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Family Camp 2008 advance.uri.edu/photoalbums
QUADangles FALL 2008, VOL. 16, NO. 1
DEPARTMENTS Up Front 3 News and views PRESS BOX 4 Photo page 10 Talent Development 40th Anniversity Alumni Chapters 28 Upcoming events and contacts LOOKING BACK 30 Class Acts 31 News from your classmates and alumni profiles Back Page 40 The Metcalf Center’s First Decade of Helping Journalists Interpret Science INSIDE BACK COVER Profile in Giving Howard S. Frank ’63 BACK COVER Winter Gala 2009
QUAD ANGLES online: advance.uri.edu/quadangles
FEATURES 7 UNDERSTANDING A WARMING WORLD By Todd McLeish Many URI researchers have been studying global climate change for decades from a wide variety of perspectives 10 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CLIMATE DEBATE By John Pantalone ’71 William Brennan, M.S. ’85 in marine affairs, is director of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and deputy administrator of NOAA 12 CHRISTABELLE’S CLOSET By Jennifer Sherwood ’89 Christina Carathanassis has created a Web-based consignment business that provides top designer clothing for a fraction of the regular retail cost 14 ON THE BEAT IN NEW ORLEANS By Shane Donaldson ’99 Just 16 months after Katrina devastated New Orleans, Darran Simon moved to the city to get a front row seat on the recovery efforts 16 THE NORMAN M. FAIN HILLEL CENTER By Jhodi Redlich ’81 The center will be a central meeting point where students can celebrate Jewish life, explore both Jewish and universal issues, build life-long friendships, and enrich their personal growth
Cover and IFC: Nora Lewis Contents: Joe Giblin; Larry Ford; Danny Bourque of The Times-Picayune
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18 THE URI BRAND By Jhodi Redlich ’81 The University introduces a fresh new look 24 Making Big Changes Worldwide By Jan Wenzel ’87 When people ask us to name the University’s foremost researchers, Jim Prochaska’s name is always at the top of our short list
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ALUMNI online
advance.uri.edu/alumni
It’s no secret that the Internet has changed the way we communicate. We’re taking advantage of the latest advances in this technology to stay in touch with alumni and s upporters. CHECK YOUR CALENDAR It’s all there—from this fall’s Big Thinkers Series events in Los Angeles, New York City, Washington D.C., and Miami to chapter activities in Phoenix and Providence and the popular annual Alumni Association Ski Trip to Mount Snow, Vermont. To see all the events of interest to URI alumni, go to advance.uri. edu/events/calendar. Bookmark the page and check it often. We’re always adding something new. THERE’S ALWAYS TIME TO CHAT This fall begins our fifth year of bringing you monthly online chats sponsored by the Division of University Advancement. Coming up on October 21 is Rebecca Burke ‘76, vice president of Patient Services at Miriam Hospital, who will be ready to discuss what you need to do to be an informed patient; on November 18, Professor of Political Science Maureen Moakley will talk about what we might expect from the new White House administration; and on December 16, Professor of Economics Len Lardaro will respond to your questions about the state of the economy in Rhode Island and beyond. Take a look at our complete fall schedule by going to advance.uri.edu/chats. You may submit a question at any time. STAY CONNECTED, GET INVOLVED No matter what your interests or where you live, there are ways to stay involved with your alma mater. Get involved with the Women’s Council for Development or the Alumni of Color Coalition. Join an alumni chapter in Southern California, St. Louis, or Washington, D.C. Participate in one of the Alumni Association’s volunteer committees or re-connect with old classmates and plan your reunion. Go to advance.uri.edu/alumni/getinvolved to find out more. FIREWORKS, FOOTBALL, FUN! Homecoming 2008, held on October 17-18, promises to be a special weekend. Back this year is Rhodyville, our Homecoming tent village where alumni and affinity groups can reserve space for their own special gatherings. For all the details about Rhodyville and a complete listing of Homecoming festivities—including spectacular fireworks, the 8th annual Homecoming 5K Rhode Race, the URI-Villanova football game, and reunions—go to advance.uri.edu/alumni/events/homecoming. Online registration is available for all events. What could be easier? OUR MEMBERS MATTER Did you know that more than 65 programs and services are currently provided, managed, promoted, and funded by the University of Rhode Island Alumni Association? By joining the Alumni Association, you will not only enjoy the many benefits of membership, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you are supporting these programs, services, and student scholarships. Become a member today by going to advance.uri.edu/alumni/membership.
Give a Special Gift for Graduation Buy a brick on the URI Century Walk, and give a gift that lasts a lifetime. For $150, you can order a 4” x 8” brick for yourself, to honor a friend, a former faculty member, a student, or to recognize your fraternity, sorority, club, reunion class, or alumni chapter. Inscriptions are limited to two lines with a maximum of 18 characters per line. For more information or to order online, visit advance.uri.edu/alumni/centurywalk or contact Mary Ann Mazzone, URI Alumni Relations, at 401-874-2242. Your brick donation is tax deductible and benefits Alumni Association scholarships and programming.
