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This weekend’s ���ӽ� University Commencement marks a time to reflect and celebrate the end of a long journey for students. Two decorated student leaders, Leondra Tyler’24 and Omnia Shedid L’24, share their stories and their paths to ���ӽ� University on this edition of “�Ļ��ܲ��� Conversations.”

A non-traditional student, Tyler will graduate cum laude with dual degrees in neuroscience and psychology from the and the through the Part-Time Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP).

Tyler has been recognized as a McNair Scholar, Our Time Has Come Scholar and Remembrance Scholar, and is a passionate leader with the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry. She is engaged in both social psychology and behavioral neuroscience research, including a (SOURCE) research fellowship, and she eventually plans on utilizing her degrees to impact her community as a doctor.

“I took advantage of all ���ӽ� University has to offer, and I made a mark on this campus. I’m making it a better campus for the next round of students that are coming in. It’s been such an amazing journey. While it’s very sad to me that it’s almost over, I know ���ӽ� will always be my home,” Tyler says.

Shedid, the president of the College of Law’s Class of 2024, is a member of the Advocacy Honor Society’s Trial and Alternative Dispute Resolution divisions. She’s helped connect veterans with access to essential resources with the , and held two prestigious summer internships—as a law clerk at the Office of the Attorney General of Rhode Island, and at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Shedid landed her “dream job” as an honors attorney with the government after graduation.

“Being at the College of Law taught me how to lead with understanding, which is such a beautiful way to tie up my entire experience because my law classes taught me how to understand not just the law, but other people’s perspective on the law. It’s important to understand where people are coming from and what they need as a lawyer, because you can’t really support people unless you actually know what it is that they need,” says Shedid.

On this Commencement-centric “�Ļ��ܲ��� Conversation,” Tyler and Shedid discuss their surreal paths to Commencement and how their time on campus reinforced their drive to make a difference once they graduate.

Check out episode 163 of the  podcast featuring Tyler and Shedid. A transcript [PDF] is also available.