 Good morning! You may take your seats. The 48th commencement exercise of Roger Williams University is now in order. You can you can cheer. 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 Farrish, our distinguished honorary degree recipients, Rhode Island Congressman David Cicillini and all the other special guests. Welcome! We gather here today to celebrate you, the Class of 2018. That's right! To recognize the milestone you have reached today and honor your achievements as we look toward your future accomplishments. Today's commencement will begin with the singing of our national anthem by a talented member of the Class of 2018, Amanda Esvinoza. Amanda is from Scotch Plains, New Jersey. She is a business management major with a minor in music. Her time at Roger Williams has given her an opportunity to explore her passion of music through classes, performing with the chorus, serving as the vice president of the chorus, serving as the vice, participating as a member of the a cappella group, Huckward. Amanda is honored to be ending her journey today by singing the national anthem and to offer a small gift to her parents that he would have sacrificed so much. Please rise now if you're able and remove your hats for the national anthem and then you will be seated for the invocation which will be delivered by the multi-faith chaplain Reverend Nancy Suka. What's so proud? If you would take your seats, yay, if you would take your seats and if we could have a moment of silence in the Quaker tradition which inspires us to attain great knowledge, wisdom, and compassion, we gather to celebrate the Roger Williams University Class of 2018. Yet, go ahead. As these seniors come one last time to this beautiful shoreline, we give thanks for stretching their imaginations and energies to reach the intellectual goals embodied in the degrees they are about to receive, for pursuing combinations of majors, minors, and concentrations equipping them for the complex world around them, for taking their studies beyond our campus by serving the community around them through volunteerism, study abroad semesters, service learning trips, and internships, and most important great spirit for reaching beyond who they are to listen to other life experiences which differ from their own. These lessons in diversity, more than any other, are necessary and will change our world. Remind each member of this extraordinary class that they prove they have the inner strength and resiliency to fulfill their goals, now embolden them to keep this going and to never give up on themselves, that they reach this day not on their own but with a village of support from family, friends, professors, coaches, and advisors, and that any education ultimately is about the people met along the way and the growth that occurs because of these encounters and relationships. Help them to remember always the one whose name graces our university, the Reverend Roger Williams, a man of the 17th century who reached beyond the intellectual boundaries and practices of his world to be the champion of religious freedom and tolerance, who had an abiding confidence in education and the law, who strove for coexistence with indigenous peoples through embracing their language and culture, and who understood that citizenship was not determined by religious beliefs but rather by participation. Now gracious spirit, bless and keep this university, its board, its faculty, staff, students, and alumni in all the days ahead, and bless the amazing class of 2018, granting them courage always to dream great dreams this day, tomorrow, and evermore. Amen. Thank you Amanda and Reverend Nancy. On behalf of everyone, let me at this time also recognize the Rhode Island Highlander's pipe band. Join me now and thank you. I'd like to take a moment to introduce the members of the platform party. In addition to Roger Williams University President Donald J. Farrish, Grand Marshal Robert Blackburn, and our distinguished honorary degree recipients, Frank R. Reniery and Frank E. Reniery Jr., also as the senior leadership of Roger Williams University, represented by the Board of Trustees, our academic deans, and the University Vice Presidents. We recognize them for their dedicated and responsible stewardship of the institution as they continue to shape RWU as a transformational leader in higher education. Now for the presentation of the Excellence in Teaching Award. Each year, the Faculty Senate recognizes one faculty member whose performance in and out of the classroom epitomizes what it means to be a faculty member at RWU. I'd like to ask Dr. David Moskowitz, Faculty Senate Vice President, to join me in the presentation of this year's award. While Dave will make his way to the stage, let me tell you a little bit about the recipient. The recipient of the 2018 Excellence in Teaching Award embodies all that we seek and admire in an extraordinary teacher. This year's award winner writes, quote, teaching poetry has challenges. Students often land unhappily in the required for the major class. Convinced poetry is based on hidden and accessible meanings. My work is to show students that poetry is art. It's for everyone, by definition accessible, not exclusive. And that, yes, as a poet Thomas Lux says, no poem ever bought a hamburger, poetry and art unlike hamburgers are essential to human expression and can even manifest change. Her students agree. Chelsea Corner, class of 2009 writes, to say that this professor impacted my life is an understatement. She put me on the path to my life. I learned more from her about self-knowledge and intuition and risk than I can ever say. Her wisdom will remain with me forever. And Maggie Dominspeck, class of 2017 writes, she knew each student better than we knew ourselves. She inspired each and every one of us. It is with great pleasure, admiration and appreciation that we honor Professor Renee Soto, associate professor of creative writing with the 11th annual R.W.U. teaching exit work. Professor Soto. Professor Soto will also serve as today's faculty speaker, and I'm going to take care of her plaque. Good morning, class of 2018. Just as you were thinking, gosh, I wish I could have one more classroom experience with a professor at Roger Williams University. Here we are. To those of you I never had the opportunity to meet in a traditional classroom hello. To those of you with whom I have shared a classroom or several, hello again. And to those of you graduating with the B.F.A. in creative writing, hello, hello. So here, some final direction. One last door being opened enough for you to catch a glimpse of something new and make a decision about what to do next. When you find yourself tomorrow, as in Sunday, May 20th, 2018, no longer a college student, consider planting yourself firmly in your new life with some small act affirming your study here. If you are a student of dance or visual art or creative writing or theater or music or performing arts, do something that connects you to that. Dance down a hallway, sing out a window, practice your scales, add something to your journal, your sketchbook. We need you to make your work. If you are a student of the social and natural sciences, a mathematician, an engineer, if you are from the business school or the school of justice studies or architecture or about to go be a teacher, look at the sky. Consider what a bridge actually is. What justice really is. Consider how you can be a bridge. Revisit an equation or a problem that gave you trouble, still does give you trouble, but also brings you joy. Each of you remember you are human and there are capacities, potentials, and responsibilities exclusive to you because of that. Have a conversation with someone you love and by conversation you know what I mean. It is a thrill and an honor to speak to you as a professor on this big day for you. In poetry class we read a lot of poetry and so today some poems. I've chosen two poems by contemporary American poets. Each is not only short but also straightforward and resonant of the occasion even if not overtly about graduation or commencement. I ask you to listen, to listen carefully, to find a moment or two or three in which the words of the poem might be words you would speak to yourself, to find the moment or moments when your professor, whoever that professor might be, speaks these words directly to you. The first poem is Good Bones by Maggie Smith. This poem went viral a year and a half. Good Bones. Life is short though I keep this from my children. Life is short and I've shortened mine in a thousand delicious ill-advised ways, a thousand deliciously ill-advised ways I will keep from my children. The world is at least fifty percent terrible and that's a conservative estimate though I keep this from my children. For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird. For every loved child, a child broken, bagged, sunk in a lake. The world is at least half terrible and for every kind stranger there is one who would break you. Though I keep this from my children, I'm trying to sell them the world. Any decent realtor walking you through a real shithole chirps on about Good Bones, this place could be beautiful, right? You could make this place beautiful. The next poem is Wild Geese by Mary Oliver. Wild Geese. You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. You only have to love the soft animal of your body and let that love what it loves. Tell me about despair and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes on. Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes over the prairies, the deep trees, the mountains, the rivers. Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting, over and over announcing your place in the family of things. Congratulations class of 2018. Thank you. Thank you, Professor Soto. It's with great pleasure that I introduce the 10th president of Roger Williams University, Dr. Donald J. Farish. Dr. Farish. Congratulations guys, this is pretty terrific, huh? Trustees of Roger Williams University, members of the faculty, staff and administration, alumni, special guests, families and friends of the graduates and especially the graduates themselves. Welcome to commencement 2018. Today is a celebration of the commitment and plain hard work of our graduates. Four years for most of them, but even longer for some of our part-time students. The tangible recognition of your efforts comes in the form of a diploma. But I know that you know the real value of your education at Roger is not the diploma itself, but the ways in which you have been transformed by the education, the skills and habits of mind you've acquired, your value system, your view of the world and of course the many friends you have made along the way. I'm sure you feel a genuine and well-deserved sense of accomplishment and that you are ready to make your mark in the world, whether the world is ready for you or not. And to the parents and families of our graduates, I promised you at convocation almost four years ago that we would return your children to you as mature adults and here they are. I hope you like what you see. We like what we see. Four years ago, when unemployment was still high, parents and freshmen alike were understandably concerned about finding the college or university that was most likely to provide the student with the skills necessary to secure a well-paying job if only to avoid the awkwardness that accompanies the sympathetic glances from your neighbors who would be taking pity on you if your college graduate son or daughter were back living in