# @universityofri on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DJcd-O8vEcu
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/30364755-universityofri-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/fa5a4499ec.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-05-09T19:37:53.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** URI — University of Rhode Island (@universityofri) — https://gondola.cc/universityofri

## Caption

Meet Colby Constantine, a chemical engineering major with a minor in pharmaceutical manufacturing from Leicester, Massachusetts, and this year’s student commencement speaker for the College of Engineering.

Colby began his journey in the trades as a vocational high school student training to become an electrician. However, his experience as a pharmacy technician opened his eyes to the transformative power of medication.

At URI, Colby immersed himself in research and leadership. He contributed to cutting-edge projects in Professor Ryan Poling-Skutvik’s Soft Matter Lab, completed competitive internships at merck and abbvie, and published two research papers which were presented at national conferences. He also mentored fellow students as a Senior Resident Assistant and Student Coordinator for the College of Engineering, all while staying active in AIChE and Theta Tau.

“As a first-generation college student, these accomplishments mean the world to me,” he says. “But what I’m most proud of is helping create a strong, supportive community where students can thrive.”

Now headed to the udelaware to pursue a Ph.D. in chemical engineering, Colby is focused on advancing drug delivery systems to address diseases that were once considered untreatable. He carries with him the lessons of leadership, empathy, and resilience that shaped his time at URI—and hopes to continue using science to change lives for the better.

📸 courtesy of: colbyjc21
#GoRhody #RhodyGrad #RhodyGrads #URI2025 #ClassOf2025

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## Tags

gorhody, classof2025, rhodygrad, uri2025, rhodygrads

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