The retired NBC News anchor says he looks upon the graduates with a "renewed sense of awe, humility and envy."

09:02 AM EDT on Monday, May 16, 2005

BY KAREN A. DAVIS
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- The Providence College 87th annual commencement ceremony yesterday marked the end of one era, and a time to forge a new one.

Journal photo / Kathy Borchers

Tom Anderson, of Medford, N.H., waves to his parents during Providence College's 87th annual commencement, at the Dunkin' Donuts Center yesterday.

There were accolades for the Most Rev. Philip A. Smith, who is retiring next month after 11 years as the school's president.

There was praise and promise for the 1,260 graduates, who marched into the Dunkin' Donuts Center.

And there was the keynote address by Tom Brokaw, the former NBC Nightly News anchor who stepped down in December after more than 20 years at the job.

George L. Catrambone, president of the senior class, told the graduates that their degree was more than just a piece of paper, but rather "a mirror, a reflection of ourselves" and everything that went into obtaining it.

Mayor David N. Cicilline praised the school for its partnership with the city, including its Feinstein Center for Public Service, which places student volunteers throughout the community.

Brokaw began by telling the graduates that though he had visited Providence in the past, this was the first time he met Cicilline, who shared the platform stage with college administrators, instructors, honorary degree recipients and Governor Carcieri.

Conversely, he had met the city's former Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. on many occasions as a journalist and had expected "Buddy" to meet him at the airport, Brokaw quipped.

Instead, Brokaw said he learned that Cianci "had taken advantage of a federal housing program in another state," referring to Cianci's imprisonment on charges of corruption in city government.

The veteran journalist and author told the graduates that he looked upon them with a "renewed sense of awe, humility and envy."

Awe -- in the way that college campuses exist as places where people of various backgrounds, religions, beliefs and ideals are able to mingle and learn.

Humility -- in the sacrifices made by those who supported the graduates, so that they could achieve this milestone.

And, envy -- of everything the students will take with them, as they depart from Providence College, including friendships and fellowships, their youth and potential to blaze a trail.

"You have been hearing it all of your life. . . . That this is it: your first big step into the real world," Brokaw said. "Life isn't college. Life isn't high school. Life is junior high: The world you're about to enter is filled with junior-high adolescent pettiness, pubescent rivalries, the insecurities of 13-year-olds and the false bravado of 14-year-olds.

"Forty years from now, I guarantee this, you'll still be making silly mistakes, having temper tantrums, having your feelings hurt for some trivial slight, saying something dumb, lose your car keys and glasses every single day and be wondering, 'Will I ever grow up?' "

Brokaw advised the graduates to be young in their passions, but mature in their relationships with others.

He also told them that they are both the Class of 2005 and the Class of 9/11 -- having probably entered college around the same time as the September 2001 terrorists attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

In remembering those who have sacrificed and helped them, Brokaw implored the graduates to remember their peers, the soldiers who are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan to maintain security in the United States.

He also detailed the struggles of what he called "the Greatest Generation," those who sacrificed and battled during World War II, so that the country would be a better place.

"We cannot simply pretend . . . because there has not been another 9/11, that the world is the same place it once was," Brokaw said. "We are not near the end of the epic struggle between the Western ideal of rule of law, tolerance, pluralism and modernity, and the crazed advocates of a distorted vision of Islam. . . . We cannot wish away the complex set of conditions that fuel a rage."

As they leave PC in pursuit of their own dreams, Brokaw told the graduates to try to imagine the dreams of others and "don't apologize for what you have or what you believe in, but get to know what they don't have and why.

"Take the lead in establishing . . . a common ground of appreciation and understanding, a shared destiny of self-determination and economic opportunity," he said. "See the ancient Arab culture as something much more than a pipeline from their natural riches to our gas tanks."

Brokaw warned that the task would not be easy.

"There is no delete button for intolerance and no insert button for understanding," he said. "This new technology that we take so much for granted and defines your generation is a transformational tool, but as a tool it is really only an extension of your head and your heart.

"It will do us little good if we wire the world if we limit our vision. It will do us little good if we wire the world but short-circuit our souls," Brokaw said. "No, the world still requires personal, hands-on, be-brave, speak-out courage."

Smith, the outgoing president, received the Veritas Medal -- the highest honor bestowed by the school -- for his "lifelong pursuit of truth and for the enrichment that pursuit of truth has brought to the college."

It marked only the 14th time the medal was bestowed since its inception in 1960.

Smith also received a class ring from the graduating class.

Honorary degrees were awarded to five recipients: Brokaw received a doctorate of public service; Doris A. Sable Burke, a PC grad and TV analyst and reporter for ESPN, received a doctorate of humanities; the Rev. Dominic D. Izzo, chair of the Providence College Corp., received a doctorate of divinity; Brown President Ruth J. Simmons received a doctorate of humane letters; and Robert E. White, president of the Center for International Policy, received a doctorate in political science.