your basement unemployed without prospects and heading toward retirement without ever having actually worked. Well, we told you at that time our goal was to ensure even in a world that continues to change that your sons and daughters would receive both the formal and applied versions of education that would balance a deep understanding of theory with the experience that comes from having applied that theory in actual work situations while they were still in college. We spoke about internships, research with faculty, and our own unique community partnership center that collectively would give your children an educational depth and breadth they would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Overwhelmingly, that is the world your sons and daughters have experienced here at Roger and the job market is far better than it was four years ago. Far from worrying about whether your magna cum laude son or daughter has peaked at the age of 22 and now the best he or she can hope to be is a coffee shop barista working part time, you should be planning to retire even sooner. Confident that your Roger Williams graduate will almost immediately be able to support you in the style to which you hope to become accustomed due to the fabulous job here she has obtained all because of an RW education. Parents, you cannot see from your vantage point the faces of the graduates as I utter these words. Let me therefore describe their expressions. Shocked doesn't quite capture the magnitude of their incredibility. Say what? Comes a whole clot lot closer. So let me assure you graduates that the idea of your immediately becoming the primary economic pillar supporting your entire family is based on my poll of your parents not widespread. I'd estimate that only about 10 percent of your parents are thinking that way so nine out of ten of you can relax. As to the remainder, well you'll just be getting a head start on fulfilling parental expectations. To be serious for a moment something else happened during your time here beyond the acquisition of job relevant skills. We emphasized right from the beginning the importance of developing multiple strengths and it turns out the majority of you are listening overwhelmingly this class is graduating not just with a major but with one or more minors or a double or even triple major giving them what is often a unique skill set that will serve them well as the job market continues to change and evolve and in addition all of our students are well versed in the skills and attributes that come from a deep exposure to the liberal arts written in oral communication analysis and synthesis of information from disparate sources the ability to tolerate ambiguity and to reason through complex situations and circumstances they may be seeing for the first time critical thinking and reasoning these are the skills that will never go out of date and when you have those plus experience in what today's market is demanding you will find yourself having been well served by roger not just this month but a decade from now but i very much doubt that our relationship with you is done until fairly recently a four-year university education gave you the foundation on which you could build a career that would last you a working lifetime that is increased in being no longer the case people find it necessary to augment their skill set as they move through life and as they confront both opportunities and threats our sense of purpose here at roger is changing in response to this need for periodic educational booster shots throughout your welcome your working lifetime in the coming time years you will see more and more courses or programs being offered at rw whether in person online or blended and i don't mean this is a commercial but i hope as you see the need for such education in your own lives that you will look first to roger to see if we can meet your needs but all of that's for the future for the present time let me assure you that you have earned the right to be proud of your accomplishments and to celebrate with your families we have offered you a smorgasbord of educational opportunities and to your credit most of you have taken full advantage you leave us as the most accomplished class in our history you will continue to augment yes yeah you will continue to augment the growing reputation of this fine institution we are proud to have you represent the best that we can do go hawks i would now like to introduce our senior class speaker victoria tori and tony davis tori and tony hails from tiverton road island just down the street with an individualized major in science communications tori is known by her faculty as a gifted writer with a great mind for science tori served rw through co-curricular involvement in many areas such as helping first year students navigate campus as an orientation advisor writing for the hawks herald chairing the arts and culture campus entertainment network committee writing and copy editing for the crossing's yearbook participating as a member of the sexuality advocacy for everyone we're safe as well as alternative entertainment and tori was on the winning team of the 2017 mr rw you fundraiser and also at the student achievement award ceremony she was a recipient of the hinderson spirit award she's quite an accomplished young woman and it doesn't stop there this summer tori will be in washington dc writing for the american association for the advancement of sciences science magazine she also hopes to further studies in science in communications graduate program going forward please join me in welcoming tori and tony hello friends family faculty and fellow members of the class of 2018 it is an honor to sit before you all today and i would first like to let you all know how proud i am of each and every one of you i can distinctly remember orientation our stomach stomachs fluttering with an unusual mixture of nausea and excitement we also carried a bright glimmer of hope for our future in our eyes i see that same look in many of the faces before me today that hope now laced with determination but that feeling of nervous energy has come for us again and this time we don't have peppy orientation advisors to help us through the transition before i wax poetic i would like to give my partner in crime tony a chance to say a few words tony speak tony would like to say that it has been an absolute honor to nap through classes alongside you all he would also like to thank debbie donna and lisa in student life for making life on the job such a treat pun intended as for myself it's a little more difficult to sum up what these past four years have meant to me but i'd like to try coming into roger williams i was a woman on a mission in high school i was told that i shouldn't set my sights so high and that it was foolish for someone in a wheelchair to pursue a higher education what could i honestly hope to achieve so when i arrived i was so ready for you all to see my chair and not stop to take a second look to judge me for a part of my person rather than what i have to offer as an individual thankfully i knew this wasn't the case from day one i guess that's one of the perks of coming to roger rw has made it a special goal to make diverse students feel welcome i know i can't speak for everyone because i have a special sort of privilege well with my skin being the color of neapolitan ice cream minus the best flavor meaning even though my chair may appear to be a limitation my whiteness allows me a sort of upper hand in this world however from where i'm sitting rw has done what so many other institutions lack the initiative to do and that is make its campus a place where someone like me with a disability can feel at home you've ruined my expectations for the real world if i'm honest what makes this place special is so much more than the fact that they extend railings for those of us who might roll into ponds and build accessibility ramps so we can roll into class know what's truly special about rw is the people the community all of you freshman year i didn't have an electric wheelchair so i rolled around campus in a manual chair named meredith which is a hard thing to do when you have a genetic disorder that causes your joints to dislocate my shoulders were not appreciative of the extra work arriving on campus i was not used to people going out of their way to give me a hand however i built many a friendship from the help i received that first year and the three following for instance a curly hair gentleman named skylar saw me struggling one day to get to class and from that day on he would go out of his way to offer me a push accompanied by the necessary sound effects for our speed and agility as we cut through busy sidewalks skylar always managed to make me feel less like a chair and more like a ridiculous person who just so happens to be stuck in one such kindness i found was not limited to you my fellow students it's also present in our professors and professional staff when my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome got in the way of my dreams it was purely through the compassion and dedication of my advisor professor levitt and his friend in the communications department professor scully that got me through together they spent hours helping me build an individualized major that can bind my interests one where i could be involved in the sciences that i loved coupled with my passion for the written word through their help and that of many other professors that i've come to that i've grown to love along the way i was able to double dip into innovative curriculum of both departments and create an individualized major of science communications that is both rigorous and engaging only at rw u do professors go this extra mile and i thank you for making sure that my chair never sat in the way of my academic and professional dreams there are loads of other examples of how you lovely people sitting before me have helped me forget that i'm any different and i thank you all for that tremendous gift and this gift is not mine alone i've witnessed kindness and compassion and integrity all across campus spilling out into the surrounding community where else in the world can you leave your wallet laptop and cell phone on a table and a crowded dining commons and no no one will touch it when you think back over these past four years it's astounding how much a community can accomplish when it works together together we've cleaned shorelines cut back on food based and fundraised for many a noble cause from community connections and late night's breakfast so sporting events and spring concerts we've spent some of our best and most stressful times together foraging these bonds of friendship that will last the rest of our lives like the one that i created with that curly hair of gentleman skylar who remains my best friend to this day together we as a class have grown from timid freshmen into seniors ready to embark on the world but before we set off into the world let me leave with you with these last pearls of wisdom with every shift in our country's political and cultural landscape we've come to see that the powers that be view some of our citizens as less than others i challenge you to stand true to the values that president ferris reminds us of during these uncertain times that rw is a family and that within this family on this campus you will always find support and willing listeners going forward continue on your quest for knowledge after you cross the stage being in a graduate program in the workplace or just in your daily life