CCRI Celebrates its 60th Commencement with Powerful Speeches, Generational Milestones, and a Proud Legacy of Alumni

05/16/2025

PROVIDENCE, RI — On Thursday, May 15, 2025, the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) celebrated a milestone achievement: its 60th Commencement Ceremony. Held at the Amica Mutual Pavilion, the event marked the culmination of CCRI’s year-long diamond anniversary celebration and was a stirring tribute to six decades of transformation, opportunity, and achievement for Rhode Islanders.

More than 1,000 graduates crossed the stage to receive their degrees and certificates, cheered on by over 5,000 family members, friends, faculty, and alumni in a day filled with pride, emotion, and inspiration.

This year’s commencement was especially meaningful as it was presided over by CCRI Interim President Dr. Rosemary Costigan, a 1978 alumna and the first-generation college student to lead the college. Drawing on her own experience and the enduring spirit of the college, Dr. Costigan delivered a powerful address anchored in the words of Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

“This moment—the cap, the gown, the walk across the stage—might have once felt out of reach,” Costigan told the Class of 2025. “But today, you’ve done it. And it’s more than a personal victory—it’s proof of your perseverance, your strength, and your belief in something better.”

Throughout her remarks, Costigan honored the diversity, resilience, and promise of CCRI students, highlighting several whose stories reflect the college’s mission:

• Jalen Rodriguez, who is blind and the first in his family to graduate college, representing the determination of first-generation students.
• Kelly Grace, a returning adult learner who made the honor roll and was recently accepted to Brown University.
• Luke St. Goddard, an RI Promise student who earned his degree debt-free and will transfer to URI this fall.

To each, and to the entire graduating class, Costigan said, “You belong. You belong in rooms where decisions are made. You belong at tables where change begins. And you belong in every space where leadership, imagination, and compassion are needed.”

The celebration included remarks from Governor Daniel McKee, who praised the college’s impact on Rhode Island’s educational and workforce landscape. Distinguished guests included CCRI alumni Lt. Governor Sabrina Matos, General Treasurer James Diossa, and RI State Representative Cherie Cruz, and Council on Postsecondary Education Chair David Caprio.

In a heartfelt, full-circle moment, two members of CCRI’s very first graduating class, Sondra (Ahlijian) Pitts and Anne Riccitelli, participated in the ceremony. Both women graduated in 1966 when the college was known as Rhode Island Junior College. Riccitelli, now based in New York, went on to a successful career in television and public relations, and has served on international advisory boards and studied peacebuilding at the United Nations.

The student commencement speakers, Aileth Castillo Ramos and Pasquale Camastro, added emotional depth and authenticity to the program.

Ramos, who emigrated from the Dominican Republic in 2023 and joined CCRI through its Accelerate dual enrollment program, spoke of perseverance and writing her own story. “I applied. I was accepted. And today, I stand before you as a proud graduate,” she said.

Camastro, a former All-State football player who struggled with dyslexia, reflected on his personal growth and renewed purpose at CCRI. “Though I now recognize this curiosity had always been a part of me, it was CCRI that brought it to light,” said Camastro, who will continue his studies at George Washington University.

In closing the ceremony, Dr. Costigan reminded graduates: “This isn’t just a celebration—it’s a legacy. You are the 60th graduating class of the Community College of Rhode Island. You carry with you not just a degree, but the heart of this college, the strength of your journey, and the power to shape what comes next.”

The event concluded with the formal conferring of degrees and a welcome from Jeffrey Wright, President of the CCRI Alumni Association and a 2008 graduate, who invited the newest alumni to join a proud community of more than 82,000 strong.

Share on Social Media