Summer 2011
Record-setting Fundraising Year for URI
(Dollars in millions)
$10 Million $5 Million
2007
2008
$13.5 2009
2010
$18.9
$15 Million
$17.2
$20 Million
$13.0
Despite the sluggish national and state economy and flat national trends in higher education fundraising last year, alumni and friends of the University of Rhode Island donated in big numbers during the last fiscal year. According to the URI Foundation, $18,946,555 was received in charitable donations during the fiscal year 2011 (ending June 30, 2011), setting a new all-time high record for the total amount of cash received in one year. The figure represents an increase in 10.3% over last year’s total of $17,180,674, which was the previous record breaking total.
Annual Cash Raised
$12.5
Over $18.9 Million Raised in Cash Donations for FY 2011 Becomes Highest Annual Total Recorded
Volume 4, Issue 1
2011
“We are so fortunate to be able to count on the continued and growing generosity of our alumni and friends,” Foundation Interim President Wendy A. Bucci ‘87 said, adding, “the level and breadth of support we receive makes a significant impact on the overall academic experience here at URI, the effects of which are felt a cross the campus community. We are deeply grateful to our donors.” According to Bucci, donors--alumni and friends of the University alike--contributed gifts last year which provide vital support across the board to all colleges and major program areas, including athletics and the Fund for URI. Over half of the total dollar amount of all cash gifts received by the University in this time period consisted of major gifts of at least $100,000. Secured by the Foundation’s development team, these charitable gifts are infused into the University, significantly impacting the overall academic environment at URI. Of the $18.9 million received in FY 2011, 44%, or $8,399,431, was earmarked to fund existing or create new endowments. The remaining 56%, or $10,547,100, was used to provide direct operating support across the University community. These gifts, as with all charitable gifts to the University, are used for purposes specified by donors and may be designated for restricted or unrestricted use.
Story continued on page 7
From Tank Platoon Leader to Treasury Analyst Supporting URI: Andrew Raucci ‘09
Andrew Raucci’s ’09 support of URI is a result of the gratitude he feels for the excellent education the University provided him, and, just as importantly, it comes from a sense of doing the right thing and giving someone who might be less fortunate the chance to have those same educational opportunities. “I am thankful for the opportunities and learning experience that URI provided to me. My contributions are a small way for me to continue to support the University and its mission,” he explains. One of the University’s younger donors, Raucci received an MBA from URI’s College of Business Administration in 2009. Raucci earned his undergraduate degree at Pepperdine University, and, despite having a good job in California, he decided to follow through on his long-term interest in joining Andrew Raucci the Marine Corps. “I felt blessed with great educational opportunities and good work opportunities. We live in the best country in the world, and it is worth defending. I felt called to serve.”
Also in This Issue: Foundation Business Notes...........page 2 Norman ‘77 and Alicia Tashash ‘76 ........................................................page 3 Alan Shawn Feinstein.....................page 4 Student Scholarship Recipients.....page 5 Planned Giving: Artist Joseph Matose ’86 ........................................................page 6 Honoring Danielle Audette.............page 7
Raucci, who now works for the State of Rhode Island’s Treasurer’s Office as a fiscal manager and Story continued on page 6 visit us on the web
www.URIFoundation.org
Foundation Business Notes… New Board Chair & Members... ¥ During the recent URI Foundation Executive Board’s annual meeting held in June,
Thomas J. Silvia ’83 was elected the new chair of the Board. He succeeds George Graboys Hon. ’99, and will lead the 28-member volunteer board for a three-year term. Silvia previously held the leadership position of vice chair. Formerly a bond group leader and portfolio manager with Fidelity Investments and current managing partner of Sanctuary Capital, Silvia earned an engineering degree from URI in 1983, later obtaining an M.B.A. from Columbia University. An active volunteer for the University, he has served on the Ram Fund Advisory Board and a number of Foundation Executive Board committees, including the campaign leadership, finance and investment committees. ¥ Four new Executive Board members were also appointed during the annual
Former Foundation Board Chair George meeting, including: John Brennan ’81, co-founder and managing director of Sirios Graboys (right) passes the gavel to newly Capital Management in Boston, and URI College of Engineering graduate; Carol installed chair, Tom Silvia (left). Makovich ’75, principal with New York-based Owen Blicksilver Public Relations and URI journalism degree recipient; Laurie White ’81, president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and URI journalism degree recipient; and, Susan Sosnowski, a Rhode Island state senator from West Kingston, serving in the legislature since 1996. All of the new members will serve three-year terms, with the exception of Sosnowski, who will serve for one year. URI President David Dooley congratulated Silvia and welcomed the newly appointed Board members, saying, “Each one of them is a true leader in his or her respective field and the knowledge, insight and contributions they will bring to the Foundation will, no doubt, bear positive results for the University as it continues its transformation into a global leader.”
