2022 Commencement Weekend

Show Notes

eek’s podcast, we celebrate the Providence College Class of 2022 with a selection of remarks and addresses from a weekend series of events on May 21, 21, and 22. Speakers include Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P., the college’s president; baccalaureate commencement speaker Val Ackerman '20Hon., the commissioner of the BIG EAST Conference; and the Honorable Maureen McKenna Goldberg ’73, ’09Hon., a Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice who addressed graduate program and School of Continuing Education graduates.

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Creators & Guests

Producer

Chris Judge

Multimedia and Live Event Producer

What is Providence College Podcast?

The Providence College Podcast features interviews with interesting members of the Friar Family. These in-depth conversations with PC students, Dominicans, faculty, staff, and alumni provide a rich look into the lives of noteworthy Friars. Occasionally we will also bring you on-campus lectures and presentations. Go Friars!

00;00;00;25 - 00;00;29;07
Joseph Carr
Welcome to the Providence College Podcast. My name is Joe Carp. Today we will relive commencement weekend 20, 22 through the words of the speakers who inspired us at a series of ceremonies and events celebrating those who earn Providence College degrees. As members of this class Let us begin with Friday night's on campus commencement ceremony for those receiving graduate program and school of continuing education degrees.

00;00;29;24 - 00;00;40;23
Joseph Carr
The commencement speaker was the Honorable Maureen McKenna Goldberg. A 1973 PC graduate who is a justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

00;00;41;23 - 00;01;29;22
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
Good evening and thank you for that kind introduction. Father. Father. Second is a difficult act to follow. I am delighted to be here this evening to commemorate this important occasion and to congratulate all of you, the graduates of the class, the School of Continuing Education and the Graduate School of Providence College. I am impressed the degrees that were conferred this evening upon all of you will last a lifetime and reflect the excellence of this institution.

00;01;31;23 - 00;02;17;23
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
49 years ago, at the commencement of the class of 1973, Father Petersen began his remarks by noting that when the name Priscilla Alice was called Providence College would make history by recognizing its first class women graduates. The girls came to Providence College in September 1970 150 years ago, and the Dominicans, with their prayerful presence in campus life, were comforting.

00;02;18;25 - 00;03;30;03
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
The college made every currency viable effort for a smooth transition to Coeducation. It was interesting the college encouraged transfer of upper class women, and I was among them having transferred from Sallie Mae Regina College. Before that, my high school, Bayview and college so very Jena was all women. The class leaders, student athletes, and faculty were women. So the fact that many considered the arrival of women on campus at Providence College to be momentous, or that there may be competition between the men and the women never occurred to me And when it finally did, I ignored it.

00;03;32;01 - 00;03;58;27
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
And I have ever since Even later in life when I came to realize that the path for women was not always smooth or friendly, as one would hope, I came to realize what a valuable lesson I received from our beloved alma mater.

00;04;01;02 - 00;04;39;14
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
What has stayed with me for all of these years is the Providence College was so welcoming to me and all of the women students who arrived in the autumn of 1971. The Dominican fathers knew our names And they greeted us with vigor. I will tell you that it was different. There was a single dorm for women, Aquinas. All the urinals had been removed from the bathrooms.

00;04;40;25 - 00;05;21;00
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
But the spaces were not tiled over. They were just filled in with cement, like big gray arches. In the walls They stood out. And then in the dorms, there were the ironing boards. Every floor had a room with ironing boards. We were baffled by this. In the early 1970s, we dressed in blue jeans, t shirts and sweatshirts, just like you do today.

00;05;21;28 - 00;06;00;12
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
There was no iron and no ironing going on. So the boards were a mystery, as were the security measures that were in place. The doors to Aquinas Hall automatically locked every evening and they were alarmed. Heaven help you if you set off one of those alarms. There was a uniformed, secure guard in the lobby and Aquinas here. He was certainly the only male who ever got into that building.

00;06;02;27 - 00;06;13;22
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
It was a fortress. We were asked to sign in and out and indicate where we were going and when we would be back. Well, we ignored that completely.

00;06;16;14 - 00;06;55;07
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
Upon reflection, however, I'm still not sure that these measures were in place for the benefit of the parents of the girls, or if there really was a possibility that the battlements would be breached. I often wondered what Providence College was like before the girls came that for. We had the most beautiful weather throughout the autumn of 1971. Students were outside.

00;06;55;10 - 00;07;28;17
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
Faculty was outside. The Friars were outside. The windows were open. And the drinking age was 18 That helped. It fueled a lot of enthusiasm. And during the first few months the male students in MA and McDermott Halls would yell girls names out the windows. At the top of their lungs all night.

00;07;30;29 - 00;08;18;29
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
There would be silence, and all of a sudden there would be a cacophony of names being called That was 50 years ago. Time marched on. The issues were sorted and this historic transformation to Coeducation at Providence College has burgeoned and it is a stunning success. I am proud to be to have been present at its inception and delighted that the school has recognized the signify again of its 50th anniversary of welcoming women.

00;08;20;17 - 00;09;22;06
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
And by the way, in 1973, Dave Gavitt, Ernie DeGregorio and Marvin Barnes took the fliers to the final four. It was a hell of a party Without question, the last 50 years of success are reflected in the caliber of tonight's graduates. There are honors graduates from the School of Continuing Education inductees into the members of the graduate school who are equally distinguished with master's degrees ranging from mathematical analytics, theological studies and education.

00;09;23;25 - 00;09;54;08
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
There are, however, more women than men in my profession. There are still more male judges than female because the males had a big, long start. The first woman to become a member of the Superior Court of Rhode Island was 1956. The next one went on in 1969.

