawyers. This was an important investment in your future, but the return on that investment in yours to the benefit of the entire society. This broader impact is what President Farrish I think was referring to when he would call us a private university with a public purpose. More education and more knowledge lead to more understanding. More understanding leads to less hatred and more peace. You already have and will no doubt expand a sphere of influence. And within that sphere you have the power more than you had when you came here to help make our society more just. And there is great honor in that work. It might be in fact the most important work that any person can do. One client at a time, one neighbor at a time, one stranger at a time, one child at a time, you can change the world. I wish for all of you good health, joy, peace and satisfying meaningful work. You are ready and you have our unwavering support. I invite all of you to the law school for refreshments and to informally continue this celebration. Thank you and please remain seated until the platform party and the graduates have filed out.