Recent Departures… ¥ George Graboys Hon. ’99, recently ended his term as Executive Board Chair. George is a highly respected member of the state’s business
and philanthropic communities and the Foundation was fortunate to have benefitted from his able leadership. The impact of George’s work on URI’s behalf will be evident far into the future.
¥ Ruth Jarrett ’86, CFO of the Foundation for nearly thirty years, retired from her position earlier this summer. Ruth was a highly-valued and
much-respected member of the University community who was dedicated to her work managing the financial operations of the Foundation – including the administration of the University’s endowment portfolio. We wish her well!
A Salute to Glen R. Kerkian Glen R. Kerkian recently ended a five-year run as president of the URI Foundation. Glen was a devoted advocate for the Foundation and the University. He successfully led the Foundation through the historic conclusion of the recently ended Making a Difference campaign, as well as the major transition of fundraising activities from the University to the Foundation early in 2008. The URI Foundation expresses its deep appreciation to Glen Kerkian for his work and dedication, which will continue to generate positive outcomes for the University for many years to come.
New URIF Appointments… ¥ Wendy A. Bucci ’87 was named interim president of the Foundation by the Executive Board. She will hold the position until a permanent
replacement for recently departed President Glen Kerkian is named, expected sometime this fall. Bucci has served with the Foundation for nearly five years, most recently as chief operations officer. She was with the University’s Division of Advancement for five years prior to joining the Foundation. ¥ Merelise Hitte ’01, was named Director of Finance. She will oversee all financial operations, including administration of the University’s
endowment, and will manage finance department staff at the Foundation. Merelise served as the Foundation controller for the past four years. ¥ Rebecca L. Schiff joins the Foundation staff as the new associate dean for development for the College of Arts and Sciences, responsible for
leading development efforts for URI’s largest college. Schiff comes to URI from Harvard University Law School, where she served as associate director of major gifts. She has also held senior fundraising positions at Brandeis University and the University of Michigan.
Page 2
Couple Who First Met on Kingston Campus Give Back to Alma Mater S upporting URI: N orman ’77
and
A licia T ashash ’76
Norman Tashash ’77 and his wife, Alicia ’76, have a soft spot in their hearts for URI—not only do they ascribe their marriage to the school, but they give it credit for their professional success as well. And over the last few years, they have demonstrated exactly how they feel by putting their financial support behind the University. Recently, the College of the Environment and Life Sciences (CELS) held a ceremony for the Tashashs, during which Conference Room 152 in the new Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences building (pictured below) was dedicated in their honor. The naming of the Tashash Family Conference Room was fitting. The couple generously gave $50,000 toward the completion of the new, state-of-the-art building. Their efforts are helping to ensure that the $60 million structure, which opened in January 2009, will have its fourth floor fully outfitted with laboratory and administrative space by the fall of 2012. Jeffrey Seemann, former dean of CELS, initially approached Norman, asking him to help raise the private funding necessary to enhance the building, above and beyond what was planned as a part of taxpayer-approved bond financing for the major construction project. Norman readily agreed.
pictured:
Dean Kirby, Alicia Tashash ‘76, Norman Tashash ‘77
“URI is very special to us,” says Norman, who adds that both he and his wife are alumni—he a member of the class of 1977, with a degree in medical technology, and she a 1976 graduate. They met at URI after he transferred from the University of Vermont. “We got to thinking about how to give back to the University that gave us so many valuable lessons, and, thankfully, we had the means,” he explains.
At the spring ceremony, CELS Dean John D. Kirby expressed appreciation for the Tashashs’ great dedication to both the College and University. “We are fortunate to have such committed and involved alumni who are willing to take such an active role in our progress and growth.”
After graduating from URI, Norman worked for nine years in hospital laboratories before deciding he wanted to pursue a different challenge. He received his MBA from Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I., and landed a job with Abbott Laboratories in Chicago.
This instance, however, was not the first time the Tashashs demonstrated their generous support of URI. In 2008, they made a gift of $25,000 to establish a scholarship endowment to provide financial assistance to a third-year student pursuing a degree in molecular biology.
