ASHLEY JUDD TO DELIVER NEIT COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
RHODE ISLAND ENTREPRENEUR VINCENT ROSSI III TO BE HONORED
Actress, humanitarian, and author Ashley Judd will deliver the commencement address to New England Institute of Technology graduates on Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Providence, Rhode Island. Judd is a Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress with a career spanning more than three decades starring in box-office hits and indie gems. She is equally well known for her global social justice work and is an outspoken advocate for the rights and protections of women, often lending her voice to influence policy and speak out for the most vulnerable.
Judd first gained recognition as an actress in the early 1990’s with her breakthrough role in the critically acclaimed film Ruby in Paradise. She became a leading lady in Hollywood thrillers and independent dramas, known for portraying complex, resilient women. Her roles in Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, and Heat established her as a major box-office star. She earned Best Actress nominations for her roles in the movies De-Lovely, Norma Jean & Marilyn and the television series Missing. She has more than 40 movies to her credit including the family films Dolphin Tale and Tooth Fairy. She also starred in the popular young adult science fiction series Divergent. Judd’s latest movie, 21 Down, will be released later this year.
Judd is the daughter of country music singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of country music singer Wynonna Judd. She is known for her resilience, compassion, and service to others. She is the longtime Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund. She has traveled to 22 countries to promote policies that protect women and girls. She has spent time in refugee camps, hospices, and slums, learning from the most vulnerable about violence against women and how to overcome gender inequality, as she works to increase awareness and advocate for change. She chronicles these journeys and her own challenges in her New York Times bestselling memoir All that is Bitter and Sweet.
She has spoken out fearlessly about women’s rights, exploitation, and mental health. In 2017, Judd was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year as one of the Silence Breakers who came forward with their stories about workplace harassment. Her activism was pivotal in sparking the #MeToo movement. Her courage inspired many others to make their own experiences public. In 2019 the United Nations honored her as Global Advocate of the Year.
In addition to promoting the release of her latest movie, Judd is spending time in Africa this spring, and Europe in the summer. In the fall she will be teaching a course at Harvard where she is Leader in Residence at the Women and Public Policy Program at the Kennedy School. During New England Tech’s commencement, she will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane letters in recognition of her work to improve life for others.
Rhode Island entrepreneur Vincent A. Rossi III will be honored during commencement. Rossi, the founder of Rossi Electric, is a New England Tech graduate who went on to build one of the most prominent electrical contracting companies in the area. With a focus on commercial and industrial projects, his work literally lights up the lives of New England Tech students and those who live and work in Southern New England. Step through New England Tech’s doors, drive across the Pawtucket bridge at night, through traffic signals or past any number of college and commercial buildings and you’ll experience his work.
Rossi stepped directly from graduation in 1987 to a job as an electrician. He worked side by side with the owner of Commercial Electric for seven years, developing technical mastery and knowledge of all facets of the electrical trade. At the age of 27, with little more than a van, a modest set of tools and a lot of determination, he launched his own business. He built a reputation for quality and reliability and his business grew. Within five years he achieved a milestone that few independent contractors reach and signed as a union contractor, giving his company access to a higher caliber of skilled workers and larger scale projects.
When New England Tech built its new campus in East Greenwich, Rossi was selected to lead the electrical work for the university’s main building and student housing, returning to his alma mater to help create the perfect learning environment for the students who followed him.
Over nearly three decades, Rossi built what started as a one-man business, into a thriving enterprise with more than 100 employees and a focus on handling complex large-scale commercial, industrial and institutional projects for universities, hospitals, airports and government facilities. He also developed a road division to install traffic signals and streetlights.
Rossi has contributed to NEIT’s Student Scholarship Fund for nearly 20 years, to help ensure the success of students who need financial assistance in reaching their own dreams of becoming electricians. He also donates to the Local 99 Union and made a contribution for the naming rights of the café on NEIT’s East Greenwich campus in honor of his parents.
In 2021 Rossi sold his business to a family-owned company with generations of experience. The new company has doubled in size, with Rossi’s original 100 employees playing a key role. Rossi consulted during the transition and now serves as chairman, helping with estimates, reviewing bids, and negotiating work. He is also building houses with his son-in law in Naples, Florida where he resides 7 months out of the year. In recognition of his achievements, Rossi will receive an honorary Doctor of Business Administration during commencement.
This year marks New England Institute of Technology’s 85th commencement. The ceremony begins at 11am on Sunday May 3, 2026, at the Amica Mutual Pavilion, 1 La Salle Square, Providence, Rhode Island.