be a catalyst for change and fight for what you believe in stay steadfast and stand up for those in need and lastly i ask you all to enter each day with the mindset that you might be the reason someone smiles today i hope i hope during our time together i was one for you for surely so many of you are one for me thank you my roger williams family and congratulations to the graduating class of 2018 only one student delivers the commencement address there's a quality that unites all roger williams students each of us leaves roger with a sense of civic responsibility a sense of commitment to our communities and to our neighbors roger williams graduates can deliver on this commitment because as students we were given the opportunity to apply what we've learned in the classroom to help solve problems that matter deeply to the communities we serve in our region and around the world we can we call these immersive community engaged learning experiences civil civic scholarship these experiences have changed the way we feel about ourselves and the way we view the world collectively we have devoted many thousands of hours to hundreds of community partners we have helped to recover food in our neighbors living in shelters living in shelters we've built systems for portable water in communities without access to clean water in latin america we've taught math and language in local schools that lack the resources to deliver enrichment programs we've planted trees in our communities we've developed websites for small businesses and nonprofits and we've worked to rejuvenate historic buildings and brighten main streets throughout rhod Island rw civic scholars are many hands making a profound impact i'd like to invite provost workman to commission this class of civic scholars thank you tori and and tony uh today we are honored to recognize the graduates of the class of 2018 as civic scholars students who believe in the positive impact of community engaged work because they themselves have been part of project teams important research that solve real world issues strengthening communities as a result i'd like to ask the entire graduating class of 2018 to rise if you're able rise from the moment that you the class of 2018 arrived on our campus you are welcomed into an educational community that is committed to service opportunities for civic scholarship are available across academic disciplines and span rw's vast array of community services initiatives students please raise your hand if this describes your service to the community you participate in a project through community partnership center raise your hand you participate in a service project at home or abroad through one of the following the foundation for international medical relief for children engineers without borders habitat for humanity intervarsity christian fellowship rw food recovery network raise your hand uh children's miracle network relay for life raise your hand if you're a hasenfeld leadership fellow you completed a service project in the honors program you participated in the davidson core geomapping and tree planting project i did that too you provided tutoring or mentoring to a local school before even attending your first class freshman year you participated in the fine-styling community connections day so please raise your hand for that as civic scholars you have learned to thrive adapt and conquer challenges the challenges that await you just as roger Williams himself fearlessly advocated for freedom of conscience equality tolerance to help improve his community rw privates prides itself on being an innovative forward-thinking institution devoted to strengthening society through engaged teaching and learning we believe that this compassionate spirit flourishes in all civic scholars and that you will carry it with you throughout your lives as you set your hands your hearts and your minds towards making a difference in the world congratulations class of 2018 civic scholars you may be seated now students we're getting there students can participate in this work and all of the other educational activities only because of the dedication of faculty members so i'd like our faculty members to rise now if you're able and to accept the appreciation of our students and their parents here thank you very much thank you may see i would now like to ask vice president for student life dr john king to the lectern for the presentation of the president's core values uh the core value medallion honorees dr king thank you provost workman the president's core values medallion has been established to recognize graduating seniors who best reflect university core values through distinctive contributions supporting the core purpose of a roger williams university education to strengthen society through engaged teaching and learning it is an honor to announce the core values medallion recipients for the class of 2018 president farris will present each student their medallion as they are recognized on stage from the school of architecture art and historic preservation taylor marie hughes from the school of continuing studies jennifer zoo lin from the school of engineering computing and construction management elizabeth colby anthis from the feinstein school of social and natural sciences ava antonia master statham also from the feinstein school of social and natural sciences jackalin christine aplan from the feinstein school of humanities arts and education jackalin and vogel also from the feinstein school of humanities arts and education necola marie alexander from the mario j gobelli school of business mackayla sarah doruzo from the school of justice studies rebecca elizabeth mallard and now for our at-large recipients as selected by president farish ashley e augustin jacob m brostwin andrew f del santo megan elizabeth hacky michael robert mcbrian and thomas j toran these students have exemplified our core values through inclusive innovative engaged experiential and transformational academic and co-curricular achievement throughout their four years congratulations to our recipients their families friends and faculty i would now ask president farish to return to the lectern for the presentation of the honorary degrees president farish simulator okay each year roger williams university has the privilege of honoring uh 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 roger williams university honorary degrees upon two highly regarded recipients may i ask trustee marsha morris to escort frank e raniri junior to the left of the lectern to join me for the presentation mr frank alias raniri since you first joined roger williams as an undergraduate business major and now are serving as a dedicated university trustee you have actively participated in the transformation of this institution of higher education toward a deeper commitment to community engaged work with a global reach you build upon your father's visionary leadership as vice president of business for the punakana group driving environmentally responsible management of new business and development initiatives through sustainable practices in the dominican republic you're instrumental in developing a partnership between rw u and the punakana group foundation to create the dominican republic's first marine ornamental fish hatchery whose aim is to ensure sustainability in the marine aquarium trade while drawing more tourists to the reef hopefully spurring economic growth in the area while preserving the natural environment this project provides our faculty and students the opportunity to apply the technology and knowledge developed through the university's center for economic and environmental development that's seed to the social and environmental challenges presented by the rise of tourism and development in the punakana region of the dominican republic by implementing seeds research methods of culturing aquatic animals for commercial scale while preserving reef habitats that are vital for global health you've enabled community engaged work that will make a meaningful impact around the world mr raniri for your passionate devotion to your alma mater your stewardship of our mission and your visionary leadership in the ecotourism industry we are honored to confer upon you today the degree of doctor of humanities honoris causa given this 19th of may 2018 congratulations frank with great pleasure i now ask frank r raniri to join trusty morris to the left of the lectern mr frank raniri as a leader of a sustainable development within the tourism industry you pioneer one of the core values we are deeply committed to at roger william's ethical business practices that advance environmental sustainability since you began developing the punakana resort in 1971 you have grown the dominican republic's eastern shore into a major tourism destination that includes hotels a full service marina golf courses and the world's first private international airport your resort is home to julio glazes and oscar del renta who joined you as co-investors and its impressive stature has earned you a lifetime achievement award from the tourism industry while most business owners might focus only on the bottom line you played a major role in building the country's economy while also dedicating your career to creating a visionary shift toward ecotourism with the creation of the punakana group foundation you launched a non-profit that aims to protect and preserve the country's natural resources while contributing to sustainable tourism the foundation endowed a 1500 acre ecological park in the punakana region and it houses a research and education facility you also founded the caribbean alliance for sustainable tourism mr raniri for your visionary leadership in the ecotourism industry and for all you who have done to further environmental sustainability as a vital and ethical business practice we are honored today to confer confer upon you the degree of doctor of humanities honoris causa given this 19th of may 2018 i am delighted that frank r raniri also serves graciously today as our keynote speaker he will now address the class of 2018 wow president farish uh members of the board of directors faculty class of 2018 good morning to everyone when i first came to roger williams university in 1995 probably most of you weren't even born uh but that year we selected this university for my son frank lies to study and really i never imagined that one day i was going to be standing over here and having the honor to be chosen to deliver the commencement speech for a graduating class or receiving an honoris causa this mutation is particularly uh special to me as i know that this honor are in part as a result of my son's hard work and dedication as a member of the university board of directors so i really deeply appreciate the honor for most of you many years of classes are ending although much more is yet to come now is the time to take what you have learned and applied it in the real world this is the time to start seeing new opportunities around you and find your way into the future to do this you need to look far and wide and find your own individual vision developing vision is a skill that improve with constant practice like a muscle needs regular exercise to develop i would like to begin by establishing the differences between the world in which i grew up and the one in which you are currently living i grew up in the middle of the 20th century witnessed the birth of a new era and went from an analog telephone probably of you had even seen an analog telephone a telegraph then a fax machine