Commencement 2025: Your guide to URI’s 2025 Commencement weekend
KINGSTON, R.I. – May 13, 2025 – Up to 40,000 people will converge on the University of Rhode Island’s Kingston Campus from Friday, May 16, through Sunday, May 18, for three days of Commencement ceremonies. Family and friends will mark the achievements of more than 3,300 undergraduate and graduate students.
URI will honor graduates during eight individual college-based ceremonies at the Thomas M. Ryan Center. Each ceremony will feature a student commencement speaker and will recognize both undergraduate and graduate degree candidates from their respective colleges.
The University will also confer an honorary degree upon Steven Feinberg, executive director of the Rhode Island Film and Television Office, for his work as a filmmaker, a champion of the arts, and an advocate for Rhode Island. He will be honored at the University’s College of Arts and Sciences ceremony Friday, May 16, at 2 p.m. with an honorary Doctor of Letters.
The new commencement schedule and format was introduced last year to better celebrate graduates and provide an enhanced and inclusive experience for graduates, families, and friends. It follows a successful December commencement ceremony during which more than 550 undergraduate and graduate students who had completed degree requirements during the fall semester were celebrated.
Here’s what else you should know about this year’s Commencement:
Spring 2025 Commencement schedule
Friday, May 16
10 a.m., College of Nursing
2 p.m., College of Arts and Sciences
Saturday, May 17
9 a.m., College of Health Sciences
2 p.m., Feinstein College of Education
5 p.m., College of the Environment and Life Sciences and Graduate School of Oceanography
Sunday, May 18
9 a.m., College of Business
1 p.m., College of Pharmacy
5 p.m., College of Engineering
How many students will graduate this weekend?
This weekend, URI will confer 3,515 degrees (3,126 undergraduate and 389 graduate degrees) upon 3,370 graduates. Some students will earn multiple degrees.
What are their ages?
Students range in age from 20 to 77. URI’s oldest and youngest undergraduate students to receive degrees are 63 and 20, respectively. Among graduate students, the youngest student to be awarded a graduate degree is 21, while the oldest is 77.
Where are the graduates from?
URI students come from all over the United States and the globe, representing 40 states and 22 countries.
Among the undergraduates, about 49% are from Rhode Island, 15% are from Massachusetts, and about 10% are from Connecticut.
Who are the student speakers?
This year, there will be nine student speakers representing the schools and colleges: Colby Constantine, Lucia Caito, Lauren Peckham, Jennifer Melgar, Klara Nelander, Puja “Diya” Banerjee, Joceline Rodrigues, Sarina Thapar, and Helene Tjoumakaris.
Other interesting notes about the graduating class
The University will graduate 60 military veterans this year – 54 undergraduates and 6 graduate students.
The Class of 2025 also includes 20 sets of twins.
Can I watch the ceremony online?
The University will offer live broadcasts of all ceremonies online.
Members of the media who are scheduled to cover the event should be in touch with Dawn Bergantino at URI Communications and Marketing no later than Thursday, May 15, at 3 p.m. Credentials will be needed to enter the Ryan Center.
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