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Remarks by Karen Finn
Student Speaker, Class of 2008
May 16, 2008
Community College of Rhode Island
Commencement Address
May 16, 2008
Karen Finn, Class of 2008
Distinguished Platform Party, honored guests and the fantastic Class of 2008, my name is Karen Finn and I am honored to represent you today!
I found my experiences at CCRI to be the most challenging and rewarding of
my life so far. I am sure you will agree with me that deciding to return to
school is a difficult decision. I had received my GED back in 1971, but I
needed to work and raise a family. I had always wanted to continue my
education, but was not able to find the right time or enough money. Now, at
last thanks to this wonderful school, I have attained my Associate in Arts
degree. I am graduating with highest honors after having completed the
Honors Program headed by Professor Lynne Andreozzi-Fontaine and Professor
Karen Kortz. The CCRI faculty has enabled me, as well as you, to realize our
dreams.
I would like to thank the Math Department and especially the Math Lab for
their infinite patience with me and their willingness to teach. I spent many
a night in the Math lab and when the monitor would put a little happy face
sticker on my passing test, I can’t tell you what that would mean to me
after working so hard. We who are spatially challenged salute you!
The Human Services Department is equally fabulous. Professors Paula Marcello
and Carol Patnaude mentored me and gave me the encouragement and guidance
with CCRI’s Early Childhood and Early Intervention Internship programs. I
was able to find my career goal of early intervention through this wonderful
internship in conjunction with CCRI and URI.
I learned about cultural diversity and the deaf culture by taking classes in
American Sign Language with Professor Nancy Fuller. Her classes helped me to
understand the deaf culture and taught me signing skills that I hope to use
in the early intervention field. I also wrote a book along with my son,
Shawn, who was my illustrator, about a deaf girl and her culture which I
hope to publish so that young children will learn about deaf culture.
The faculty at CCRI is phenomenal! They understand the plight of the
nonconventional student who may have been away from school for a long time.
They are very helpful and understanding. The convenient class schedules
include days, nights and weekend classes and are affordable, too. I was able
to go to three of the four campuses accessible throughout the state. The
book loans, scholarships and class affordability are also much appreciated
in these tough economic times.
As an older student, changing my career was a bit intimidating, but my
experience at CCRI proved to be so rewarding that I am going on to URI to
pursue my bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education.
For you who have now met this challenge and attained your Associate Degree I
say congratulations to you, Class of 2008! You have worked hard and studied
long. I know! And for those of you who will continue on in your educational
pursuits, I say don’t give up! Knowledge is power! Don’t let anything or
anyone stop you from your academic goal. It is hard work, but anything worth
doing is!
Just look what you have accomplished so far. You have come to this college
and climbed that cardiac hill (oh my!) day after day, or night after night.
You have spent long hours, poring over books and typing up papers. Did you
believe you could do it? Well, Class of 2008, you have!
As you may notice, I love this college. I love it for all it stands for. It
stands for the hard working people of Rhode Island both young and old. It is
a place of opportunity and hope which is our state motto. As I mentioned I
love this school, but a school is only a building. It is the students that
give it value. I salute you, Class of 2008! Congratulations to you!
Karen Finn
Class of 2008
Community College of Rhode Island
