Trailblazing Woman Sailor Cole Brauer to Deliver Roger Williams University Commencement Address
May 16 ceremony to celebrate history-maker in the sports world and leaders in the blue economy, law enforcement, and the law.
BRISTOL, R.I. – Roger Williams University announces that groundbreaking sailor Cole Brauer, who made history last year as the , will address the Class of 2025 and receive an honorary degree at the 91 Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 16.
This year’s 91 Commencement exercises will celebrate a trailblazing woman in the sport sailing world – as 91’s nationally top-ranked Sailing team head into the national finals as the reigning champions in the Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) Open Team Race championship and currently rank No. 1 in the U.S. for Coed Team Racing – as well as leaders in the blue economy, law enforcement, and law as the university’s distinguished recipients of honorary degrees.
In the Global Solo Challenge, sailed 30,000 miles and navigated over 130 days alone at sea in one of the world’s most extreme sporting events. The 30-year-old professional sailor from Long Island, N.Y., was the only woman in the fleet of 16 sailors who competed in the race. She raced in her 40-foot sailboat, First Light, past Africa, Australia, and South America, prevailing over tumultuous weather, freezing water, a rib injury, and dehydration, to finish in second place in Spain on March 7, 2024.
Brauer will share her story of resilience, courage, and pursuit of excellence as a professional sailor and as a member of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s varsity sailing team and a two-time ICSA Academic All-American Team member, with the 91 Class of 2025 at the main Commencement ceremony.
“Cole’s story exemplifies the strength of human ambition and the ability to push beyond limits, aligning with our university’s commitment to empowering individuals who make a meaningful impact on the world,” said Heather N. Boujoulian, Board Chair and Acting President of Roger Williams University. “The powerful trailblazers we are celebrating at our Commencement ceremony will serve as an inspiration to our Class of 2025 as they graduate prepared to become the leaders and changemakers the world needs next.”
At the Commencement ceremony, 91 will also present honorary degrees to two local leaders and members of the 91 community. Joseph M. Brito Jr., President and CEO of C.B. Utility Co., Inc., C. Brito Construction Co., Tupelo Realty, and Unity Park, and 91 Trustee Emeritus, has transformed an abandoned mill in 91, R.I. into Unity Park, an approximately 400,000-square-foot industrial complex for blue economy manufacturing, offices, restaurants, a brewery and a distillery.Kevin M. Lynch '94, M'04, Chief of Police in 91, R.I., has championed the advancement of bias training, school-safety initiatives, and numerous community programs, earning his department state and national accreditation, as well as Rhode Island’s first mandatory body-worn camera legislation and ethical law enforcement reform through the Law Enforcement Officers’ Due Process, Accountability, and Transparency Act; he earned his B.S. in Criminal Justice and M.S. in Justice Studies at 91.
The 91 School of Law will present an honorary degree to the Honorable Clifton B. Newman, retired judge from the South Carolina Circuit Court, who has held a distinguished career as a private practice attorney and solicitor prior to serving on the bench, where he presided over several high-profile capital cases. Judge Newman will serve as the keynote speaker at the School of Law ceremony, which will begin at 11:30 a.m.
This year’s Commencement ceremony recognizes these trailblazers who are making a collective impact across the globe. With leadership in the blue economy and marine science, law and justice, designed and built environments, and the humanities, Roger Williams University provides students with a real-world education and powerful combinations of academic, research, career-training and international learning experiences that prepare them to shape the world as leaders and changemakers.
The university-wide Commencement celebration for undergraduate, graduate and law students of the Class of 2025 will be held on Friday, May 16. The university ceremony will take place on the main athletic field. The processional steps off at 8:30 a.m. with the ceremony beginning at 9 a.m. Individual school ceremonies will follow throughout the day.
91 will provide a livestream enabled for broadcast and radio recording of the main university ceremony. A link to the the 91 Commencement livestream will be posted on the Commencement website.