00;09;56;10 - 00;10;08;14
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
I was number four or five and I went on in 1990. When I joined the Supreme Court in 1997, I was the third woman in 300 years.

00;10;13;07 - 00;10;14;19
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
However, women now.

00;10;14;19 - 00;10;43;19
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
Make up a majority of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. We welcome two women last year. One of them was my former law clerk of 20 years ago. There will soon be four women justices on the United States Supreme Court and more women than men attend law school because most of the lawyers who are retiring at this age are men.

00;10;44;07 - 00;11;28;23
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
The ranks will be divided before long It is fitting, however, that we not leave this evening without recognizing the accomplishments of today's honorees. The degrees you received tonight were earned in the upheaval of a global pandemic. That is a monumental accomplishment for both you and Providence College. That you persevered through the last academic year with two is a testament to your singular dedication and strength of character.

00;11;30;08 - 00;11;57;08
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
Take that with you. When you leave tonight, you earned it. Although none of us is versed in the details of your individual struggles or your successes, we know it was not easy. Embrace the triumphs, acknowledge the mistakes, and approach life with enthusiasm.

00;12;00;04 - 00;12;44;03
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
To the women graduates, those of you who are wives and mothers, daughters of aging, parents, there was no handbook available for you to guide you in reaching this achievement. Just childcare, lunches, rides to school, and a mountain of laundry. All the while, you pursued a degree. And I commend you to the husbands and fathers, often the primary earners and stress school jobs who are determined to get ahead through higher education.

00;12;44;20 - 00;13;22;22
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
We congratulate you who are often the unsung achievers in our community who grabbed snippets of time to work towards the degree the grade received tonight at great personal sacrifice. Your perseverance and determination is manifest in this accomplishment, and I accomplish. I congratulate each of you. To those who followed immediately from college to to graduate school. Let's have a show of hands here.

00;13;23;02 - 00;13;27;12
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
How many of you? I am so impressed.

00;13;28;04 - 00;13;29;16
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
That you would do that.

00;13;34;21 - 00;14;23;18
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
And we need to recognize the sacrifices that those who are in the back of this auditorium made to get you here this evening For many of you, the degree you receive will lead to greater opportunities in your chosen field. Or open the doors to new career paths. That is the value of higher education. For what it's worth. Most humbly and respectfully, my advice to you is to take the tools for success that you will pliant at Providence College and put them to work for the rest of your life.

00;14;25;06 - 00;15;02;03
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
Graduation speakers routinely remind graduates that it's OK to make mistakes, and there will be rejection and failure on some level. But you've heard that before. You've lived it. Your perseverance has carried you forward. So trust yourself and your judgment Today's world will present many challenges for all of us. Being honest with yourself and others, can be a built in guidepost with tough decisions.

00;15;03;01 - 00;15;33;03
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
Utilize it. Use the lessons you've learned here on campus. Appreciate what you wish you had done differently and add these experiences to your toolbox. And above all, never forget where you came from. Congratulations and good luck Saturday Mornings.

00;15;33;04 - 00;15;50;14
Joseph Carr
Academic Awards Ceremony provided the opportunity to recognize several class members for outstanding achievement in their academic pursuits. Philosophy professor Edmond Dean, winner of the college's Joseph Orange Hino Faculty Teaching Award, gave the faculty address.

00;15;51;10 - 00;16;33;21
Edmund Dain
Thank you. It's a it's a great honor and pleasure to have the opportunity to address you today. My job, first of all, is to greet you all on behalf of all the faculty of Providence College. So greetings and congratulations on your fantastic achievement. Give yourselves a round of applause. Face Now, it's traditional, as I understand it, to use these brief remarks to sum up some lesson or lessons that encompass encapsulates the essence of a Providence College education.

00;16;35;15 - 00;17;15;02
Edmund Dain
But as any of you who've ever taken one of my courses will know, there is really only one thing I am ever interested in teaching any of you, whatever the subject might be. And in fact, I would say that it's the only thing that a college or university like Providence College has any business teaching you whatsoever. And that, very simply, is to think for yourselves, never to rely on anyone else's judgment, always to question and always to make up your own mind.

00;17;16;06 - 00;17;44;08
Edmund Dain
The role of a college. The role of a university is never to tell you what to think. It's only ever to tell you how to think. To teach you how to think for yourselves. And so it seems to me that the greatest confidence I can show in you students as you graduate and go on to whatever opportunity is the what your next and the greatest confidence I can show.

00;17;44;08 - 00;18;14;14
Edmund Dain
And my colleagues, the wonderful faculty of Providence College. And the greatest confidence I can show in Providence College. Itself. And the fantastic education you've received here through your own hard work over the last four years is to encourage you as you go on to whatever awaits you next. To do just that. And so I want to end with the words of Kant that he uses to sum up the motto of the Enlightenment Have the courage to use your own intelligence.

00;18;15;02 - 00;18;16;26
Edmund Dain
Congratulations again, and thank you very much.

00;18;17;25 - 00;18;36;02
Joseph Carr
Five members of the class of 2022 finished with perfect 4.0 grade point average is tied for highest in academic rank. One of those students, Ashley McGuire, a double major in management and finance from Trumbull, Connecticut, addressed the audience.

00;18;36;07 - 00;18;54;18
Aisling Maguire
Good morning. Congratulations to the class of 2022. And this group in particular on your academic achievements. When thinking about what message I wanted to share today and how I can include the accomplished students I share this honor with, I thought back to an email I received from Dean Gordon a few weeks ago. It listed the following five letters.