to the world of instantaneous communication where messages can reach us in just a few seconds from the farthest place in the world it was a world where no one questioned the type of food we consume or the quality of the air we breathed we learned our lessons in the classroom and our world was much simpler and less competitive you however are members of the millennial generation you can communicate with anyone in second from the farthest place imaginable went through technology and handle electronic and digital equipment from infancy and of course the quality and velocity with which you communicate has grown exponentially however i believe there are things that simply don't change and there are things that you should not change things we learn only through experience and the years we have lived basic things that contribute to your personal happiness and professional success and this is what i want to share with you today that had been my experience three words number one vision which is not ambition vision is an intangible concept that you will never be able to learn through a book or a computer it is a perception that for some is innate and that others must develop not all will have the same degree of vision but but by acknowledging its value and developing it you will be able to see and take advantage of opportunities that come before you it allows you to dream to see things that are far away that might seem out of reach things you can strive for and fight hard to achieve it can be both a wonderful way of simply exploring our own imagination or can it or it can be or it can be the very way in which you will discover what is we should do with our life when i began Punta Cana in 1970 a small development that i hope will become a tourist project located in an isolated part of the Dominican Republic there was no choice of changing as a tourist industry in the country not that we even talk about it but i saw something when i look at our beaches our climate and the friendly disposition of the Dominicans and i saw a magical paradise full of families enjoying the sun and the local culture that vision led me to think that if other island had developed tourist industry why couldn't we it took 20 years for this vision to become a reality but time prove it that i was right today the tourist industry of the Dominican Republic generates 15 percent of the gross national product and what i began as a small development consisting of 10 small touch roof cabins and a simple dirt landing strip is today a well well renowned tourist destination that boasts 41 000 hotel rooms and an international report with connection to more than 50 countries and currently handles 68 percent of all the tourists that visit my country it was precisely this very simple moment of letting my mind travel freely that contributed to the development of not just a business opportunity but also the introduction of a new industry that has generated numerous development opportunities for the country and our people the second word is perseverance it took some 20 years for my vision and my dream to become a reality even more for my partners to get dividends but i never stopped trying i never lost faith when mining encouraged me to abandon the punta cana project and turn my life around i look at beyond the recommendations and continue to believe in my dreams i made changes made adjustment but with faith i continue to work toward what i believe in i look at for other options to generate extra income i couldn't collect the salary for seven years from punta cana so i had a disco i had restaurant i had to go into every type of job to support my family but i never gave up on my dream and i trusted my vision in spanish there is a phrase that has always guided us sin prisa pero sin pausa this translates roughly to don't rush but never quit sin prisa pero sin pausa has become one of the signature phrases that define our company something that guides us guides how we expect everyone in the company to work with one of our people to be thoughtful hard workers and proven solvers and to find a solution without quitting when facing obstacles over the last 50 years our company has many setbacks hurrican george a category five hurricane with winds of over 150 miles per hour landed in punta cana we were like literally hit with the eye of the storm it wiped out our entire property it turned it over hotel airport and many buildings upside down when the storm passed it looked like Puerto Rico just a few months ago but rather than quit we knew we had to rebuild and we did it in a record time because we believe in what we were doing in life in work and in relationship we you will face adversity people will tell you to give up or that your vision is all wrong but you have to persevere and keep moving forward the third key word that i want to share with you is work vision and perseverance will not have come together without the element of hard work although the term hard work to me doesn't exist because when you love what you do and when you have passion for it it's not work today over 16 000 people depend directly on us to work we own the largest airport in the Dominican Republic receiving over 3.5 million passengers international passengers a year we have an electrical company hotel property we recently hosted pga tour at our corales golf course in order to manage all these activities we've have hired some of the best professional we can find that specialize in all type of businesses we have expert in hotel hospitality airport in a environment electrical company water production you name it we have lawyers account and engineers architect and many other fields that help us round the company but when we start punta cana in 1970 it was just me and ted keel my american partner we didn't have the money to hire experts so we had to work we thought ourselves to be experts in tourism and airport and all that out of necessity working out of a windowless office in a gas station in santo domingo i had to learn how to build a tourist destination from scratch there's no textbook that can teach you how to do that only through real hard work and dedication you can pull off implementing your dreams these are the golden rules for me that have never changed and that i personally don't think will change with time those that dare to dream most learn to pursue their dreams and work nonstop in order to make them a reality but what has changed is the society that's around us and the environment we develop today our world demands social and environmental commitment this is very different from the world that we used to live in i will even dare to say that for us the business sector of the 20th century this social environmental change has brought about different approaches and important changes in our attitudes the entrepreneur of the 21st century a member of the millennial generation and i am referring to all of you has a responsibility with your immediate environment it is no longer about just doing business it is about doing business and much more it is about contributing to a better and more just society of being able to provide equal opportunities and better quality of life for all all over the world furthermore this is this also has to do with taking care and protecting the environment you must take the necessary measure to preserve what god has given us and contribute your own way to the protection and development of new practices in sustainable development in basic terms i have made reference to three concepts vision perseverance and work these are the tools needed to achieve your dreams in addition in addition we have a responsibility to further the social and environmental agenda to protect the world in which we live in finally i don't want to end my remarks without mentioning the word attitude this word is a basic component and key ingredient for our human development it never ceased to amaze me as i watch friends and couples who in their daily life have seriously neglected what i believe are the basic rules to achieve a harmonious human relationship communication and respect the more we develop technology the further we step away from our friends spouses and families we pay more attention to facebook instagram and whatsapp but we don't talk we don't talk we don't talk to the person that is standing by our side or in front of us our face past our face past life don't allow us to look around and detect where there is happiness sadness or the concern of those that surround us much less take the time to speak to one another offer advice or simply listen to what they have to say and this is what i think we should ask ourselves where are we headed will we end up being a species that's only capable of typing information to gadgets so that robots can carry out our commands or will we become a species that cannot carry out a conversation or share a common moment because we have forgotten how to articulate the word i refuse to accept this i believe that we're living beings creatures created by the almighty who i call god whom are full of love and work conceived to learn develop share and love this is why i see in you the new generation that will be able to turn the ball around and use the technology now available to us to contribute to a society that's more humane more united and more just it is your decision but it's also your responsibility and so i send all of you on your way into an exciting limitless future i encourage you to be imaginative to dream to find a vision you believe in to commit to it and to work towards it it is the road not just to a traditional model of success it is the road to happiness and fulfillment and there is no greater success than happiness and fulfillment thank you very much we now proceed to the chief purpose of these commencement exercises oh you heard about that okay the conferring of academic degrees upon the class of 2018 in keeping with roger williams university tradition the student marshals who have been selected by their respective schools have the privilege of receiving their degree first they are listed in the order of exercises on page three of your program so could i ask the student marshals to stand and be recognized student marshals we congratulate them on this special honor graduates receiving master's degrees will then be confirmed conferred within their respective schools and programs of study followed by the undergraduates but i also want to acknowledge those students who have the distinction of graduating with honors and they're on three levels cum laude magna cum laude summa cum laude would all of the students graduating cum laude with a cumulative grade point average of 3.4 please stand cum laude's will all the students graduating magna cum laude this is a with a cumulative grade point average of 3.6 or greater these rhymes and finally will students graduating summa cum laude with a cumulative 3.8 your hard work and commitment to academic excellence are to be commended and we are proud of all your accomplishments and now we will begin the conferral of degrees will dean we're going to start with the school of continuing studies and will dean jamie scurry and associate dean jena bianco please come forward to present the school of continuing studies degree candidates well the school of continuing studies degree candidates please rise president ferrish on behalf of the faculty i certify that these candidates are eligible for the degrees appropriate to their course of study by virtue of the authority granted by the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and delegated to