Class of 2025 inspired to put their mercy mission in motion at 75th Commencement
Salve Regina University conferred 508 bachelor’s degrees to the Class of 2025 during its 75th Commencement, held May 18, on its oceanside campus. A separate ceremony was held for recipients of graduate degrees – 206 master’s degrees, 18 doctoral degrees and 11 Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees – on May 15.
In an energetic, relatable and inspiring keynote address, former White House chief speechwriter for President Barack Obama, Cody Keenan, spoke to the graduates about the importance of discovering their sense of purpose, worldview and family. He offered three pieces of advice to help them navigate life after Salve. “Find your people and dream up cool stuff with them, make people’s lives better, not worse, and with compassion and conviction, humor and joy, boundless faith and relentless hope, never, ever stop moving forward.”
Referencing Salve’s focus on its mercy mission, he urged the graduates to “be proud to fight for the hungry, for the sick, for the stranger, for this planet, for each other. People will follow your example. And as long as you don’t give up, neither will they.”
Keenan wrote alongside Obama for 14 years, rising from a campaign intern in Chicago to White House chief speechwriter and Obama’s post-presidential collaborator. Together, Keenan and Obama crafted some of the most unforgettable speeches of our time. From a sermon in Selma, Alabama, to Obama’s farewell address, the two redefined the essence of the American creed and charted an inspiring, optimistic course for a new generation’s active citizenship.
Keenan was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. The University also awarded honorary degrees to Tiziana C. Dearing, host of WBUR’s “Morning Edition” and to Kasim J. Yarn, director of the State of Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services.
Dearing was the first female president of Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Boston and ran a foundation focused on breaking generational cycles of poverty in Boston. She came to journalism after a career spanning academia and management consulting. Salve awarded Dearing an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Yarn is a retired lieutenant commander who served the nation for 20 years and in addition to his role as a member of the Governor’s cabinet, is a faculty member at the Naval War College. Salve awarded Yarn an honorary Doctor of International Relations degree.
In her address, Dr. Kelli J. Armstrong, president of the University, spoke to the constancy of Salve’s culture, the essential elements derived from its mercy mission that make the University special: kindness, service to others and valuing each and every person. As an example of the latter, Armstrong noted, “We may be the only campus in America where the head of the Young Republicans and the head of the Young Democrats are roommates.”
She went on to say, “At its heart, Salve is about caring more for the collective good of this community than our own individual gain, and the Class of 2025 is the embodiment of that collective good. Every new leader, every new class leaves their mark on the community and is essential to both preserving the best of Salve while also pushing it to be better.”
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee and Newport Mayor Charlie Holder delivered brief remarks and congratulations to the graduates.
Jenna Martin, valedictorian of the 2025 undergraduate class, referenced connections between Salve’s unique Newport location and the graduates’ own journeys in her address. “The back terrace of Ochre Court may resemble the bow of a ship poised for voyage, but it stands still overlooking the open ocean: a reminder that the greatest journeys do not begin with staggering motion, but with a moment of stillness.”
She further reflected, “One of the greatest lessons I am leaving Salve with is this: staying grounded, in our community, in our compassion and in our calling, is what best prepares us to one day set sail.”