00;18;55;04 - 00;19;21;17
Aisling Maguire
M a b am. Unfortunately, it wasn't the days where little hint it was an email greeting to Matt, Andrew, Mackenzie, Brian and me. A couple notes about me to help you understand where my mind immediately went. First I draw. I enjoy identifying patterns. And second, I love basketball. Therefore, my brain read the greeting as Mama and I began to think about the mom mentality and how it's contributed to my success at Providence College.

00;19;22;08 - 00;19;40;05
Aisling Maguire
The late Kobe Bryant coined the term to describe his work ethic and approach to perfecting his craft. He explains that the mom mentality means to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself. It's a constant quest to try to be better today than you were yesterday. The beauty of the mindset is that it's not only apply to sports.

00;19;40;24 - 00;20;05;01
Aisling Maguire
The mob mentality is more of an approach than anything else. It's about attacking what's in front of you with passion and purpose. Without fear and doubt and without an ounce of quit. Not only just anchoring my address to the mob mentality, weave my cool valedictorians into the core of my theme, but it helps convey how I set out to approach my time at P.S. and the devotion that higher education deserves as a first generation college student.

00;20;05;04 - 00;20;29;26
Aisling Maguire
Several unknowns made navigating the entire college process challenging for me but there has never been uncertainty regarding my work ethic and attitude towards education. My appreciation for education stems from my parents observing my parents work hard to provide my siblings and me this opportunity. And since I can't afford them a beach house yet, I hope this preliminary form of repayment you take pride in hearing the profound role you played in your children's successes.

00;20;30;10 - 00;20;51;11
Aisling Maguire
As I humbly stand up here one week after Met Chief, two master's degree and three weeks after Brendon was admitted into the PC class. 20, 25 I'm forever grateful for their commitment to our education. For a South African political leader, Nelson Mandela said, education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Allow me to reiterate, you can change the world.

00;20;52;12 - 00;21;25;18
Aisling Maguire
It's no secret that we are graduating into a world of anger, unrest and division. But as my business school classmates now for every debit, there's a credit and the books must balance. Therefore, I argue that within this darkness lies an opportunity for you to spread hope, love and light through the power of your education. As Providence College students, we've been blessed with an education, rooted in faith and focused on developing leaders The Dominican values underpinning the U.S. education separates students from others and provides a foundation for human flourishing.

00;21;26;14 - 00;21;44;27
Aisling Maguire
It makes province college a place you never want to leave. But we remain forever proud to say that you came from. And I'm grateful that I have the privilege to soon share that. I'm a Providence College alum, to this distinguished group of students that has already excelled and achieved so much academically. I implore you to have confidence in your abilities.

00;21;45;04 - 00;22;14;24
Aisling Maguire
Use your talents and never stop learning. For me, applying the mob mentality has involved personal sacrifice, discipline, humility, and complete focus and understanding that being the best version of myself in the little day to day tasks will enable me to contribute to something greater. I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the significant role and sacrifices by others in my life I'd like to thank my mom and sister for taking my calls as I run from a philosophy marathon to club basketball, lamenting about the mountains of work and lack of hours in a day.

00;22;15;17 - 00;22;41;29
Aisling Maguire
My professors constant willingness to provide me with the resources to succeed. And my friends Liz, Katherine, Marlee, Skyler. For your great patience and understanding of my goals as I know, I certainly exhausted my allotment of sorry I can't tonight. I'm standing here today only because of the support of the many. Enough about me for a little. I thought I'd begin to conclude by sharing on a lighter note, some ways I've proudly observed the mob mentality at work in the Providence College community.

00;22;42;24 - 00;23;15;00
Aisling Maguire
An early example that came to mind was the termination of all of us as first year students, as we all read the entire Odyssey cover to cover, not skipping a word by the third day as a college student. Pressive the dedication of PC students and faculty to get in a few extra steps to avoid walking on grass. Providence College's resolute commitment to excellence that has advanced the College and led to remarkable milestones such as celebrating 50 years of women this year and finally being the best student section tenaciously covering Taylor Swift.

00;23;15;00 - 00;23;55;07
Aisling Maguire
You belong with me better than the game before. After Nate Watson posterized any defender who dares to step in the paint. On that note, I'll wrap up with five more letters. U w t f f. These letters embody something much bigger than the five I began with and bigger than only the class of 2022. They represent having the genuine support of a loving, caring community that encourages us to continue to get better each and every day in our pursuits and discovery of God's providence in our lives as we leave DC, I challenge you to be a better analyst, student, accountant, friend, son, daughter, teacher than you were the day before by intentionally applying the mamba

00;23;55;07 - 00;24;19;02
Aisling Maguire
mentality and during the moments when you feel tested. Remember all that you've been blessed with and all that you have accomplished. P.S. You earn this and you deserve success. So welcome challenges and chase your passions without an ounce of quit. Getting back to those five letters in my best school impression us we together family friars. I extend my sincere congratulations to you all.

00;24;19;02 - 00;24;19;27
Aisling Maguire
God bless and go.

00;24;19;27 - 00;24;38;10
Joseph Carr
Friars Sunday Mornings Commencement marked a welcome return to the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence for the first time since the class of 2019 graduated. Here is the commencement address presented by college president Father Kenneth Sicard.

00;24;38;19 - 00;25;11;02
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
The Honorable Sabina Matos, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Rhode Island. The Honorable George Elorza, Mayor of the City of Providence. Members of the clergy members of the Providence College Corporation, the Board of Trustees, and the President's Council's members of the faculty and staff alumni of Providence College. Honorees, parents, families and guests and graduates of the class of 2022.