the president by the board of trustees we confer upon you the degree to which you are entitled with all the rights privileges and obligations pertaining thereto will the candidates please come forward alicia francis lull healthy communities amanda lopes criminal justice jennifer linn paralegal studies courtney natalie anderson social and health services kathryn elizabeth marlowe criminal justice samanthor haggaday psychology shon christopher morgan public administration jennifer lopes schiotis social and health services patricia jean murray collando collangelo for paralegal studies christopher gun three towers social science alex john pratt emergency medical services david yen girt technology leadership and management richard ramirez criminal justice kair ozik kathryn pierozy health care administration sandy restrepo criminal justice james joseph tarbox industrial technology evan allen roy criminal justice malissa kathryn abba donza healthy communities tamatha lee schumeric paralegal studies joseph almeida joshua almeida paralegal studies sarah d simon paralegal studies jennifer batista criminal justice douglas holloway wiggins jr paralegal studies joseph bowler paralegal studies sandra croft criminal justice fanny franco criminal justice kathleen m hinds public administration kathryn elizabeth kaufman criminal justice frank joseph yuda chaney public administration jennae louis emergency medical services okay matthew cowell public administration demise lopes paralegal studies sharday longshore paralegal studies brenda paul martin emergency medical services daniella talloran public administration congratulations graduates you you may be seated and we're going to call up the uh school of engineering computing and construction management well dean potter and professor janet balvin please come forward to present the school of engineering computing and construction management degree candidates will the school of engineering computing and construction management degree candidates please rise president ferris on behalf of the faculty i certify that these candidates are eligible for the degrees appropriate to their course of study by virtue of the authority granted by the state of rhod Island and providence plantations and delegated to the president by the board of trustees we confer upon you the degree to which you're entitled with all the rights privileges and obligations pretending there too well the candidates please come forward jacob michael johnson engineering civil specialization sarah christin agnald engineering electrical specialization justice a car cadet cargadez construction management mohammed ali aldayel engineering electrical specialization matthew patrick kennedy engineering mechanical specialization amed abdallah alhamad engineering electrical specialization austin barnett kimberley engineering mechanical specialization osama mohammed alcoe brash engineering electrical specialization kyle christopher cremseer engineering mechanical specialization salla fahad alma hajeen construction management megan christine christawadi engineering mechanical specialization raid abdallah alhamad alhamad engineering electrical specialization noyab amed could be engineering electrical specialization and computer specialization suhaib abdul bari al saidi engineering electrical specialization stetson michael lakom construction management mashoor abdallah al-shareef engineering electrical specialization timothy frances zavier logan engineering mechanical specialization elizabeth colby anthes construction management kyle nicolas lorenz engineering electrical specialization and mechanical specialization adan james bradley engineering electrical specialization parker s lineman engineering mechanical specialization mckenzie bryan civil engineering specialization mathew k mckenzie construction management justin a bernette construction management nicolas a marini construction management andrew f del santo engineering civil specialization and applied math nicole josephine marmo engineering mechanical specialization bradford j jergen and engineering civil specialization dylan anthony mascare engineering mechanical specialization tyler w rysack engineering mechanical specialization ryan fits patrick melin engineering civil specialization thomas joseph hint g construction management alexander francis nagel engineering mechanicals and electrical specialization emily elizabeth hand construction management taylor j nappy engineering mechanical specialization owen andrew greg engineering electrical engineering specialization trungvo new yin engineering mechanical specialization louis joseph gentily the third engineering civil specialization alexander john nicoletta construction management nicolas s godio engineering civil specialization grand joseph o brian construction management kyle david faraba engineering mechanical specialization brendan gerrard o'connell construction management hon wen fan construction management michael noelle ordoñas civil specialization engineering lennard michael eaton construction management michael peter orlando construction management tegan leslie dunn engineering mechanical specialization taylor casady owen engineering mechanical specialization jeffrey robert demers construction management andres ignecio utaris engineering mechanical specialization matthew m d chez array construction management andre j wager engineering mechanical specialization ethan thomas daniels engineering electrical specialization jack hayden wallace engineering mechanical specialization paul david crehan construction management taylor louis winnick engineering mechanical specialization paulina cordova construction management jacklyn p wicca engineering civil specialization tallis coello engineering mechanical specialization matthew john clark engineering mechanical specialization isabel eden clark construction management dominick peter chardulo engineering civil specialization christopher a candy construction management matthew l tyler engineering civil specialization kyle norman tronerud engineering civil specialization madison adi tribuna engineering electrical specialization anthony m trant engineering civil specialization emily f tartis engineering civil specialization brett m simcoe and construction management joshua david swanson construction management awin douglas stewby construction management anna elizabeth strang engineering mechanical specialization genica r sray engineering civil specialization richard george slate the third construction management yasmin christine musa shaheen engineering custom specialization matthew edward sefarian computer science custom specialization and mathematics kevin m schwartz computer science custom specialization zachary charles sayed computer science custom specialization michael d rossi engineering civil specialization jared taylor reymos engineering civil specialization nicolas james reya construction management carly norah quinn engineering civil specialization justin david prunier engineering civil specialization kasey rose provost engineering civil specialization kristin marie portsmouth engineering mechanical specialization russell jacob pierce engineering mechanical specialization christopher m picard engineering mechanical specialization mark j parker engineering mechanical specialization next up the school of architecture art and historic preservation will will dean white and associate dean greg larry please come forward to present the school of architecture art and historic preservation degree candidates with the school of architecture art and historic preservation degree candidates please rise and come up near the stage president ferrish on behalf of the faculty i certify that these candidates are eligible for the degrees appropriate to their course of study by virtue of the authority granted by the state of rhod island and providence plantations and delegated to the president by the board of trustees we confer upon you the degree to which you're entitled with all the rights privileges and obligations pertaining thereto will the candidates please come forward deanna michelle vecchio stephania maria dakianis architecture joshua harrison arthur master of architecture lydia jane castella historic preservation laura and brooks master of architecture sarah and connor's architecture christina marie categan master of architecture liam jane connor's architecture victoria and covello master of architecture megan elizabeth collins architecture alexander m dolala master of architecture dominic thomas serrillo architecture lindsay and guastafeste master of architecture steven anthony chinqui mani architecture william edward harrick master of architecture elias james christo architecture johnathan alexander liby master of architecture kathryn elizabeth buckley architecture william dailey mac master of architecture jessica lin brown architecture antonio s melanchone master of architecture joseph aran brauer architecture architecture taylor michelle messier master of architecture zachery arthur blaze architecture anthony j messella master of architecture annalise margaret burtell architecture daniel adam newhall master of architecture hannah rose vape architecture courtney lin proctor master of architecture annalise michelle bachi architecture britney elizabeth reid master of architecture connor james arson architecture jeremy joseph wise master of architecture timothy gordon allen architecture nathan a woods master of architecture barter waleed al gasin architecture alexandra m gustafson master of architecture cream and lee ms in historic preservation john james dailey architecture taylor william southerland master of architecture tyler jeffrey davis architecture elizabeth t mostman master of architecture diana lizette figueroa historic preservation michael peter lombardi jr master of architecture Naomi elizabeth finnegan architecture luke william powaltian master of architecture emily christine galante architecture shrieking lou architecture emma marie kilo architecture molly elizabeth schmick architecture rachel snow harden architecture sabrina grace williams architecture matthew d holmes architecture cost william wheeler architecture taylor marie hughes architecture rhea a wescott architecture claire e jeter historic preservation hannah wade architecture jessica nicole carpec architecture nicholas d valenti architecture michael james kelly architecture lauren gabrielle tamborini nicholas j king architecture trevor william steinberg architecture daniel edward cleavan architecture bridge on this v sing architecture tutsu kobayashi architecture melania ruta architecture thomas yu guang li architecture ryan w rotolo architecture kelsey may ling architecture alfredo rhodriguez the third architecture neon liu architecture architecture jenna lee roberts architecture thomas o michel architecture and riko zola rio architecture robert b monahan architecture gabrielle and riley historic preservation visual art studies skyler clifton moncata architecture julia e ricklin architecture valerie maran architecture roslyn flor ramirez historic preservation kelsey rene muriarty architecture allison marie pavia architecture matthew christian moscow architecture khan angloku architecture kary helene noble architecture awful al badillo architecture bernard joseph o brian historic preservation christopher john norcross architecture he's going to say one more thing thanks for coming next up is the school of justice studies dean bronson and professor katrina norvell would you present the school of justice studies candidates will the