When the Community College of Rhode Island celebrates its 61st Commencement on Tuesday, May 12, at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, the student body will be represented by a speaker who knows a thing or two about finding the right words.

Meet 21-year-old Omar Benitez Jr., a World Languages major from Central Falls, R.I., who is ready to take the stage and share his inspiring journey.

Like many college students, Benitez’s path to the graduation stage wasn't a straight line. He originally arrived at CCRI in the fall of 2022 with dreams of becoming an orthopedic doctor. But two years into his studies, he realized he needed to reevaluate his goals and that his heart was pulling him in a different direction. It was a pivotal conversation with his mother that helped him chart a new course.

“My mom was the one who told me, ‘Do what you want to do. Don’t do it because I’m telling you to do it, or because of pressure. Do what you want to do,’” Benitez recalled.

Taking her advice to heart, he decided to start fresh in 2024 as a World Languages major with a concentration in French. A self-proclaimed "fanatic of languages since middle school," Benitez finally realized his lifelong passion actually could be a sustainable career. Discovering career paths like professional interpreting changed everything for him.

“That really made me really open my eyes and commit to this, because it’s something I’m passionate about and really want to dedicate a lot of my time to," he said. "It opens up your eyes to a new perspective, a new way of thinking, and how to approach speaking to someone.”

Today, Benitez is fluent in English, Spanish, and French, and is actively working toward fluency in Korean, Japanese, and his personal favorite to speak, Brazilian Portuguese. He even has his sights set on eventually mastering Egyptian Arabic, a niche language he hopes to one day "try and dance with".

After graduating, he will transfer to the University of Rhode Island this fall through the Joint Admissions Agreement to pursue his bachelor's degree in French. His short-term goal is to work as a medical interpreter at Rhode Island Hospital, with a long-term, ambitious dream of interpreting for the United Nations.

“Obviously, that would take a lot of experience,” he said. “However, I believe I have what it takes to pursue it and, day by day, work hard at it so I can achieve it.”

Despite his command of so many languages, the idea of delivering the commencement address was initially intimidating for the self-described introvert, who admitted that "public speaking is scary". But with some urging from his classmates, he accepted the nomination and pushed his own boundaries.

He was relaxing and playing video games when the final email arrived confirming he had been selected. Naturally, Benitez immediately ran downstairs to share the surreal, exciting news with his biggest supporter: his mom.

When Benitez looks out at the crowd at the Amica Mutual Pavilion next Tuesday, his goal is to make sure his fellow graduates feel seen and celebrated for every hurdle they've overcome.

“I want to make it about them," Benitez said. "I want to tell them, ‘I see you. You made it to this stage. You’re wearing your cap and your gown. You have your degree in your hands because you’ve worked so hard to get here, you had to sacrifice a lot and balance a lot.’

“I want to say, ‘I see you, and I applaud you, and I’m proud of you, and I can’t wait for us to start this next chapter of our lives.’”