00;25;11;16 - 00;25;54;03
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
Good morning and welcome to our 104th Commencement Exercises. My heartfelt congratulations to all our graduates on their achievement and to the six remarkably accomplished individuals we all will recognize today with honorary degrees as we take this moment to celebrate the class of 2022. We should also thank those who made it possible. I ask all of today's graduates to stand and recognize the critical role that your families, your friends and your professors played in helping you achieve the goal.

00;25;54;08 - 00;27;10;18
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
You realize today let's give them a round of applause during this past year, we've enjoyed an ongoing celebration of the enrollment of PC's first class of women who enroll this first year students. 50 years ago in the fall of 1971, two members of that class are on this stage and Manchester Moloch, the college's executive vice president, and Dr. Wanda Ingram, Senior Associate Dean in Academic Affairs I'd like to ask them to stand and be recognized well, we often reference the first class of four year women's students the class of 1975.

00;27;11;05 - 00;27;46;13
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
We should also acknowledge the 23 women who joined the PC community as transfers and the fall of 1971, earning their degrees two years later. And two representatives of that group, members of the class of 1973, are also on the stage with us today representing their classmates. Please join me in acknowledging Professor Karen Holland of the PC History Faculty and the Honorable Maureen McKenna Goldberg, Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

00;27;46;13 - 00;28;34;17
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
Could you stand the celebration has been wonderful, featuring opportunities to recognize the accomplishments of the women of Providence College past and present. In a way, events like today's reinforce what we all know to be true. Providence College is a place where the impact and influence of women cannot be overstated. Most of the people who will speak from this podium today are women including the four deans of our academic colleges and our commencement speaker.

00;28;35;17 - 00;29;06;26
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
We will present honorary degrees to three women and two of our highest and academic ranks. Students are women. Most importantly of all, as has been the case for many years, most of our graduates are women. The theme of this yearlong celebration is Then, Now Next, the women of the class of 2022 represent both now and next. We cannot wait to see what you add.

00;29;06;26 - 00;30;04;14
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
So the great legacy established by the women of Providence College who have come before you. So congratulations I would like to speak for a moment directly to our graduating students as you are the group we celebrate today. First of all, walking into this building today brought back fond memories of that incredible basketball season. We just finished go Friars and as I look toward that end of the building, in my mind's eye, I see hundreds of students joyously belting out that Taylor Swift tune, drinking responsibly as one on a cold winter's night.

00;30;05;21 - 00;30;41;18
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
That's a memory that will stay with me forever. And I hope for many of you now to state the obvious, your time in college was not entirely what you expected. Most of you were approaching the halfway point, finishing your second year of serve, among other milestones when COVID19 changed everything and what followed was unthinkable and undeniably difficult. The poet Maya Angelou has said You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.

00;30;43;02 - 00;31;17;22
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
And defeated. You most certainly were not quite the contrary. In fact, when I think about the students of Providence College during the pandemic, one word will always come to mind. Resilient. When it comes to academics, you have accomplished is remarkable. And by the way, only possible because of the extraordinary efforts, especially during your junior year. Of the faculty, a group of people who likewise showed incredible resilience.

00;31;18;19 - 00;31;58;01
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
You have truly earned the degrees you will receive in a few minutes, and they will serve you well as they have generations of Providence College students before you. You also found ways to enjoy the shared experiences that make the college experience transformative beyond the classroom, even though that may have been in some ways even more difficult. I remember Dean Sears Friday afternoon emails setting the stage for the weekend to come as his staff and student affairs worked so hard to provide opportunities to engage you as a student body.

00;31;58;26 - 00;32;33;29
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
Dean serious would always note his observation sessions about students finding ways to build their relationships with each other, as he often pointed out, with their eyes smiling above their masks. It's our students who relentlessly pursued normalcy to the extent that was possible, and that made all the difference. There is a spirit that flows through the Providence College community, and the experiences of the past two years prove beyond question that it will not be denied.

00;32;35;01 - 00;33;05;12
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
Carry what you have achieved and the way you have achieved it as a badge of honor. You are prepared, you are strong, and you are resilient beyond measure. As you think about your lives, as you pass this important milestone, I would like to ask you to give some thought to one of the most fundamental Christian values Love, as you know, because you're about to graduate from Providence College.

00;33;05;25 - 00;33;49;07
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
Saint Paul, in speaking of virtues and carries and makes it clear that the greatest of these is love. God's love for us is reflected most powerfully through the way we treat others, putting others first, and resisting the temptation to focus on our own self-interest. Dying to self Why, you may ask, do I bring this up today? While the world in 2022 was full of incredible opportunity and I have no doubt that your dreams will be realized and uneasiness sometimes manifest in troubling ways is also part of your lives.

00;33;50;03 - 00;34;21;27
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
This is one of the ways you can make a difference by living lives of charity, of love, putting others first. You will help make the world a better place. This is our calling as people of God and the opportunity to be models of charity is one of the things that can set us apart as members of the Friar Community acts of charity do not have to be grand thinking instead of a mindset, a practice that becomes a habit.

00;34;22;29 - 00;34;57;27
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
This is how Pope Francis characterized charity in his Ash Wednesday. Homily in 2016. He said it is not giving something in a paternalistic way in order to assuage the conscience but to accept those who are in need of our time, our friendship, our help. It means living to serve over in overcoming the temptation to satisfy ourselves. What a beautiful description of something so simple yet so profound.