In 1988, he joined a small Boston-based firm, Genzyme, which, at that time, had 300 employees and about $20 million in annual sales. Genzyme Diagnostics is now known as Sekisui Diagnostics LLC, with $10 billion in sales annually. Norman currently serves as vice president and general manager of the clinical chemistry business unit. The Tashashs, who live in Greenville, have two children: a son, Joseph, who is completing his MBA at URI, and a daughter, Elizabeth, who just finished her studies at Northeastern University in Boston, and is now headed for law school. As for the new CBLS building,” where students can congregate in the Tashash Family Conference Room, Norman has nothing but praise: “I think it is a building that the University can—and should— showcase. It’s a wonderful learning environment for students and a cornerstone building for URI. The facility projects ‘education,’ and it’s a very positive investment that will undoubtedly pay dividends for generations of students.”
Page 3
visit us on the web
www.URIFoundation.org
Summer 2011
“To Better One Life is to Better the World” S upporting URI: A lan S hawn F einstein
Evidence of the generosity of well-known philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein is apparent throughout the University. URI hosts the Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America, the Feinstein Center for Service Learning and Clearinghouse for Volunteers, and the Dr. Pat Feinstein Child Development Center. The latter is housed at the URI Feinstein Providence campus, which is also home to the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Continuing Education. Feinstein’s gifts have far-reaching impact: The Hunger Center is involved in research relating to issues facing low-income populations, and the Clearinghouse aims to promote volunteerism among the student body. And just as significant is the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Continuing Education (or CCE, as it is known). Students attending CCE are anything but typical. Many are adults returning to college after decades away from the classroom or starting college for the first time. Most are 25 to 45 years old and juggle part-time studies, family obligations and full-time employment. They chip away at their degree requirements one or two courses at a time with the support of an extraordinary faculty who encourages their educational endeavors—especially when pursuing an undergraduate degree becomes overwhelming, even for these uber multi-taskers. Also easing their burden is the assistance many receive through the Lillian and Alan Shawn Feinstein Scholarships, awarded to new and returning students. In addition to helping to defray tuition expenses, the scholarships cover the full cost of child care for parents enrolled as undergraduates. These funds not only help relieve financial pressure, but also benefit those in need. Hundreds of students have directly benefited from these scholarships over the years. “I established the endowment to make scholarships available to those who commit to doing community service,” explains Feinstein. Scholarship recipients must agree to perform 30 hours of community service for each semester they receive an award, as the lesson he wants the students to take away from their CCE experience is “that helping to better the lives of others is a wonderful thing to do.” The assistance these students provide to area organizations—including local school systems, churches, nursing homes, The Salvation Army and A Wish Come True—is invaluable. Planning and organizing activities, coaching and visiting with patients or residents are just a few of the ways Feinstein Scholars avail themselves. In return, students learn what a difference they can make. “Most tell us they will continue giving back to their community, so the impact this scholarship makes is multiplied time and time again,” says Director of CCE Enrollment Management, Marketing and External Affairs Joanne DiBello. Feinstein scholar Omar Bah ’11 exemplifies this ideal of paying it forward. He is establishing the Refugee Advocacy Program to help newcomers transition to America by providing assistance with job placement, child care and housing. In addition to developing a passion for helping others, some scholarship recipients, such as Carlene Fiorito ’11 (profiled in this issue) also discover—or reignite—an enthusiasm for lifelong learning and are inspired to enroll in graduate programs. Fiorito will apply to URI’s doctoral program in psychology by the end of this year. Whether they continue their education or aim to help others who have to overcome extraordinarily difficult obstacles, like Matt McFadden (also spotlighted on the facing page), Feinstein is humbled by their determination. “I admire them immensely, and I am honored that I could have been a motivator for their ambitions.” Just as Feinstein highly regards the students who succeed despite trying circumstances, the University holds him in esteem for his continued contributions to higher education and social causes. “Our graduates are Alan’s legacy, and we are forever grateful for his support,” says DiBello. Page 4
“No Pain, No Gain” Proves True for Recent Grad Student Scholarship Recipient: Carlene Fiorito ’11
