KINGSTON, R.I. – April 30, 2025 – Among the numerous speakers graduates will hear from during the University of Rhode Island’s spring commencement weekend, none may be more meaningful to them than those who have shared the journey with them, literally or figuratively.

Last spring, as the University rolled out a new commencement format instituting individual ceremonies for each academic college, student speakers were included in each commencement, sharing their individual, and often universal, experiences. This month – as URI celebrates the achievements of about 3,300 graduate and undergraduate degree recipients – student commencement speakers will again be a big part of the pomp and circumstance in the eight ceremonies during commencement weekend, May 16-18. All ceremonies will be held in the Ryan Center on the Kingston Campus.  

This spring’s student commencement speakers are: Puja (Diya) Banerjee, Lucia Caito, Colby Constantine, Jennifer Melgar, Klara Nelander, Lauren Peckham, Joceline Rodrigues, Sarina Thapar, and Helene Tjoumakaris.

Helene Tjoumakaris, a nursing major from Egg Harbor, New Jersey, will address the first celebration of the weekend–the College of Nursing commencement at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 16. After graduation, Tjoumakaris will return home to take the National Council Licensure Examination and start her job as a trauma ICU nurse in Atlantic City.

“Addressing my fellow graduates is both an honor and a privilege,” she said. “Each of us has our own story of how we chose this path and I am grateful to have been chosen to share mine. Nursing school challenged us and brought us together, and I’m proud to celebrate all we’ve accomplished as a class. As someone who grew up doing theatre, it feels like a full-circle moment to be ending my academic career on stage with a speech.”

Lucia Caito of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, who will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in human development and family science, will address the College of Arts and Sciences ceremony on May 16 at 2 p.m. 

“We’re graduating college at a time marked by great unpredictability and rapid change. As we approach this threshold, I want my fellow graduates to feel committed to listening to others with empathy,” said Caito, who will pursue a master’s degree in couple and family therapy next fall at URI.

On Saturday, May 17, Lauren Peckham of East Haddam, Connecticut, will address the College of Health Sciences ceremony at 9 a.m. Peckham, who will graduate with degrees in psychology, criminology/criminal justice, and political science, will attend Quinnipiac University School of Law on full scholarship after graduation.

“This chance to address my fellow graduates is more than just giving a speech–it’s an opportunity to share the wisdom passed down to me by the incredible mentors and people who’ve shaped my journey,” she said. “It’s a chance to carry forward the lessons I’ve learned, especially from Maureen McDermott, whose impact on my life continues to guide me. It’s also a moment to encourage reflection: to inspire my peers to pause and appreciate how far they’ve come and to honor the people and experiences that helped them get there.”

Jennifer Melgar of Providence, who majored in elementary education with minors in psychology and human development and family science, will address the Feinstein College of Education ceremony at 2 p.m. After URI, she will go on to teach in elementary school and pursue a master’s degree in human development and family science.

“Graduation to me is a declaration of possibility. It’s proof that despite every obstacle, I belong in this space,” she said. “It’s a promise to my students that their identity is something to be celebrated, not hidden. When I walk across that stage, I am walking not just for myself, but for every child who’s ever felt unseen in the classroom. I’m walking as a multicultural educator who is committed to building bridges, breaking barriers, and being the kind of teacher I once needed.”

Joceline Rodrigues and Puja (Diya) Banerjee will each address the commencement for the graduates of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences and the Graduate School of Oceanography on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Rodrigues of Norwich, Connecticut, a first-generation student who immigrated to the U.S. from Praia, Cape Verde, will graduate with degrees in biology and sociology. After time off, she plans to apply to medical school. But first, she will use her gap years to gain research and clinical experience while traveling.

“Graduation for me is powerful. I am doing something my mother didn’t have the opportunity to do,” Rodrigues said. “Graduating for me is showing that hope can take you far. My mom immigrated from Cape Verde as a single mother with four children at age 38. She was constantly faced with barriers. For me, getting up on that stage isn’t just me graduating, it’s the manifestation of my mother’s sacrifices. It is also the manifestation of the love that the rest of my family has poured into me.”

Banerjee, who is from Agartala, a city in the Indian state of Tripura, will be graduating with a Ph.D. in oceanography from the GSO, and plans to pursue a career where she can apply her research, data analysis, and project management skills beyond academia. 

She says graduation is the culmination of years of hard work, resilience, and constant pursuit of knowledge. “Although it certainly feels like a sudden void, especially when you’ve been working towards a goal for so long, it also gives us the courage to step into new challenges and embrace new dreams,” she added. “Graduation reminds us that every ending is also a beginning, filled with new opportunities to redefine ourselves and our paths.”  

Klara Nelander of Malmo, Sweden, who is graduating with a degree in finance while also playing on the URI tennis team, will address College of Business graduates on Sunday, May 18, at 9 a.m. She plans on taking a gap year to “explore the different areas of finance and travel” before applying to graduate school.

“Having the opportunity to address my fellow graduates is super exciting and truly an honor,” said Nelander. “My time at URI has shaped me into the person I am today, and being able to share some of the things I’ve learned feels like a way of giving back to a community that has meant so much to me. Coming in as a freshman four years ago, I never could’ve imagined myself doing this today, and I’m hoping to inspire everyone that you’re truly able to do anything you set your mind to.”

Sarina Thapar of Monroe, New Jersey, who will graduate with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, will address the College of Pharmacy ceremonies on Sunday at 1 p.m. After graduation, she will join Cencora as a pharmacovigilance, epidemiology, and risk management specialist.

“Graduation is a time to celebrate and reflect on all our hard work throughout the sleepless nights, years of dedication to our studies, and creating lifetime friendships,” said Thapar. “I hope everyone listening to my speech can take away that this is just the beginning. The path to learning is never-ending. Health care is ever-evolving, and we are the backbone of the future.”

On Sunday evening, Colby Constantine of Leicester, Massachusetts, who will graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering with a minor in pharmaceutical manufacturing, will speak to College of Engineering graduates at 5 p.m.  After graduation, he will pursue a Ph.D. in chemical engineering at the University of Delaware, with plans to become a research and development scientist focusing on the next generation of therapeutics that can reach currently untreatable diseases by overcoming the limitations of current drug-delivery technologies.

“Graduation is a celebration of growth, whether that be academic, personal, and/or professional,” he said. “It represents not only the culmination of years of hard work, but also the start of a journey where we get to use our skills to make a real difference in the world.”

To learn more about URI’s Commencement Weekend or to view a full schedule of ceremonies, visit: uri.edu/commencement/.