00;34;58;27 - 00;35;37;27
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
And I hope that one of the things you take away from your time at Providence College is that you found people who would share their time their friendship and their help, and that you have been that person for others. There's a deep joy to be found in giving of ourselves. The world needs more of that. I hope we can all agree, and not only because we are, God willing, emerging from a pandemic that has strained our patience and challenged our optimism, but because it is our shared calling as people brought together by divine providence.

00;35;38;29 - 00;36;01;21
Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard
My hope, my prayer for you members of the class of 2022, is that you find joy in all aspects of your lives, that you continue to set your sights high, and that fulfillment and meaning accompany the achievement of all your goals. God bless you and God bless Providence College.

00;36;01;21 - 00;36;19;03
Joseph Carr
Congratulations Stephanie O'Brien, a 1984 PC graduate who serves as president of the National Alumni Association. Welcome to the Class of 2022. As the newest members of the college's alumni population.

00;36;19;15 - 00;36;53;06
Aisling Maguire
As the President of the Providence College National Alumni Association, and a proud graduate of the class of 1984, I am honored to officially welcome the class of 2022 to the ranks of Providence College alumni. Over 50,000 graduates have passed this way before you and today their collective talents contribute greatly to every career, field and community imaginable in every state across our nation and countries, or rather and in countries across the globe.

00;36;54;15 - 00;37;28;13
Aisling Maguire
We are confident that you members of the class of 20, 22, will follow this tradition of excellence and achievement, making your own significant contributions to society. You've already demonstrated that you are a class filled with grit and perseverance, having completed a notable part of your college education during a worldwide pandemic, it's an understatement to say that I know many of you will be sad to be leaving this place where you have thrived academically and socially, made many memories and lifelong friendships.

00;37;29;15 - 00;37;52;28
Aisling Maguire
I promise you that your ties to PC do not end today, but can in fact become stronger. As I said to my daughter when she graduated, the only trouble with attending PC is that eventually they want you to leave. But as I watched her friendships expand beyond her Block Island roommates to include graduates she had not met while.

00;37;52;28 - 00;37;53;19
Maureen McKenna Goldberg '73
At P.S..

00;37;54;06 - 00;38;16;20
Aisling Maguire
And I know from my own experience being active with our alumni association, she will continue to meet and include more and more of us. And I wish the same for you. Whether you were the first in your family to attend Providence College or part of a long legacy, we are all part of the Providence College family. I am part of a sandwich generation.

00;38;16;20 - 00;39;16;05
Aisling Maguire
My father, Bill Thompson, is a member of the class of 1959 two of my children are graduates. Tommy, a member of the class of 16 and Kiara 18. Their dad and many aunts and uncles are PC grads. Their grandfather Frank O'Brien is an economics professor here. I know that my family is not unusual and I would like to ask our legacy students who have an immediate family member already in our alumni ranks to stand to be recognized thank you to those of you who are starting your own tradition with P.S. especially those of you who are first generation.

00;39;16;17 - 00;39;40;15
Aisling Maguire
Please know we are grateful that you chose to become part of the P.S. family, and we look forward to a time when you bring a family member into the alumni fold. It is with a great sense of pride that I convey to every one of our new alumni and your families the sincere congratulations of your fellow alumni I send every best wish for your happiness and success.

00;39;40;29 - 00;39;53;14
Aisling Maguire
And please remember, as it was on the first day you set foot on campus as a student of Providence, College, you are forever a friar. May God bless you and your families and go Friars.

00;39;55;24 - 00;40;09;18
Joseph Carr
The next speaker at Sunday's commencement ceremony was senior class President Leonid Acuna, a double major in biology and global health from Fairhaven, Massachusetts. She shared these comments with her classmates.

00;40;10;02 - 00;40;46;04
Aisling Maguire
Welcome. Family, friends, faculty, staff, alumni, honored guests, and, of course graduating members of the class of 2022. It is an honor and privilege to speak with all of you here today. As I sat down to write this speech and began to reflect on college, especially during the early days of COVID, one quote from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens kept echoing through my mind the first line of the book, which juxtaposes the era of the French Revolution in Paris and London, goes like this It was the best of times.

00;40;46;11 - 00;41;08;03
Aisling Maguire
It was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom. It was the age of closeness. It was the epic of belief. It was the epic of incredulity. It was the season of light. It was the season of darkness. It was the spring of hope. It was the winter of despair. There's something I think we all universally feel when we hear a quote like this.

00;41;08;21 - 00;41;29;16
Aisling Maguire
A kind of understanding about what it means to be human, about what it means to live in this absurd world of pain and suffering, of joy and of college. Just like life has truly been the best and worst of times. The pandemic made sure of that. There was something so isolating about the ways you made us compartmentalize our lives.

00;41;30;02 - 00;41;56;00
Aisling Maguire
While it was very convenient to sleep until 5 minutes before my 830 lecture and walk over to my desk in my pajamas when class was over and I logged out there, I was again alone in my room. There was no walking to lunch after class with your best friends or whispering to your girlfriends before class about the cute guy you met last night, or giving your classmate a look of despair when your organic chemistry professor asked any questions.

00;41;56;06 - 00;42;19;22
Aisling Maguire
Pretty straightforward, right? When we came back to campus, it was the month of Zoom University that made me appreciate all these little moments and the big moments. Even more from class dances and McHale's Nights to as R.W. and senior week from storming this court as biggest champs to graduating on it. We are so lucky to have this senior year that we did.