The graduates are:

Bachelor of Arts

Diana Afonso

Alesandra Almon

Jennifer Bailey*

Susan Bayly*

Katherine Boehnert*

Douglas Botelho

Melissa Bowler*

Derek Calandrelli

Karissa Carpinelli

Kayla Celani**

Julie Conway

Kerri-Ann DaFonseca

Peter Daley*

Rebecca DiGregorio*

Stacey DonFrancesco**

Patrick Donohue

Kimberly Dubuc*

Ryan Durkay

Kara Eaton**

Jordan Gagnon

Michelle Goddard

Adrianna Goode

Caitlin Gorman

Benjamin Grace**

Hilary Greaves

Stephen Gruppioni*

James Hagan

Caitlin Higgins

Erika Hoffman

Alex Howland*

Matthew Izzi*

Adrienne Johnson*

Alexis Johnson

Sean Johnston

Meghan Kane*

Kaj Kayij**

Victoria Klibanoff*

Keri Kozlowski**

Alyson Laferriere

Emily Laliberte

Alexander Laorenza

Katie Latimer

Lauren Lenox*

Dadriana Lepore*

Gayle Malachowski*

Karla Marashio*

Kelly Martins

William McAvoy

Caitlin McElroy

Jennifer Medeiros

Jose Moreno**

Katharine Mountain**

Daniel Nunes*

Richard Porcelli Jr.

Stacey Prefontaine

Paul Ritter

Nicole Rodger

Ashley Rose

Luke Salvatore*

Michael San Antonio

Caitlyn Sheehan***

Soutthiphong Singharath

Kate Souza*

Michael St. Thomas**

Timothy Sweet*

Jill Szaro**

John Tang

Jessica Vieira

Geoffrey Votta

Kaitlyn Wroblewski***

Bachelor of Science

Oluwaseun Akinrimisi

Zubia Alam*

Thomas Beverly

Melanie Britto*

Peter Calestino*

Christopher Chaput

Christopher Civittolo

Coral Cohen*

Jonathan Constantine

Nicole Cotsoridis

Nicole Cournoyer*

John Cronan III

Gianni Del Signore

Patrick Duffy

Sarah Gaskin

Beth Hammontree

Matthew Harms

Andrew Hayes

Jessica Izzi*

Melissa Lawler*

Carolyn Lubrano*

Patrick Marois*

Jonathan Matrullo**

Sara Medeiros**

Alison Millette***

Caitlin Mullen

Elizabeth Mulligan

Jeffrey Nelson

Alison Nicoletti

Michael O'Callahan

Richard Pedro

Michael Pezza

Sounivone Phanthavong

Julie Pitassi

Jonathon Pouliot*

Caitlin Reynolds**

Sabrina Rihani*

Steven Rougas**

Gregory Rzepecki

Joseph Solomon

John Switzer

Jonathan Tabela

Stephanie Tecun**

Andrew Thompson

Gregg Treml

Andrea Welsh**

Robyn Wing***

Courtney Wolstencroft

Keeley Wray**

Benjamin Zampello***

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Master of Arts in History

Russell Aucoin

Brian Bucacci

Michael Buckley

Erik Chaput

Christine Douris

Zachary Farrell

Lindsay Garfield

Andrew Leys

Scott McNulty

Michael Orlandi

Michael Pierce

Ryan Remley

Thomas Richardson

Jorge Rocha

Angus Ross

Sean Wharton

Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics

Keri Catalfomo

Liliana Dan

Kerri Dubord

Linda Ferreira

Michael Gendice

John Hardiman

Nicholas Horne

Candi Parrillo

David Sylvestre

Jeffrey Taylor

Valerie Washburn

Master of Arts in Theology

Gregory Albanese

Linda Bardsley

Sandra Bisceglio

Thomas Fava

Debra Garceau-Mc Garry

Lori Lavigne

David Martinez

Timothy Reid

Stephen Risi

Andrew Tardiff

Master of Business Administration

Mark Abate

David Antunes

Samuel Awa

William Benell

Kenneth Berryman Jr.

Paul Carreiro

Suzanne Castro

Erin Cunningham

Timothy Curran

Chaka Daley

Christopher Earnshaw

Robin Erban

Salvatore Federico

Jennifer Gobeil

Peter Gobis III

Michael Goulet

Aaron Holzinger

Kristin Hughes

Tammy Keyes

Kevin Kornobis

Joseph Laster

Jennifer Mardo

Michelle Martineau

Cara Millett

Michael Murphy

Mark Parry

Diana Pozzi

Patrick Prendergast

Patricia Reilly

Steven Sabo

Elizabeth Salmani

Adam Sutton

Michael Tetreault

Joseph Tremblay

Dana Williams

Ronnie Zaloumis

Thomas Zipp Jr.

