Burlington Student Graduates from Roger Williams

READMEDIA: Gregory Chludzinski, a resident of Burlington, was among more than 1,100 students from Roger Williams University to receive their degree during the University's Commencement ceremony held on May 19, 2012.

Gregory received a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education/History.

On a day that boasted bright sunshine and an abundantly agreeable 72 degrees on the thermometer along the bayside campus in Bristol, R.I., approximately 6,000 people turned out under the big tent to watch the graduates cross the stage.The ceremony was highlighted by a Commencement address from the Honorable Madeleine K. Albright.

In a speech both heartfelt and humorous – Dr. Albright at one point noted that her own college experience dates back "about halfway between the invention of the iPod and the discovery of fire" – the former Secretary of State urged graduates to focus not on the challenges handed down by previous generations, but in the opportunities to inspire change. And continued education is key to success, she promised.

"As you look ahead, realize that the demands of the workplace will continue to change and that maintaining a certain level of knowledge is no longer enough," Dr. Albright said. "Whether your primary goal is personal success, community service or a combination of the two, you will have to keep learning because there's always more to know. For this you should be grateful because the quest to learn more is a vital part of what it means to be alive."

About RWU: Roger Williams University, located in Bristol, R.I., is a leading independent, coeducational university with programs in the liberal arts and the professions, where students become community- and globally minded citizens. With 43 academic majors, an array of co-curricular activities and study abroad opportunities on six continents, RWU is an open community dedicated to the success of students, commitment to a set of core values and providing a world-class education above all else. In the last decade, the University has achieved unprecedented successes including recognition as one of the best colleges in the nation by Forbes, a College of Distinction by Student Horizons, Inc. and as both a best college in the Northeast and one of the nation's greenest universities by The Princeton Review.