00;42;21;09 - 00;42;51;13
Aisling Maguire
As I look back on these last few years, what stands out to me is the sense of community that carried us throughout our time here in trying to scale mountains of uncertainty about our lives and our futures. We always looked at each other as we climbed. A few examples of this come to mind Dean Sears sending uplifting emails to the entire campus as well as Dunkin to the Marriott and pizzas to Brad's professors, checking in to see how we're doing, how we're really doing, and providing us with extra support when we needed it.

00;42;52;18 - 00;43;28;17
Aisling Maguire
Barry Student Clubs Raising money for local, local COVID relief organizations and just being there for each other when times get tough. We hear the phrase Fry our family a lot, but don't always take the time to think about how much meaning these two words hold But what would the Fryer family be without women? This year marks 50 years of women at P.S. And when I hear the phrase lift as you climb I can't help but think of the thousands of pieces female alumni, faculty, staff and students who have inspired and support each other throughout the years.

00;43;29;22 - 00;43;50;21
Aisling Maguire
As I look out into the audience, I'm filled with excitement as I think about all the incredible things the women in my class have accomplished and will accomplish. As Meghan Markle said in her speech at the U.N. Women's Conference. It is said that girls with dreams become women with vision May we empower each other to carry out such vision?

00;43;51;16 - 00;44;11;20
Aisling Maguire
Because it isn't enough to simply talk about equality. One must believe in it and work at it. In society, that often pisses against each other for the way we look, the way we talk, and the way we present ourselves. Let us empower each other and lift each other as we climb to new heights and continue to shatter glass ceilings.

00;44;13;00 - 00;44;36;16
Aisling Maguire
I'd like to recognize and thank a few of my favorite lady leaders. My vice president, Jamie Murphy, Treasurer Kates and Obio and Secretary Kelly McMahon. I'd also like to thank my former vice president who for three years continuously supported and encouraged us despite being the only guy on our board, James Lombardi. Could you please send him a round of applause?

00;44;46;11 - 00;45;05;27
Aisling Maguire
Lastly, I'd like to thank my family, my friends and everyone I p.s. who helped freshman year me. That girl with young girl of dreams become the woman with vision that stands before you here today. It's been a pleasure to serve you as your class president. These past four years and an absolute joy to be your classmate and to grow up with you all.

00;45;06;17 - 00;45;19;29
Aisling Maguire
Thank you for the best of times, but thank you for also being there through the worst of times. There's no other group of people I would have liked to experience this age of closeness and wisdom with. Congratulations. Class of 2022 go friars.

00;45;22;13 - 00;45;40;22
Joseph Carr
Sunday's ceremony concluded with the commencement address presented by Val Ackerman, the commissioner of the Big East Conference, of which Providence College is a charter member. Miss Ackerman, upon whom he conferred an honorary degree last year, provided the stirring, inspiring remarks.

00;45;41;15 - 00;46;08;00
Aisling Maguire
Thank you so much, Father Sicard. I can't begin to tell you what an extraordinary privilege it is for me to be here today. And I want to thank you, Providence College, in this incredible class of 20, 22 for inviting me to join in. I think the only providence event more exciting for me to be at this year than this one was that triple overtime win over Xavier at the Dunk back in February.

00;46;09;20 - 00;46;49;02
Aisling Maguire
Go Friars Let me start out by saying how proud we are to have the Friars in the Big East Conference. As some of you may know, the league has been through so much change since Dave Gavitt, former head men's basketball coach here at P.S. came up with the idea of a basketball centric conference back in 1979, but picks membership straight through from those early years until the present day has been a reassuring constant and honestly a key to our longevity.

00;46;50;06 - 00;47;19;14
Aisling Maguire
I want to recognize Father Sicard his predecessor, Father Brian Shanley, and honorary degree recipient Bob Driscoll, especially for their incredible leadership here on campus. And within our league. They've all done so much to build PC into a nationally respected athletics program and to advance the ideals that make college sports so special for athletes and fans alike. It's truly an honor to be associated with all of them.

00;47;20;04 - 00;47;45;22
Aisling Maguire
Incoming aide Steve Napoli Willow end this great sport. I also want to recognize all the honorary degree recipients, and most of all, thank the family members who are in the audience today. I'm sure you're all thrilled this day has come. And exceedingly proud of your class of 20, 22 graduate. I'm sure the students in the audience have mixed emotions today.

00;47;46;19 - 00;48;11;28
Aisling Maguire
I know I did when graduation day was happening to me. 41 years ago down in Charlottesville, Virginia. I vividly remember packing up my Volkswagen Beetle. After all, the pomp and circumstance had died down and starting the long drive north to my hometown in New Jersey, where I planned to spend the summer while figuring out my next life move.

00;48;13;03 - 00;48;46;28
Aisling Maguire
I couldn't have felt more displaced than I did that day. College life represented my whole world, and in one fell swoop I was picking up, picking it up and leaving it all behind. While I suspected I would probably return to my alma mater from time to time, for visits and reunions in my heart, it was dawning on me that an important chapter in my life was over and that after some me time down at the Jersey Shore, I'd have to find a way to switch gears and move on.

00;48;48;09 - 00;49;14;11
Aisling Maguire
I cried the whole drive home but as you can see, I survived. So if you happen to be feeling the same way tomorrow or whatever, your move out day from Friar Town may be, my advice is to relax, take a deep breath. Except that entirely new chapters are about to unfold for you. And embrace the journey. Trust me, it will be a journey.

00;49;15;00 - 00;49;39;17
Aisling Maguire
And be forewarned. You're going to hear that word journey a few times during my time on this stage. When Father Sicard asked me to share some remarks today, I quickly accepted. And not just because he's one of my bosses, but also because I believe so strongly in what a school like Providence offers to its students, especially through its offerings in the humanities.

