Richard Blanco, a nationally recognized storyteller and President Barack Obama’s inaugural poet, will send 3,300 students outinto the world at the 128th Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony May 18.

Blanco, the son of Cuban exiles, is no stranger to the Kingston campus; he has spoken at the Ocean State Summer Writing Conference the past two Junes. He will receive an honorary doctor of letters during Commencement, which is one of the biggest events held in the state and will be live streamed at uri.edu.