Pain can be a great teacher. Life’s challenges can provide great inspiration. Such has been true for Carlene Fiorito ’11. A nontraditional student at the University of Rhode Island’s Feinstein Providence Campus, Fiorito recently graduated with a degree in psychology and a minor in women’s studies. It was a triumph for a woman who has had to manage the debilitating symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. It was the pain that started Fiorito along a path that eventually led her to URI. For her, the disease was so severe that she had to give up her job of 17 years. Then Fiorito began the long journey of health self-advocacy, learning which medications helped the most and how to manage the symptoms of her illness. Over time she learned to control her pain through integrative medicine practices, a combination of alternative methods and traditional medicine. In better control of her symptoms, Fiorito was free to start thinking about the rest of her life. Having already completed two years of higher education, her next steps led to URI’s Feinstein Providence Campus. “When I returned to school a few years ago, I didn’t know what to expect,” recalls Fiorito. “Like most people, I was a little apprehensive, but I found a wonderful, supportive environment here.” At first, she wasn’t sure what kind of career she wanted to pursue. Then Fiorito took a psychology course. “I realized that is what I’m most passionate about,” she says. Nearly a year into her studies Fiorito found out about the Lillian and Alan Shawn Feinstein Scholarship. She was grateful to be offered this award because she would not have been able to complete her undergraduate work without it. As a divorced mother of a little boy who is now 10, Story continued on page 8
Delayed but not Derailed, Student Pursues Degree Despite Brain Injury Student Scholarship Recipient: Matt McFadden High school senior Matt McFadden was looking forward to his freshman year at the University of Rhode Island. His education was all figured out: He would live on campus, master his general education classes and, then, excel in coursework that would lead toward acceptance to medical school. Several of his family members are in the health professions, including his mother who is a registered nurse and his uncle, an eye doctor. So McFadden’s family supported his dream of becoming a physician and shared in his excitement about entering URI in the fall of 2004.
of days. It didn’t alter McFadden’s exercise routine, though. But when he started his bench presses, something went terribly wrong: Seventeen-year-old McFadden suffered a stroke.
Fitness was important to McFadden, and he regularly worked out at Gold’s Gym in Warwick. April 14, 2004, was like any other day, except that he had a mild headache, one that had been bothering him for a couple
McFadden’s brain injury left him without peripheral vision and with memory impairment. Yet, despite this, today 24-yearold McFadden enjoys his status as a junior in the Bachelor of General Studies program at
He awoke from a coma in a hospital bed. He didn’t know who anyone was. He couldn’t remember anything. He couldn’t speak. “I never saw it coming,” McFadden recalls. “Nobody did. We didn’t know that I’d been born with a defect in my brain. The arteries and veins were tangled. It’s called an arteriovenous malformation.”
URI’s Feinstein Providence campus. Taking courses part time since fall 2007, he will graduate with a degree in health services administration. He hopes to do so within the next couple of years. “There is a long list of people who have been assisting me on the Feinstein campus,” McFadden says. “From my academic advisor to the staff at the Academic Skills Lab, everybody has been fantastic. And since the health services administration degree is so broad, I can use it in a plethora Story continued on page 8
Page 5
visit us on the web
www.URIFoundation.org
Summer 2011
Andrew Raucci
continued from page 1 treasury analyst, served on active duty for four years, and for a portion of that time, serving as a tank platoon commander in Iraq with up to 100 Marines and multiple tanks in his command. The heavy gear took a toll on his body and the explosions took a toll on his hearing. Raucci is considered disabled and the GI Bill, along with URI’s disabled veteran program, helped him complete his education. Even with all he went through, Raucci considers himself lucky. “There were a lot of people much worse off than I was. I consider myself blessed.” Raucci felt it was important to take advantage of URI’s MBA program to prepare him to return to the civilian workforce. “URI’s one-year MBA program fit my career and life schedule. I wanted to go back to school because I thought that an advanced degree, combined with my service record, would position me as an attractive candidate for employers.” After graduation, Raucci took a job at an investment consulting firm in New Jersey but always yearned to be closer to home and his family and friends. Eventually, contacts he made and maintained from a URI internship brought him back to Rhode Island and landed him his job with the state. Raucci plans to continue his support of URI in the future. “I really appreciate the University, and I want to help them continue to provide services and outreach to students,” he explains. “I plan on being a lifelong donor and hope to continue to increase my contributions over the years as my paycheck and my career permits.” And he encourages other young alumni to do the same.