00;49;40;29 - 00;50;25;27
Aisling Maguire
I was myself a liberal arts major at UVA. I opted for an interdisciplinary degree called Political and Social Thought, which gave me a broad understanding of the people, thoughts, strains and contexts that have driven us in world history. In my experience, young people today are similarly well-served by an education that challenges them, that challenges you to think broadly, to develop a globally informed outlook and to become creative problem solvers, equipped to make good decisions, and to address society's most pressing needs.

00;50;26;22 - 00;50;57;08
Aisling Maguire
If it becomes a lifelong education, all the better. Truth be told, some of the most pressing decisions you'll face in the coming years will be your own. Where to work Wall Street Health Care. A tech company. Teach for America. The Ministry. The Sports World or something else entirely. How about where to live? Will you rent or buy? Have you decided whether or not to go to grad school?

00;50;58;07 - 00;51;28;18
Aisling Maguire
Will you get married? If so, to whom? How about having kids? And if you do decide to become a parent, how will you juggle the demands of your family with your job, your attempts at a social life and everything else that life will throw your way No one can make these decisions for you. They're highly personal, and each of you will face unique circumstances where the counsel of others may not be right for you in the end.

00;51;29;22 - 00;51;57;12
Aisling Maguire
My advice is to be methodical and do your homework, but also trust your instincts. You graduated from Providence College, so that means you have the tools to make good decisions, whether easy or hard. When I graduated from UVA in 1981 with my political and social thought degree and four years on the women's basketball team among my credentials, I had some general ideas about my future.

00;51;58;08 - 00;52;23;20
Aisling Maguire
I knew I wanted to go to law school. I was burning to travel. Since playing basketball precluded me from studying abroad, and I had a vague hope that someday I'd find myself back in sports as a career. Well, all that came true eventually but it didn't happen overnight. On the contrary, my life after college was anything but a straight line.

00;52;24;15 - 00;53;00;25
Aisling Maguire
In fact, seven and a half years passed between my graduation in May of 1981 and the start of my first job in sports as a staff attorney with the National Basketball Association in November of 1988. I had several stops along the way playing basketball in France going to law school in Los Angeles, working at a big corporate law firm in New York City, getting married in New Jersey and then taking a sabbatical and doing some more job hunting before the call from the NBA came in.

00;53;01;29 - 00;53;27;05
Aisling Maguire
You heard it here. There isn't always a direct route to your destiny, so keep your dreams as a North Star, but get ready to zig zag and embrace each and every experience you have along the way. Another reason I'm excited to be with you today is so I can Lord, Lord, Providence College's decision to celebrate 50 years of women here in Friar Town.

00;53;28;03 - 00;53;51;23
Aisling Maguire
It's, of course, very inspiring to know that members of the class of 1973 are here to mark the occasion. The advancement of women in society is, as you might guess, a topic near and dear to my heart. I've been working in the sports world for more than 30 years now, and so I've had a front row seat on the progress of women in the sports industry and in the world at large.

00;53;52;24 - 00;54;13;01
Aisling Maguire
When Len's on this goes back decades, when I was growing up in the sixties and seventies, the chances for girls to play sports in this country were few and far between, especially in teen sports. My dad was a high school athletic director and that was my ticket because he was very supportive of the sports interests of my brother.

00;54;13;01 - 00;54;39;06
Aisling Maguire
And me. We did a lot of back yard and basement stuff, but in terms of organized sports in my hometown, there was really nothing. Title nine was passed when I was in eighth grade. And while the enormity of that transformative law was lost on me at the time, I directly impacted my life as it enabled me to get a scholarship after high school, to go to college and to play basketball at the next level.

00;54;40;09 - 00;55;12;22
Aisling Maguire
At that time, women's sports at UVA were just getting off the ground, and there simply wasn't a lot there in terms of support for female student athletes. In fact, in basketball, there was a total of one scholarship and in my first year, I shared it with a teammate. Here's how it worked. I got tuition and fees and she got room and board, so I got to go to class and she got to eat The good news is that support for women's basketball and other women's sports grew quickly at Virginia while I was there.

00;55;12;22 - 00;55;44;21
Aisling Maguire
And so by the time I graduated most of my team was receiving full or partial aid. And other arrows were pointing upward. Happily, women's college sports, including in the Big East, have come a long way in the 40 plus years since that have passed since I left Charlottesville. My post-graduate career has also allowed me to see firsthand how the role of women and people of color especially, has progressed in the sports business in many ways, mirroring trends that have taken place in our society.

00;55;46;00 - 00;56;14;14
Aisling Maguire
When I joined the NBA legal department as the fourth in-house and first female lawyer at the league, the office was fairly small, and the legendary David Stern, the league's longtime commissioner, was in the early years of his tenure and just starting to elevate the league into a global behemoth. But there were very few women in the league office or the sports business for that matter, for me to look up to or learn from during my formative years.

00;56;15;11 - 00;56;40;14
Aisling Maguire
My mentors, who were the senior leaders at the NBA at that time, were all men. But I was very fortunate because great mentors that they were they took a shine to me and opened doors that enabled me to advance and move from the legal department to the commissioner's office. And later to business affairs. And so I was able to participate in many of the league's most exciting initiatives during the nineties.