school of justice studies degree candidates please rise president ferrish on behalf of the faculty i certify that these candidates are eligible for the degrees appropriate to their course of study by virtue of the authority granted by the state of ronland and providence plantations and delegated to the president by the board of trustees we confer upon you the degree to which you're entitled with all the rights privileges and responsibilities pertaining thereto will the candidates please come forward janelle alexandra de kurtis forensic science noel bellson legal studies psychology sandra keppard ashley marie bono criminal justice dorthy m chicannica master of public administration loren nicole bizier salina marie dirton master of public administration sydney y blackwell criminal justice valerie alexis richardson master of public administration chelsea bonaka criminal justice psychology anthony joseph de christoforo master of science and criminal justice angelica l bovis legal studies three plus three political science nicolas joseph dillon master of science and criminal justice jackalin and bro legal studies political science amy lin evans master of science and criminal justice megan resnehan criminal justice psychology kelsey mcayla herrington master of science and criminal justice jordan louis brown forensic science victoria vivian kasowski master of science and criminal justice andrew calling criminal justice loren nicole mccue master of science and criminal justice bruce john kamara criminal justice tamela a prairie a master of science and leadership zachary howard kamoli criminal justice alexandra nicole asterowitz legal studies ryan james coprio cyber security and networking nicolas casper amadio criminal justice William paul carlson criminal justice elizabeth grace anderson criminal justice savannah m kasey legal studies anthropology and sociology kagney louisia as tech criminal justice isabella nicole says say criminal justice megan aghor criminal justice brindan j chesong criminal justice ashley e augustine cyber security and networking victor yim chung cyber security and networking mathew lee balt's criminal justice timothy j coffee criminal justice psychology brandon j baptist criminal justice shelby lee cornelius legal studies psychology holly florins barton criminal justice sydney rose costa legal studies psychology justin thomas barkley criminal justice julia melissa crotty legal studies american studies gregarie andrew baddison criminal justice lindsay e delfonso criminal justice talliah diva senzi criminal justice john f mccarthy the third criminal justice carissa robin ekwall criminal justice kindle alissa mcdonough criminal justice psychology erin lee elliott criminal justice carter b versicchi criminal justice luke g mb cyber security and networking rebecca elizabeth malard forensic science foreign languages modern janelle rose esposito criminal justice benjamin e miller criminal justice christin jan fabiano forensic science jonathan charles mill criminal justice emily r farnam forensic science tyler j mobrice criminal justice david vinson fesano junior criminal justice jessica alexandra napoli legal studies psychology brandon michael ganjan criminal justice page elizabeth murphy criminal justice joseph thomas garriere criminal justice john william nelson criminal justice kylie amandra greniere criminal justice mariah leigh ann nickles criminal justice michael robert hatchet criminal justice Wyatt james nullan criminal justice kayla a harris legal studies jonathan patrick nordin legal studies political science christin nicole hicks criminal justice anthony travis noto legal studies political science kelsey e hofner legal studies natalie teresa o'donovan criminal justice robert christopher jeffers criminal justice megan mary o rork security assert studies mathematics shon f joys criminal justice diana r perez criminal justice psychology samantha hope kenan criminal justice connor andrew perry criminal justice jad r catch criminal justice noa a push our legal studies political science and larry larose criminal justice ryan edward reefy criminal justice tyler matthew longley criminal justice rebecca megan rogers legal studies anthropology sociology megan elizabeth lusha criminal justice ophelia alexis romero legal studies political science nicholas h mccaluta criminal justice amanda e rose criminal justice psychology jessica sarah markowski criminal justice sarah and schneider legal studies psychology sydney amiko martin criminal justice madison ro silverman criminal justice teagan coming schneider criminal justice psychology connor c spur criminal justice shon mark stewart criminal justice charles joseph swenson criminal justice jelissa marita taveras forensic science kourtney lynn teesdale criminal justice psychology amber nicole thurlow criminal justice sydney jackeling trahan criminal justice john mary valelli criminal justice sierra morgan valerio criminal justice timothy joseph walsh criminal justice shannon marie wilcox criminal justice nicole amber woodwork legal studies psychology john walkard yusa the fourth criminal justice colton thomas bailey criminal justice nicolas j costa criminal justice anthony j mosesos cyber security and networking leslie carolina nunas criminal justice psychology next we have the feinstein school of social and natural science will dean greenstein and assistant dean becky spritz please come forward to present the feinstein school of social and natural sciences degree candidates will the feinstein school of social and natural sciences degree candidates please rise if you are able you already have president ferrish on behalf of the faculty i certify that these candidates are eligible to the degrees appropriate for their course of study by virtue of the authority granted by the state of rodinland and providence plantations and delegated to the president by the board of estes we confer upon you the degree to which you're entitled with all the rights privileges and responsibilities pertaining thereto handage please come forward angela marissa degenova psychology margaret mcnaughton foster psychology educational studies mary rose denine public health mackayla lin alicandro psychology leon v trover psychology jacklyn marie debor psychology jacklyn christine aplan international relations ania clara chen desault international relations joseph anthony basich political science matthew p alias individualized major in human development and law kayla a benko psychology connor g fails political science samuel edward bennett psychology abigail kathleen furlin psychology paul l four public health julia serrat ferraro psychology mackayla renay fordrow marine biology ryan f fowler psychology jacob m pristine political science economics emily rose frank psychology amanda lee bryant psychology yasmin d gamas political science maria joseh kiseris surreal international relations foreign language leona k gerardi psychology kayla marie carney psychology randall louis gilbert political science amber lee serrat psychology rachel a cliniac psychology zonte clade zavier chalwell international relations brandon tyler blover psychology megan kathryn chote air international relations abriel elizabeth granito psychology jenna marie clavette psychology public health kelsey nicole grillo psychology satie jane colligan psychology phoebe hope english hair psychology kabine kandey international relations mia roger shoutow hayden anthropology sociology dylan berry cooper international relations sarah jean heath biology shannon emily cox psychology noah alexander headley environmental science anastasia coin psychology eliza ray hillier anthropology and sociology win mariah cushing psychology riana carmela hoffner psychology jenna cutter psychology rielle keana jackson psychology madison page de costa psychology emily rose o'neill psychology joseph m dearing environmental science olivia brianna osborne psychology esmeralda yasmine jimenez vega international relations abdul ramen a osmond political science kathryn h johnson international relations foreign language emily mary karat psychology alisha caroline johnson psychology nicole in paulson international relations abigail p killin psychology janine nicole patraca psychology tenacia karita king psychology julia h power psychology palina hope cobalar psychology erica lee prude international relations amanda l lancia psychology elisa rose ripeto psychology netanya erica labosh psychology matthew alan reager psychology samantha lin labelle psychology lucy posilow shank psychology isa k labud psychology alisha nicole chicly marine biology eva antonio master stefano biology alexis brook severino biology ploey andelina tsutente psychology galen trance political science camilla f loopy psychology sarah elizabeth slawik biology emma l magadan psychology emily curry sorrentino psychology paul gabriel manfredi political science penda so psychology maxine g mangs hernandez environmental science victoria savannah stevensson marine biology jenna i markland psychology lucy edel stonich psychology michael robert mcgreen biology madison n sullivan anthropology and sociology thomas john mathews political science economics anna marie walter public health gavin eugene maylock environmental science kathryn e wegener biology antonie j mcodin anthropology plus sociology charles j weinacht environmental science morgan lin messier psychology mary ang poke worth main anthropology and sociology erin s monahan psychology kasey marie adams psychology katelyn a montalbano psychology natalie renay gambrel biochemistry katelyn marie mostafa international relations communication and media studies kasey robin george biology shane e noak marine biology emily rose goyette mathematics emily rose alton psychology shane samuel green environmental science amy michelle craig psychology megan elizabeth hacky biochemistry spitz fish psychology elizabeth ann air marine biology robin mary hill psychology kasarian m jackson biology fey lorence price psychology alexandra scott johnston biology derek joseph levasko political science jennifer brian jubair biology kendall m richardson marine biology kimberley victoria cardis environmental science daniel marie chernulo psychology maxwell j kramer marine biology grace noel algeo biology daniel rose levoy marine biology mackayla barnwell marine biology hailey ryan o brian ledbetter marine biology brooks alton barrett marine biology kory ryan latender biology kylie may bullier marine biology benjamin edward levell marine biology alicia nalt bouvet marine biology patrick j rogers biology jessica francis brown marine biology kelsey e letson biochemistry alissa e bush biology chemistry simon smith luden biology page mary burn biology jacklyn michelle liens mathematics christian lanes chase marine biology management brendan a mccormick marine biology kengie chen biology applied mathematics kevin thomas mcmanus biology maranda l collard biology garret j mcneal biology mckenzie elizabeth cook biology kendall faith mesaja biology holly janine eberlin marine biology chemistry grant william monast biology britney and english marine biology heen dean know biology loren elizabeth fletcher applied mathematics gabriella lee nicoletta marine biology ryan michael fontaine biology chemistry gianna victoria scolese marine biology britney irine fulgione biology foreign language aliyah dames lewis biology stefanie e hills biology mckenzie ann weber biology mikaela m ballas marine biology jennifer loren tackett marine biology connor andrew sweet biology mary elizabeth stone murphy biology olivia