Commencement Speakers: ‘You will go on to change the world in powerful ways’
KINGSTON, R.I.—May 28, 2025— While members of URI’s Class of 2025 may have graduated high school amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, missing many of the typical high school milestones, they described their college careers and their time at URI as transformative.
Student speakers Helene Tjoumakaris, Lucia Caito, Lauren Peckham, Jennifer Melgar, Joceline Rodrigues, Puja (Diya) Banerjee, Klara Nelander, Sarina Thapar and Colby Constantine each addressed their peers during the University of Rhode Island’s Commencement ceremonies, May 16-18, at the Ryan Center. They talked about perseverance, of finding themselves, of meeting new friends and mentors, and of achieving more than they thought they ever could.
Each of them expressed their love and gratitude to friends, family members, and to the family they found at URI—whether that family was found in a classroom, on a team, or in a student organization—as well as their excitement to face the future and change the world. We know that they will.
Watch their speeches.
Helene Tjoumakaris of Egg Harbor, New Jersey
College of Nursing
Lucia Caito of East Greenwich, Rhode Island
College of Arts and Sciences
Lauren Peckham of East Haddam, Connecticut
College of Health Sciences
Jennifer Melgar of Providence, Rhode Island
Feinstein College of Education
Joceline Rodrigues of Norwich, Connecticut
College of the Environment and Life Sciences
Puja (Diya) Banerjee of Agartala, Tripura, India
Graduate School of Oceanography
Klara Nelander of Malmo, Sweden
College of Business
Sarina Thapar of Monroe, New Jersey
College of Pharmacy
Colby Constantine of Leicester, Massachusetts
College of Engineering
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