00;56;41;17 - 00;57;27;07
Aisling Maguire
After eight years, of working on the men's side, David in the NBA owners appointed me in 1996 as the first president of a new league called the WNBA and my career continued to progress from there. The WNBA celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, and although the league has had its share of bumps along the way, it's been exhilarating for me to see interest and traction in women's pro basketball building and to see a noticeable increase in the respect people now have for the accomplishments of women athletes and what they represent as role models for fans of all kinds It's hard not to take pride knowing that the journey of women's team sports in this country

00;57;27;21 - 00;58;00;06
Aisling Maguire
was advanced by the WNBA. And what we did in basketball a quarter of a century ago. In fact, my journey has taught me this the world is made better when diverse voices are at the table. When respect, tolerance and equity are prioritized, and when the virtues of each individual are nurtured and allowed to shine. I hope all of you will come to embrace and embody these values as well.

00;58;01;14 - 00;58;43;03
Aisling Maguire
As I noted, as I noted a few minutes ago, each of the graduates here today will have your own life journey and know two journeys coming out of this class will be exactly the same. For example, some of you may wear high heels and some of you may wear sneakers Think about that one. But as you consider what you'll do, what sort of impact you can make, and where you'll leave your mark, I hope all of you, if and when you have the chance, will embrace the role of leader in whatever form leadership may present itself to you in the years ahead.

00;58;44;10 - 00;59;11;26
Aisling Maguire
I can tell you that more than ever, we need people in our world, men and women alike, who are ready and able to take the baton and figure this stuff the hell out. Sorry, Father, we need all of you to lead, and we need you to do it with vigor, optimism and courage. It's a fact we live in a complex, diverse and fast changing world.

00;59;12;22 - 01;00;08;09
Aisling Maguire
American society is not a monolithic block of people and lifestyles and opinions. On the contrary, our country has been enriched by the cultures of Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and other parts of the globe. And so our strength as a nation depends on our ability to recognize and respect the differences of others and to understand each other on terms other than our own We may well have in the audience today the future founder of a transformational technology company or a young scientist who develops a vaccine for the next pandemic, or the future president of a prominent Big East school or the commissioner of a sports league, or a budding stateswoman who goes on to become

01;00;08;09 - 01;00;09;20
Aisling Maguire
the president of the United States.

01;00;17;03 - 01;00;44;07
Aisling Maguire
It could be one of you, but no matter where you land, no, there's a huge need in our world for energetic people who are good at what they do, who can make smart decisions when decisions are called for, who don't panic when confronted with difficult tasks, and who by their words and deeds contribute positively to the world in big and small ways.

01;00;45;10 - 01;01;33;12
Aisling Maguire
I urge all of you to be them guys If you think the world is full of problems, find a way to be a problem solver, and I'll guarantee you have permanent employment Don't be afraid to look critically at a situation and think to yourself, Would a new approach work here? How can this be made better There's room in almost any field for blue sky thinking and fresh ideas, so never, ever shy away from using your imagination and embracing a spirit of curiosity and innovation in whatever it is you decide to do.

01;01;34;22 - 01;02;00;05
Aisling Maguire
All of you made it to this ceremony for a reason. The skills and the traits that got you here today are the same ones you'll need as you move on to your next phase. So go out and keep using them and cultivate some new ones along the way if you have to, and know that the people who have made or are making a difference in their fields frequently have all or many of the following qualities.

01;02;01;10 - 01;02;41;08
Aisling Maguire
They're smart, decisive, and intellectually curious about the world They take pride in the quality of their work. They're ambitious and want to be the best at what they do. They're hopeful and excited about the future. They don't give up easily. They have good people skills and know that relationships matter. They matter a lot. And they recognize that opportunities aren't just handed to you and that ultimately you have to work for what you get I can assure you there will always be others who want what you want and will work very, very hard to get it.

01;02;42;02 - 01;03;11;18
Aisling Maguire
So you have to be prepared to put in your time and make sacrifices if you want to achieve your goals. If your journey is anything like mine, it'll be marked by persistence, sacrifice, adversity, failure breakthroughs, professional growth, and personal awakening. May the luck of the Irish and the luck of the Friars be with you as you embark on your journey.

01;03;12;19 - 01;03;16;28
Aisling Maguire
Congratulations to all of you. Stay healthy and safe and go quiet.

01;03;18;09 - 01;03;36;29
Joseph Carr
Thank you for listening to the Providence College Podcast. Today a celebration of the class of 2022 for producer Chris Judge. I'm Joe Carr. We conclude today, as commencement did with the Providence College alma mater, sung by a graduating senior Daniel de Strother Jr.

01;03;45;17 - 01;03;49;26
Val Ackerman
R o.

01;03;50;09 - 01;03;55;18
Speaker 3
O we're proud to name.

01;03;57;02 - 01;04;36;15
Val Ackerman
This one guy 00 and steadfast o u t from beware o wondrous works of God 00 absolute disgrace and o clear.

01;04;36;15 - 01;04;41;17
Speaker 3
Moscow 00 tough.

01;04;41;17 - 01;04;50;18
Val Ackerman
Words Wall Street from 0000.

01;04;50;18 - 01;04;53;14
Speaker 3
O we pray.

01;04;55;02 - 01;05;07;28
Val Ackerman
Lives 0000 friends from school kinds made from small.

01;05;07;28 - 01;05;16;09
Speaker 3
0000 around no one can.

01;05;16;27 - 01;05;17;17
Val Ackerman
Say.

01;05;18;03 - 01;05;28;14
Speaker 3
Big 0000000 my.

01;05;28;22 - 01;05;41;21
Val Ackerman
Goodness o mystery 00.

01;05;41;22 - 01;05;46;02
Speaker 3
O way o.

01;05;46;02 - 01;05;55;07
Val Ackerman
My story where o who did what o.

01;05;56;23 - 01;06;08;01
Speaker 3
World from where for it's guys and everyone.