Master of Education

Risca Abbruzzese

Sandy Amaral

Robin Anderson

Michaela Apice

Laura Areson

Sherry Atkinson

Paula Avena

Kathleen Baker

Kimberly Bannister

Charlene Barbieri

Susan Bellino

Melissa Bellotti

Susan Belsito

R. Benn

Fran Blaess

Laura Blecharczyk

Choy-Lang Bontrager

Eric Bosworth

Amy Brennan

James Briggs

Kristen Brown-Clark

Laurie Bucci

Lisa Buehne

Jessie Butash

Brian Cabral

Karen Calabro

Leonard Cambra Jr.

Erika Cannon

Stephanie Capraro

Nilda Caraballo

Edda Carmadello

David Cesaro

Melissa Chenail

Daniela Ciccone

Joseph Coffey

Jennifer Coletta

Danielle Corsi

Linda Cutright-Jackson

Robin DaCosta

Linda DaPonte

Katherine Defreitas

Jayne Desmond

Nicole DiFilippo

Colleen Dopart

Shana Dupre

Carol Dzialo

Ryan Earley

Jeanine Echevarria

Maureen Eldridge

Bethany Ellis

Nicole Estrella

Lisa Gershkoff

Stephen Gielczyk

Maria Gobis

Tracy Goddard

Adele Granieri

Allynn Grantham

Melissa Greengrass

Susan Halvarson

Jennifer Harrison

Sheryl Hopkins

Jennifer Howard

Marissa Iacono

Rebecca Iannuccilli

Linda Jenner

Theodore Johnson

Carolyn Johnston

Timothy Kane

Alaina Kayata

Julia King

Linda Kuras

Caron LaFlamme

Barbara Lardner

Kathleen Lemay

Lynn Leone

Jane Lewis

Monica Lucey

William Lyman

Myra Maini

Christine Martin

Silvia Martinez

Jennifer McCurdy

Cynthia McLellan

Mary Mello

Cheryl Merola

Erin Metivier

John Mitrelis

Sara Monaco

Wendy Morin

Holly Mulholland

Tina Murphy-Reynolds

Alyssa Nadeau

Kim Napolitano

Michaela Normandin

Orla O'Mahoney

Kathleen O'Neil

Gail O'Rourke

Elizabeth Pagano

Bethanie Parenteau

Elizabeth Parrott

Diana Passaretta-Izzi

Maureen Philbin

Jill Phillips

Robert Picard

James Pierce

Nancy Pimental

Charlene Pino

Gina Piscopiello

Jennifer Poli

Joseph Potemri

Jennifer Prior

Veronica Procopio

Nancy Pyle

Olivia Queenan

Lynn Renaud

John Robidoux

Shannon Rogers

Julie Sandin

Laurie Santopietro

John Self Jr.

Heidi Seubert

Melissa Sherman

Lianne Skitt

Jeffrey Smith

Vanessa Soito

Sheila Stewart

Lin Taing

Irene Tellier

Mark Terrell

Cheryl Thibodeau

Jessica Valcourt

Kerri Valentine

Elizabeth Vetromile

David Walsh

Joseph Wargo

David Watterson

Ami Widman

Andrew Wiza

Kimberly-Ann Zona

SCHOOL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts

Scott Bailey

Gerald Blasi

Lori Bridges

Beth Cameron

Phyllis Cardullo

Marie Casavant

Jill Corey

Mary Ann Dailey***

Sandra DaMoura

Stacey DaSilva*

Elizabeth Dean

Heidi Dexter

Raquel Donnelly

Erin Early

Michelle Fleury

Brigid Kennedy

Cathy Levesque-Gilbert

Ann Lombardo

Tara Mancini

Christine Marrapese

Carol Marsella

Janet Masso***

Francis McEachern

Kristen Michel

Maria Montaquila**

Thomas Nerney III***

Cheryl Picard

Jennifer Plouffe

Lisa Previte

Timothy Rand

Rene' Robichaud

Irene Russo

Erin Salvato

Tracy Shields

Edward Siryaporn

Susan Staniorski

Donna Surtel

Priscilla Terry***

Rebecca Tondreau

Ann VanOrsouw

Sharon Vrendenburg

Gregory Woodward

Bachelor of Science

Albina Boyle

Hollie Capuano

Tijan Cham

Madonna Charland-Thompson

Eileen Corcoran

Gloria DeCilio

Patrick Donnelly

Humphrey Donnelly IV**

Brian Dugan

Lisa Evora

Robert Folan

Solomon Horwitz

Nancy Kelley***

Claude Laflamme

Judith Laughrey

Courtney Medeiros

Keith Nickelson

Bruce O'Reilly

Robyn Prentiss**

Garrison Roberts

Robert Rock

Robert Schloss

Joan Silva

Susan Strangis

Ann Strong**

Shyley Waterman

Pangchao Xiong

Associate of Arts

Joseph Albergo

Thomas Miller

Pauline F. Siebens

Blanche Spindell

Associate of Science

Kerri-Ann Morrison

Rene' Robichaud

*** -- summa cum laude

** -- magna cum laude

* -- cum laude

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