Successful Artist Embodies Persistence and Optimism S upporting URI: J oseph M atose ’86
Joseph Matose ‘86 cannot say enough about the experiences and the people he met during his time at URI. Today, Matose is a wellknown artist and poet who owns his own gallery in Newport. His works have been displayed in other galleries throughout Rhode Island and in New York City. Matose has also been honored with various awards, including a 2010 Professional Award from the Art Institution Schools in Minneapolis. As an artist, Matose draws every day as a form of practice and to perfect his craft, favoring ink and acrylic media above others. Much of the inspiration for his work comes from impulse, he says, and from the people and scenes he sees every day. Matose has been told that he first demonstrated his artistic talent when painting a boat for his uncle at the age of two. In the ensuing years, Matose honed his craft at the Rhode Island School of Design and at his eventual alma mater, URI. He began his studies at URI in the continuing education program, at night, taking art classes in all types of media. He cites one of his professors, William Klenk, as a major influence in his work, affecting the way he approaches much of his work. “URI is so lucky to have him,” says Matose, who recently gave back to the University by donating an original work in recognition of Klenk’s impact. The artwork is housed in the office of the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. (pictured at below) Matose relates much of his life—and understanding of such—to that of Tolstoy and his works, and the idea that persistence can allow one to overcome any obstacle. In reading Tolstoy’s poetry and philosophical thoughts, Matose meditates on Tolstoy’s ideas and what he terms “the positive way”—a way of thinking positively and optimistically, and reacting kindly to those around you. “I’ve been through a lot of struggles in my life, but every time I came out on top,” Matose observes. “It’s because I’ve been persistent and positive.” He says that all of the professors with whom he came into contact during his time at URI were extremely supportive, kind and compassionate towards the students. He found this especially true when it came to those who taught classes for the evening programs, for which many of the students held daytime jobs while also taking classes. Because of his rich and positive experiences at URI, Matose recently made provisions in his estate plans to bequeath a generous gift to the University’s Art Department. “Joe feels strongly about supporting URI,” explains Rita A. Verespy, assistant director of the URI Foundation’s gift planning office. “He is a successful artist and a truly positive individual with a real commitment to giving back. His affinity for the professors who offered him encouragement during his time at URI is very strong, and he hopes that as a result of his gift, future art students will enjoy a similarly supportive and creative experience.” For information relating to gift planning, please visit urifoundation.org/giftplanning or call Rita Verespy at 401.874.9530. This article written by URI student and URI Foundation student employee Katherine McGwin, who recently received her undergraduate degree here at URI and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in communication studies from the University. Katie also took the photos used in the article. Nice work, Katie! Page 6
Memorializing One Life, Making a Difference to Others S upporting URI: A rthur
and
P atricia A udette
Arthur Audette is good with numbers. His recall of dates is especially impressive. His first date with Patricia, who would later become his wife, was May 23, 1971. The two married on September 23, 1978, and the couple’s only child, Danielle Rose, was born on July 25, 1980. On November 29, 2009, Danielle passed away unexpectedly due to complications from lupus. There is no joy in remembering that date. But there is great joy in remembering the kind, quiet and resilient young woman who was a hardworking student in URI’s College of Business. Therefore, to pay tribute to their only child and to make scholarships available to other students pursuing their dreams at URI, Arthur and Patricia Audette created the Danielle Rose Audette Memorial Scholarship.
Pictured: College of Business Associate Dean Jill T. Nosach, Patricia Audette, Dean Mark Higgins, Arthur Audette (holding photo of Danielle).
Danielle was a student at Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I., when she began to feel ill, but she passed it off as nothing to be concerned about since medical tests were inconclusive. However, her illness forced Danielle to leave Bryant in her second year. After taking a two-year break, she began to feel a bit better, enrolling at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) in Warwick, R.I., and earning an associate’s degree in business. The following fall she was accepted at URI and was looking forward to earning her bachelor’s in business administration. While studying at URI, Danielle’s illness continued to progress. Doctors finally pinpointed the cause of her growing number of symptoms during her hospitalization in August 2009. She was suffering from lupus. This difficult-to-diagnose, systemic autoimmune disease can affect every area of the body, and the symptoms differ for each patient. Says Patricia, reflecting on the scores of people at Danielle’s funeral service, “As a parent, you think you know your child pretty well, but we were overwhelmed with the stories about our daughter that we didn’t know anything about.” Time and again, people of all ages told the Audettes how Danielle had taken them or their loved one under her wing. The setting could be school or work. No matter. Danielle Rose Audette approached others with kindness, generosity of spirit and encouragement. “More than one person told us that Danielle had been their angel in life,” Arthur says. “She loved helping other people. She didn’t like the limelight and wanted to be in the background.” Arthur and Patricia retired more than a decade ago from their 30-plus years with the City of Warwick. They have a tidy home with an aboveground swimming pool in the backyard and a lovely flower garden installed in remembrance of Danielle Rose. Wealthy, the Audettes are not. Thrifty and disciplined, they are. Yet, they say that they never wanted for anything, and now that they have provided for a modestly comfortable retirement, they want to do something for others in memory of Danielle. “Losing a child is the most devastating thing that can happen to a parent,” says Patricia. “We want to turn our tragedy into an opportunity for someone who could use some extra financial help to go to college.”