curtis smith biology joanna scora biology rachel lin shawalby biology kelly hunter-scammon marine biology andre sephonshire mathematics annalee's kathryn roe marine biology kreg raymond rockwell marine biology shantel lee richards marine biology jerald t prism biology nicole alana portue's marine biology marissa francis papietro marine biology heather a orlowski biology daniella ann oregon biology rachel ann nielsen biology hannah maryan nolte marine biology nexus the feinstein school of humanities arts and education wheel dean jeffrey maryweather and assistant dean to the east belay please come forward to present the feinstein school of humanities arts and education degree candidates well the feinstein school of humanities arts and education degree candidates please rise president fair as shamba half of the faculty i certify that these candidates are eligible for the degrees appropriate to their course of study by virtue of the authority granted by the state of rhod Island and province plantations and delegated to the president by the board of trustees we confer upon you the degree to which you are entitled with all the rights privileges and responsibilities pertaining thereto the candidates please come forward tori and tony davis individualized major in science communication english education secondary collin leet clefane theater shayan abrick public relations maranda blare coker journalism julia a agriman public relations ruby johanna cortez american studies kerry f allen elementary elementary education jamie lee costa journalism foreign language modern concentration julia c agnostic elementary education hayley l del greco educational studies rebecca jennifer anderson graphic designs communication loren julia descenso journalism danielle k alquillo educational studies gabriella maria denovly public relations caroline marie arugio educational studies emily elizabeth ditmar english literature teagrim john apentasy communications and media studies kelly a donahue graphic design communications nicolas peter barbara graphic designs communication gabrielle gene doherty public relations mackenna and barrett elementary education shon xavier desuza foreign language modern concentration alexis lorraine public relations kathryn elizabeth demore public relations andrew chiles benton history secondary education hayley brook derno public relations rachel mary bunnety journalism nafen edward egan elementary education ryan ellis bunnacum english literature alexandra jane and public relations sydney elizabeth forges elementary education tyler james estra mera graphic design communications sarah and boswell communications and media studies kasey s feral media communication magan kathryn boswell public relations lindsey elish parash communication and media studies stephanie lisa ornamenti elementary education loren julia ferrera english secondary education elizabeth brenton education studies ryan john fischer history jasmine elizabeth broody odd public relations nicole e jamber corda history molly hannah buckley history jacob w gantzer history youth banana elementary education julia marie gentillo communication and media studies graphic design communications sarah christina capidogaly english education secondary ryan elizabeth garity educational studies crystal j codden graphic designs communication david m curbie history kathryn b coppenter graphic designs communication maggie elizabeth niece elementary education allison ann chalala graphic design communication katlyn jane nox communication and media studies stephanie lee chang graphic design communications lea ariel cogan media communication gillian silone leason media communications jenna m kominsky public relations hayley elizabeth goodrich elementary education isabella rose comorosky visual arts studies rachel e gordon public relations kathryn julia la molly history secondary education emma kathryn goulding public relations jacqueline e lamarrow graphic design communication amanda rose green elementary education mikaela t linakis public relations brandon clark grino graphic designs public relations connor martin linsky journalism mad educational studies megan elizabeth livingston elementary education thomas f gerratt communications and media studies elizabeth ann logan public relations alani hagi communications media studies megan kelly handy educational studies jonah katlyn lorenco educational studies briana lucindra potty graphic designs communications mazy lorenco lang public relations ashley marie hickey public relations justin thomas macaluso educational studies jayney nicole hapsman journalism abigail rose mccallum public relations katlyn nicole holgan elementary education madison m mains elementary education portney emma papa nick elementary education megan l malone elementary education alicia seah oxy elementary education paul severio marquesi educational studies holly cassey hontoon journalism mario emiliel marino junior history secondary education megan elizabeth houston graphic design communications harley eileen martin communication and media studies jaylin shy jennings public relations anthony david martin theater kathryn denise johnson educational studies margaret rawlings english secondary education julia alexis yunker english secondary education erin marie saunders dance olivia elizabeth judas public relations benjamin and chef history claire marie polkata public relations graphic designs communication max daniel schlichtmann individual major in cinema studies and production emily ann commons journalism ana jay schwall public relations kaila canjari public relations amanda lynn seda public relations allison allison taylor mastin elementary education alexia shabo public relations katelyn p main elementary education rosa lee b shen global communication tayla kimberley massy public education zoe page seagull public relations kelsey marie mcdermott communications media studies marissa lind sino media communication visual arts studies harley danielle sincavage theater tanner elmore's visual arts studies amy lin slatkovitz educational studies elissa katelyn mohal graphic designs communication nicole elizabeth smith elementary education kathryn elizabeth nahachis communication media studies britney kathryn smith media communication julia kathryn newton elementary education abbas abhagail c suza educational study kelsey pristine nobby graphic design communication kyle jesse suza journalism emily rita olivia dance allison day stankelwitz elementary education lin polkowski elementary education raya marissa lee sweet public relations shelby elizabeth payness journalist michael robert teedaman communication and media studies kelsey ann appaza graphic designs communication katelyn caroline tufts communication and media studies daniel peter petori history secondary education amy marie urso public relations zaffa sial magraw public relations lauren a utek journalism kathryn ann preston graphic designs communication samantha and the benzio graphic design communications rebecca and prue english literature global communication olivia joy fritz creative writing victoria lin polkowski elementary education andrea s grant creative writing olivia clear reading elementary education emma j le due creative writing michael p respoli communications media studies pristine lin peterson creative writing damar rosa communication media communications victoria ann schauffler creative writing amanda lin broke elementary education katelyn louise eckart math education christian j novella public relations alicia k mafio lini math secondary education olivia christy kathryn sakara graphic designs communication amanda elizabeth o bryan math secondary education kirsten m videl elementary education jacklyn n borkham english literature jamie may bopi graphic designs communication hollow wakini this waldron media communications joanna kennedy waltz media communications jamie p wallock public relations kasey e welcome journalism fortney may white public relations elizabeth k whitey public relations marissa rose wrinkles elementary education dorothy vigenia wilkinson english literature paradise wilson dance samantha erin wilzinski elementary education education andrew a weaker journalism henry wilson young theater jacklyn marie zero media communications abdel mazal public relations page riley donigan and education studies christin m rispolzi communications media studies nicole marie alexander creative writing alize marie ushawn creative writing rachel christine calavero creative writing graphic design adam de octangelo creative writing oh she's steen paul veron creative writing now it's time for the mario j gabley school of business susan deen susan mcternan and associate dean ebergstrong please come forward to present the mario j gabley school of business degree candidates will the mario j gabley school of business degree candidates please rise if you are able president farrish on behalf of the faculty i certify that these candidates are eligible for the degrees appropriate to their course of study by virtue of the authority granted by the state of Rhode Island on provenance plantations and delegated to the president by the border prestige we confer upon you the degree to which you're entitled with all the rights privileges and responsibilities pretending there too will the candidates please come forward to be recognized kristopher john burke finance brynden andreas butler finance dalton george agostini management all the shake ashley hazel codgiano marketing abdul ramon l alonze senior finance clayton jeffrey codgiano finance danielle margaret albiani management mary elizabeth kayhill management kimberley gene albiani marketing amanda j calderone marketing faisal fahad al mokbel finance isla and callahan management collard s al nambla finance michael john cardell junior management abdulla the bond i'll say al finance thomas francesco caruso accounting slayman abdul ramon also i victoria m caruso international business abdul aziz ibrahim al sultan finance madeline elizabeth caviola marketing ryan joseph alvino accounting jonathan k chow marketing martin mellow duvah anderson international business gabrielle rose charlayo marketing christopher john opina finance luke christopher chicanelli marketing damien gerome baidi finance chandler marie cob marketing liam michael barnes management robert anthony colman finance hisham khalid vartafi finance jonathan m connors finance collin robert bowdoin management paul edwin karate junior accounting jennifer amy bullio finance tanner m christia telly management quarry thomas bedrosian web development hope noel cupol marketing steven m bianco finance taylor renais denar management sarah porter bond finance set el gas monday accounting niki boots acutus accounting andrew tozer gilly web development elizabeth japonte accounting fredrick daniel giordano finance morgan rose to silva accounting matthew rino javado finance peter robert davis finance brent collin goldman finance allison anita de klu international business james lee buber accounting valeria delaflore marketing jillian roe goodrich management joshua robert de martino marketing christie taylor gordon marketing luke j derdarian marketing steven m gross marketing daniel nicole debenadetto marketing lindsay ray gwersio marketing corin marie detullio accounting shaheen j haji marketing ryan patrick donahue management jason david hall marketing austin taylor duty international business casandra ann hall marketing abigail m dowling marketing christin l handlin marketing alexis elizabeth downey marketing sarah elizabeth haze finance