Twenty-Four Newport Students Graduate from CCRI

Warwick, R.I. – May 23, 2011: The Community College of Rhode Island conferred 1,563 associate degrees and certificates at its 46th commencement on Friday, May 20, in the Vincent A. Cullen Field House at the Knight Campus in Warwick. Nearly 700 graduates participated in the commencement exercises.

Several dignitaries – among them U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressmen James Langevin and David Cicilline, Gov. Lincoln Chafee and other state officials – gave congratulations to the Class of 2011. CCRI President Ray Di Pasquale provided a snapshot of this year’s graduating class during his commencement address by highlighting several stories of outstanding students. 

“CCRI graduates are everywhere and in every walk of life. And you are a part of the college’s 47 years of rich history. You are CCRI. And we know that you will go out into the world and touch the lives of your fellow Rhode Islanders the way that so many CCRI alumni have before you,” Di Pasquale said. “As I look across the sea of faces in the graduating class, I know that this day is life-changing and that you have such marvelous opportunities ahead of you.”

Representing her class as student commencement speaker was 23-year-old Jael Acevedo of Providence, a General Business major who graduated with a 3.8 GPA and received a scholarship to continue her studies in accounting at Bryant University.

Born in the Dominican Republic, she immigrated to New York City with her parents when she was 8 years old. Despite the fact that she spoke no English at the time, her teachers thought it would be best to put her in a regular classroom and let her learn the language as she went.

Acevedo had high grades at Central High School in Providence, and her guidance counselors urged her to apply to college, but she lacked permanent residency in the United States. She graduated from high school in 2005 and, that December, learned that her petition had been accepted and she could attend college.

“The burdens that we have conquered make us unique and more capable of greatness than we know. We are resilient and built to overcome adversity. Didn’t it seem like there were so many instances where it could’ve been easier to stop? No one would have faulted us, given the circumstances. Nevertheless, here we are today. And because of this reason, we are all success stories,” Acevedo told her classmates.

She encouraged them to continue working toward their goals. “The last thing I want you to do is to settle. Remember, that you represent an institution where people are truly transformed. Therefore, you have the ability to change whatever you wish about your life. I want you to use the euphoria of this moment to seek out dreams in higher places. Too many people stop chasing dreams once they achieve one goal. It can happen so swiftly if you allow yourself to become complacent,” she said. “I know from personal experience that you always have more potential than you think. And that never stops being true. So always challenge yourself to be better and to do better – because you were built for it.”

On Thursday night, Director of Alumni Affairs Marisa Albini presented superlative-type awards to graduates who attended commencement rehearsal:

• Cheryl Ann Gaglione, a General Business graduate from Cranston, won the award for the most years of study at CCRI, where she has been a student for 34 years.
• Juliette Marie Demers, an Early Childhood Education/Child Development graduate from Warwick with seven children, was the graduate in attendance with the most children.
• Ruth Fenton, 61, an Accounting graduate from North Providence, was the oldest female graduate in attendance.
• Ted Nerek, 64, a General Studies graduate from Warwick, was the oldest male graduate in attendance.

For more information about commencement and to view student success stories, visit www.ccri.edu. A full list of graduates is available at www.ccri.edu/commencement/grads2011.html.

The Community College of Rhode Island, New England’s largest community college, has full-service campuses in Warwick, Lincoln, Providence and Newport and operates satellites in Downcity Providence and Westerly. CCRI enrolls an average of nearly 18,000 students annually in credit courses and thousands more in noncredit and workforce training classes and programs.

The following students from Newport graduated from CCRI on Friday:

*High Honors

**High Honors

***Highest Honors

Newport

Stephanie M. Andrea

Lisa Ann Bell**

Christine Cairobi Briley

Rebecca Hartley Bronk**

Karyn Lynne Burke

Alexander R. Cavanagh

Natalie Marie Coletti**

Haley Susan Cormier

Kathleen E. Dearth*

Damon G. Diomandes

Ekaterina P. Flowers

Danilka Garcia

Ryan P. Gibbs

Kerra A. Grednuk**

Joanna L. Marnell

Ian James McCamphill

Bonnie E. McConologue

Melissa A. Michalski

Patricia Ann Randall**

Angela M. Ritchie**

Vanessa M. Roper*

Siham Saouib***

Kristen M. Tilley

Karley Louise Williams*

Scott David Woolhouse Jr.