Record-Setting 2011 Fundraising Year continued from page 1 Meanwhile, the University’s endowment portfolio, managed by the URI Foundation, was valued at $101 million on June 30, 2011, the last officially reported quarter. The endowment had been valued at an all-time high of $102 million as of March 31, 2011. Value updates are reported quarterly. The Foundation recently disbursed an annual payout to the University, derived from a percentage of its endowment portfolio earnings, of over $3 million dollars- an increase in approximately 21 percent over last year’s disbursement. These charitably derived funds are utilized
Page 7
to support student scholarships, faculty and research, and academic programming and enrichment initiatives, among other donor-selected areas of support. The URI Foundation Executive Board’s Investment Committee approves an overall distribution policy applicable to the overall fund endowment each year. Three percent of the value of the endowment (or just over $3 million) was made available to the University for the 2011-2012 academic year. According to Bucci, in addition to cash received, a significant number of new gift pledges were made to support URI last year, which will contribute to cash received figures in future years.
visit us on the web
www.URIFoundation.org
Summer 2011
Gifts should be mailed to: URI Foundation PO Box 1700 Kingston, RI 02881 Rhode Ways is published to showcase philanthropy and demonstrate the impact of private giving at the University of Rhode Island as well as to report on other URI Foundation activities. It is supplemented by an annual report published the fourth quarter of the calendar year. For more information, or if you have comments, please contact Tracey Manni, managing editor, at 401.874.2145 or tmanni@ foundation.uri.edu.
Or Give Online:
To make a gift that will have an immediate impact at URI you may give online by visiting www.urifoundation.org/giveonline Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Providence, RI Permit No. 3091
Managing Editor: Tracey A. Manni Contributors: Maria Caliri ’86, M.B.A. ’92, Sharon DeLuca ’85, Rudi Hempe, Tracey A. Manni, Katherine McGwin ’11, Priscilla Young. Photography: Joe Giblin, Nora Lewis, Tracey A. Manni, Katherine McGwin ’11, John A. Nosach. Design & pRINTING: Images Design Company, Wakefield, RI
N o P ain , N o G ain
D elayed
Fiorito had to manage her money carefully. The Feinstein Scholarship covered tuition and paid for her books, and Fiorito was able to avoid taking out student loans until last year.
of situations. I could definitely counsel people who have had similar injuries.” That would require more education—later on. Right now, McFadden says he just wants to focus on graduating.
continued from page 5
but not
continued from page 5
Ultimately, Fiorito wants to become a health psychologist and specialize in pain psychology. “I’d like to focus on women’s health issues, which is why I minored in women’s studies,” she explains. “I want to do clinical work, teach and conduct research.” To move toward her professional destination, Fiorito will apply to URI’s doctoral program in psychology by the end of this year. In the meantime, she plans to conduct a research project to enhance her chances of acceptance into the program. “When you’re dealing with painful illnesses or conditions, there are a lot of emotional issues involved, like depression,” observes Fiorito. “It’s a vicious cycle. I am fortunate that I have a strong faith, found the strength to be my own advocate and locate the resources that I need. I’d like to assist others in doing that, and make it a little easier for them.”
D erailed
Of the many supports at URI for which McFadden is grateful, one of the most important to him is his scholarship, provided by Alan and Lillian Feinstein through the URI Foundation. The fund provides aid to undergraduate College of Continuing Education students as well as financial assistance for day care for their children. Scores of students receive financial support through this endowment each year. “Before my injury, I didn’t even know about the Feinstein campus in Providence or the Feinstein Scholarship,” McFadden says. “Without the scholarship, I couldn’t have afforded to go to school. The Feinstein Scholarship has made a huge difference.”
SmartMoney Ranks URI 13th in Nation and Tops in New England for Return on Investment. Read more at www.urifoundation.org/smartmoney