Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to speak at URI Undergraduate Commencement, May 22

First Latina appointed to the high court

Jhodi Redlich

The thousands of students and families gathered for the University of Rhode Island's 130th Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 22, 2016 will hear from one individual whose words are part of the national dialogue on equal justice and constitutional law. 

The Honorable Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, will address URI's Class of 2016 and receive the Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa.

“We are very honored that Justice Sonia Sotomayor will join us to address our graduates on this important occasion. She is a true champion for equal rights and social justice in the 21st Century and a magnificent role model for our graduates and the entire community," said URI President David M. Dooley. "We are very proud to have this unique honor to hear from someone who is now making history everyday."

Justice Sotomayor is the 111th Justice to serve on the Supreme Court, and the first Hispanic and third woman to ascend to the nation’s highest judicial body. Justice Sotomayor's appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court in August 2009 followed a distinguished career of service in the courts.

She served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1998–2009. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated her to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, and she served in that role from 1992–1998.

Prior to that appointment she had litigated international commercial matters in New York City at Pavia & Harcourt, where she served as an associate and then partner from 1984–1992. Before that, she served as Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney's Office from 1979–1984.

Well known for her role in the court, Justice Sotomayor is also recognized and cherished for sharing her personal story and serving as a role model to millions of Americans. Born in Bronx, New York, her best-selling memoir, My Beloved World, captures her life growing up in the housing projects of New York and the challenges she faced and overcame. Signed copies of her book will be available at the URI Bookstore.

Justice Sotomayor earned a B.A. in 1976 from Princeton University, graduating summa cum laude and receiving the university's highest academic honor. In 1979, she earned a J.D. from Yale Law School where she served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal.