Community College of Rhode IslandCCRI’s 40th class: 1,312 grads celebrate success, bright futures
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Speaker's message to grads: "Why not you?"
Harvard graduate and former CCRI student Jorge Elorza served as commencement speaker at the 40th commencement of the Community College of Rhode Island, Friday, May 20, 2005, when 1,312 students received Associate in Arts, Associate in Fine Arts, Associate in Science, Associate in Applied Science and Associate in Applied Science in Technical Studies degrees and one-year certificates at the ceremony. The latest class will bring the CCRI’s total number of graduates to more than 50,000 over the college’s 40 years of operation.
Governor Donald J. Carcieri and Congressman Patrick Kennedy were among those who offered greetings to the graduates.
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In introducing the commencement speaker, CCRI President Thomas D. Sepe referred to Elorza as a “tremendous role model.” Elorza began his higher education career at CCRI, then transferred to URI where he graduated summa cum laude. After graduation, he worked on Wall Street for a time before deciding to do something more meaningful with his career. That was when he applied and was accepted to Harvard Law School. Elorza currently works as a staff attorney for Rhode Island Legal Services, and has accepted a position as a Roger Williams University law professor beginning this fall.
Elorza shared his search for a meaningful career with the audience, and then challenged them to adopt a “Why not me?” attitude for themselves: “Why not me? Why can’t I be the first in my family to graduate college? Why can’t I be the number one graduate in my college class?.... CCRI Class of 2005, there’s nothing stopping you! Someone in this world has to be successful. Why not you?”
In delivering the annual Charge to the Graduates, President Sepe asked them not only to recognize the role models in their lives, but to become role models in other people’s lives. “Be that person by word and deed who sends the message: I am here for you. I believe in you,” he said.
Sepe also renewed his guarantee that the Class of 2005 is competent in their courses of studies, and pledged that any employer or college who disagrees with this assessment may request that the student repeat a CCRI course free-of-charge. “In the five years I have offered this guarantee, I have not once had to use it,” he said.
Singing the national anthem at the ceremony was CCRI music student and naturalized citizen Chantal Boutros of North Kingstown, whose father, Farak “Frank” Boutros, was deported last year for entering the country 20 years ago on an illegal passport. The Boutros family, which owns Little Country Pizza in Exeter, is actively working to bring the elder Boutros back to America.
Grand marshal for the event, Professor of Mathematics Edward Madonna
carried the Florence K. Murray mace. The mace was designed by Alfredo
Sciarrotta of Newport and displayed at CCRI’s first inauguration in 1965.
Professor of Nursing Doris Fournier served as faculty marshal, leading the
colorful faculty procession. Madonna has taught at CCRI for 39 years, while
Fournier has taught at the college for 36 years.
