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May 16, 2008

Graduation saturation at R.I. colleges this weekend

Journal photo / Gretchen Ertl
Bryant University custodian Sergio Oliveira, of East Providence, left, and Jeff Fallin, of Woonsocket, align a row of chairs with some of the 5,300 chairs to be used on graduation day tomorrow at the Smithfield campus. Need to know if an umbrella will come in handy? Check projo.com's weather forecasts.

More than 13,400 college students in Rhode Island are expected to make the slow march across the stage to accept their diplomas this weekend, in the annual mid-May graduationpalooza that is again expected to fill local restaurants and hotels with celebrating students and their families.

On Friday, students at the Community College of Rhode Island and Roger Williams University School of Law were receiving their diplomas.

Students from Johnson & Wales University, Roger Williams University, Bryant University and Rhode Island College graduate Saturday, as do graduate students from the University of Rhode Island.

On Sunday, Providence College and Salve Regina University hold commencements, and URI awards diplomas to its undergraduates.

Brown University graduates next weekend. The Rhode Island School of Design holds commencement on May 31.

Restaurateurs are eager for the weekend to go well. They’re hoping the surge of thousands of visitors into Rhode Island for graduation exercises will provide a bump to what some say has been a soft business season so far.

“Even though the economy is bad, this is such a special weekend that people don’t seem to be cutting back,” said Dale Venturini, president of the Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association.

More information about the graduations, and lists of graduates, are available on school Web sites. Journal coverage of the ceremonies can also be found on projo.com.

Heading to Rhode Island for a graduation? Browse information about the state, activities, tourist hot spots and more, at the state's tourism site, visitrhodeisland.com.

-- Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 6:58 PM | Permalink

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