Rhode Island College (my alma mater, class of 1998 and 2001) gave diplomas to 1221 students yesterday.  I'd like to congratulate everyone, but I would like to make special mention of two graduates in particular:

Elizabeth Codd, 18, of Barrington graduated summa cum laude in mathematics and will study the violin at a Cambridge conservatory this fall. Edmund D’Attelo, 81, of Barrington, received a bachelor’s degree in history. He first attended college in 1948 after being discharged from the Army but didn’t finish. He enrolled at RIC after closing his gardening business and retiring in 2000.


     The next time someone tells me they can't go back to school because of their age, I'm going to tell them about Edmund D'Attelo.  As for Elizabeth Codd, I wish more people could have a nontraditional education that would allow them to follow their interests based on their talents, rather than their age.  Congratulations!