charles j driscoll management allison heffey marketing kathryn copeland dunbar management cameron j heatley management mikaela sarah dorsow marketing kelsey r haydenstrung marketing tiffani jean eaton marketing jane christine henrich marketing sean n edie management luke delin herit marketing lily andrea england finance keegan michael heston international business amanda espinoza management corin tereza haymack finance ryan richard evans finance and farrell martin peter michael hillburn finance ryan canon fiximmons accounting edward valentine hill marketing sean edward gaffney management matthew h holman marketing tyler v garcia finance zach a laparro international business emily ann jeffroy marketing connor paul latin schleiger finance loop jarrett gerwick management jillian market liwandowski marketing kathryn claire hughes marketing melissa page lyrosi finance john vincent hussey marketing stefan joseph lanero finance dylan h jane finance acacia hamlin longley marketing shawn e jansen management lynsey loren lopez marketing janelle m gene management ethan lot john lotufo marketing gavin christopher johnson accounting owen daniel love management tyler jordan jones management loren alicia lucci velo web development ryan michael cadlick web development kevin michael mcdonald finance erica t cammins accounting justin annu mike entire finance aliney caravusianus web development caro michelle mcglenn marketing caroline rose keen accounting charles hamilton mater finance ryan william kelly management amtonella macaton accounting elizabeth joy kentzla accounting nicolas edward malone marketing tyler bland killian marketing nathan grant mandel finance christin lee kentzla marketing connor c marshal international business melissa rose martin accounting george m coletus finance bret c matel management elizabeth ann koskowski accounting kevin john mcandrews accounting tyler mcgill kuchenbecker marketing sarah catherine mcdade economics marisa renai quarry finance brendan james mckirnan international business harris nicole cusoyan finance alec m mendez management benjamin lantican lagman management gary robert paulucci marketing ye july international business alexa f paradiso marketing michael lee lane finance randall james parent marketing emily ann lane international business mikaela a pasco management kylie elizabeth mendoza international business angela pasquarello accounting devon marie milligan marketing michael patrick alson economics edmond j mitchell the third accounting jordan b body maria isabella kentia montia international business nicole lin palatier accounting savannah evette morano marketing ashley marie perry accounting zachary j moran finance zachary t pinto management steven cg morse management aria e broccaccini mark accounting charles andrew moyer jr finance alexandre joseph cusone economics matthew bryan mulrin marketing norgan nicole quarry roley marketing jessica roline murphy management justin j renails accounting nicholas paul nelson management morgan lee rich accounting carlin james o'brien management john lorence rigart marketing connor m o'brien management rebecca lin richie management john edward o'burn management megan e roach marketing rachel ruth o'hara accounting joffry zader rogeri gets carolyn l o'hara marketing michael jerald romano marketing edward ryan o'hair web development grant rozenberg accounting hayley cathleen o'neill management josh wabee rozenberg marketing leah w osborne marketing jenna carolyn marketing david c otiro finance nyara g rafino international business julia elizabeth pilari marketing joseph carl russo marketing blakesley page pomer management laura elizabeth suberg management nicole a palombo marketing shon thomas sweeney finance michael james pilata management taylor w zimblinsky marketing jonathan m panarelli management yavin m a thill marketing tess carolyn root kowsky marketing thomas j turan market of finance austin p ryan finance joshua benjamin unkrich management rose alvin st john accounting ocar a valiente marketing christina rene salifia accounting erin m viera finance honaldine marcus saldano soriano management dustin lorenz wade accounting jada bell senzaro management john new wang management christopher joseph saparito finance yuhong wang marketing jordan dean edward saunders marketing riffin t williams marketing alexander james scallion finance rachel e wiser accounting hannah r schmitt accounting new jude mohammed alzale finance michael joseph senate international business domingo berudas nicholas j sarah marketing page jonathan chateau chiaudulo marketing samuel g sherwood finance francis x dupuy finance net nathan edward sylva management kelly margaret fitz simons management volney oce and claire management megan emily green management bow alan showberg economics mary catherine rose slattery accounting james b smith management shannon claire smith international business megan a smith marketing christopher m saldo management steven sporaco marketing amanda elizabeth stalker marketing sarah elizabeth strickland accounting george s sullivan marketing matthew edward sutton marketing congratulations to the gaveli school of business class of 2018 we're getting very close to the end but hang on a couple more things it's now my pleasure to ask frankie erie reneary jr member of the class of 1999 to the lectern to welcome the class of 2018 into the alumni association congratulations class of 2018 and don't worry we're almost done good morning president courage fellow trustees distinguished honorees families friends of royal williams university and of course the great class of 2018 today is such a memorable day and i would like to begin saying how grateful i am for this opportunity i feel very honored to cherish this important time with all of you especially because a few years ago and only a few i was sitting right where you are now and i remember that day as one of the most exciting days of my life not only you are closing an important academic chapter but also today you are giving a book filled with blank pages and it is up to you to write an amazing story there your life and your life should always feel like a bestseller for you going forward you should trust yourself trust your potential and trust the skills you have learned and developed during your time here from now on your success will depend on you and your ability and a willingness to put the skills to practice but remember success in life is not only your professional business or family achievements success is much more simple it is creating a life that you love feeling passionate about what you do surrounding yourself with people you care for and contributing even small ways to making this world a better place success is not a destination but rather your whole life journey it is being able to fight for your goals stand for your belief and always pursue your dreams be yourself and be true to yourself roger williams is welcoming a new class to the alumni community and just as you will always be part of roger williams roger williams will always be part of you you will carry a part of it wherever you go the friends you made here the mentoring you received the academic knowledge and the life skills i would like to encourage you to give to get involved with roger williams alumni association maintain these connections and the friendship you have made throughout the years these are relationships that are based in the fundamentals of genuine friendships common interest similar belief multirespect and affection as time goes by and you go older you will notice that the building that building these friendships are harder and uncommon you will learn to appreciate them more with a time because they were formed with no agendas from personal experience i can say without a doubt that roger williams was and continues to be for me much more than a university during my years here it felt like a family it gave me a sense of community of diversity it reinforced my family values and made me feel safe and a part of something greater time has passed and i still preserved my very valuable friendships i have also been able to maintain my connection to roger williams by partnering with faculties here to develop programs in marine biology and ecological preservation in my hometown punta cana throughout your life skill you think about how you can stay connected to roger williams the alumni association is a great way of keeping in touch and magnesium support system from which alumni and the school can both benefit and the good news is that just by graduating today you're already part of the alumni association graduation day today and the rest of your life is around the corner now let's turn those thousands and embrace the challenge congratulations and welcome to our own community i would now like to invite the president of the class of 2018 oh shover to join us on stage to lead the turning of the tassel here he comes thank you president ferrish greetings class of 2018 it's the last greetings of the day i promise i am honored to lead you today in the tassel turn the turning of the tassel is a symbol of our graduation so as we turn our tassels let's take a moment to look back on all of the personal and academic achievements that have brought us years this day let's also take a moment to think it back on the friends the family the faculty staff whom we shared these past four years the class of 2018 please rise as a symbol of the completion of our respective degrees may please ask you in joining me from turning your tassel from right to left may i now ask the now graduates to turn and face your family and friends to accept their congratulations congratulations class of 2018 here we go hawks so give me two minutes to sit down for one second here i know we're very close i just want to add my congratulations to the class of 2018 you've heard this before but i i think it's worth saying today marks the end of one chapter of your lives but it marks the beginning of another and you enter this next chapter as well educated women and men know that we who have gathered with you today in your honor have high expectations we expect you to use your energy knowledge and talents to advance others as well as yourselves to model our core value of service we expect you to get back to your families your neighborhoods and your alma mater through your chosen professions your future work and your lifelong learning know also that with each of you fulfilling and meaningful lives as you make your mark on this world and allow me to take this opportunity to invite all of you who are here parents and friends of family to join our graduates faculty and staff for refreshments following the end of the ceremony and a complete list of the individual school receptions is in your commencement program today is armed forces day and i we pay tribute to the men and women who serve in the united states in all of the armed forces and i would ask that all of our graduates their family members and guests who are members of the armed forces or retired please stand showing me so our appreciation thank you in this spirit we invite graduates and guests to join our rotc program for the the lieutenant joseph fortin class of 2008 memorial scholarship ceremony the ceremony will begin at 130 in the alumni admissions building and is open to all on behalf of the university thank you all for joining us here today and celebrating these commencement exercises please stand and remain at your seats until all members of the recessional including our graduates have exited the tent congratulations class of 2018