2 QUAD ANGLES FALL 2008
STAY IN TOUCH Sign up for one of our online periodicals or email news lists, and stay in touch with your school! n ONLINE PERIODICALS INADVANCE@URI A biweekly electronic newsletter that contains University news, events, and opportunities of interest to URI alumni and friends. InAdvance@URI is currently emailed to more than 55,000 subscribers on alternate Thursdays. QUAD ANGLES Prefer to read the URI alumni magazine online? Sign up for this online subscription, and we’ll notify you by email when the latest issue is posted at advance.uri.edu/quadangles. n To subscribe to one of our online periodicals, go to advance.uri.edu/esubscriptions. n EMAIL NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS ALUMNI NEWS & EVENTS News and announcements regarding upcoming alumni programs, such as Homecoming, Golf Tournament, chapter events, reunions, cultural events, and member events. RIRAA ONLINE News and announcements about gifts to the Rhode Island Rams Athletic Association (RIRAA), as well as information about athletic events, special ticket offers, priority points, and more. SUPPORTING URI News and announcements about gifts to URI, including gifts to endowment, the Fund for URI, planned giving, building initiatives, and more. n To subscribe to one of our email news lists, go to alumniconnections.com/rhodeisland and click on Member Services. Select Email Preferences to opt in or out of our email news lists.
QUAD angles QUAD ANGLES is a publication of the University of Rhode Island Alumni Association, Division of University Advancement, 73 Upper College Road, Kingston, RI 02881-2011. Phone: 401-874-2242. Vice President for University Advancement Robert M. Beagle Executive Editor Michele Nota ’87, M.S. ’06 Editorial Committee Paula M. Bodah ’78 Jodi Hawkins Mike Laprey Dave Lavallee ’79, M.P.A. ’87 Liz O'Brien Managing Editor Vida-Wynne Griffin ’67, M.A. ’72 Associate Editor Jan Wenzel ’87 Interim Director of Publications Russell Kolton Director of Communications Linda Acciardo ’77 Contributing Editors Mary Ann Mazzone, Class Acts Nicki Toler, Alumni Online & Chapters Contributing Designers Johnson Ma Bo Pickard Kim Robertson Verna Thurber Photographer Nora Lewis Alumni Relations Staff Michelle Fontes-Barros ’96, Assistant Director Lisa Harrison ’89, Executive Assistant Sarah Howard ’96, Associate Director Jessie Kenyon, Assistant Director Brittany Manseau ’08, Program Assistant Marisa Saccoccio ’01, M.A. ’05, Program Assistant Kate Serafini ’08, Program Assistant Gina Simonelli ’01, M.S. ’03, Assistant Director Alumni Association Executive Board Gary W. Kullberg ’63, President Donald P. Sullivan ’71, President Elect Joseph M. Confessore ’96, Vice President Peter J. Miniati III ’85, Past President Susan R. Johnson ’82, Vice President Louise H. Thorson, M.B.A. ’85, Treasurer Councilors-at-Large Ana Barraza ’93, M.S. ’04 Mark A. Davis ’83 Carlos M. Ferreira ’89 Allison E. Field ’95 John Finan ’80 Ronald P. Joseph ’67 Kelly J. Nevins ’90, M.S. ’02 Kathleen P. O’Donnell-White ’90 Benjamin W. Tuthill ’04 Andrew W. Wafula ’01 Representatives Arts & Sciences: Jerome H. Kritz ’76 Business Administration: Laurel L. Bowerman ’77, M.B.A. ’84 Continuing Education: Edward Bozzi Jr. ’68 Engineering: Leo Mainelli ’58 Environment & Life Sciences: Wayne K. Durfee ’50 Human Science & Services: John Boulmetis ’71, M.S. ’73 Nursing: Denise A. Coppa ’72, Ph.D. ’02 Pharmacy: Lynn M. Pezzullo ’91 Student Alumni Association: Jessica Potvin ’09 Student Senate: Thomas Ahrens ’09 URI Foundation: H. Douglas Randall III ’72 URI is an equal opportunity employer committed to the principles of affirmative action. The ideas and opinions expressed in QUAD ANGLES do not necessarily reflect those of the Alumni Association, the editor, or the University. QUAD ANGLES is published four times a year for alumni and friends of the University of Rhode Island; standard postage paid at Burlington, Vt. QUAD ANGLES is printed at The Lane Press, South Burlington, Vt., and is recyclable.
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Sent to all high school seniors who are prospective URI students, the Admission Viewbook provides an enticing look at campus life from individual colleges to dining and housing to student life. Appropriately, it is the first University publication to display the new brand (see story on page 18). To see the entire Viewbook online, go to http://issuu.com/ universityofri/docs/ viewbook2008.
College of Arts and Sciences
Creating, inventing, and working in teams. This is what it takes to succeed in the engineering workplace today. And it’s what URI’s College of Engineering prepares you for with leading research programs and internationally renowned faculty. The proof is in our graduates’ extraordinary 100% job placement rate. Choose from nine majors, a five-year International Engineering Program, or a five-year Engineering and M.B.A. program. Our International Engineering Program (IEP) embodies the global perspective and team building required of engineers today. (A program made even more amazing considering we pioneered it 20 years ago.) We’ve recently added the study of the Chinese language as an IEP option. Immerse yourself in one of our two IEP Houses, Living and Learning Communities with other IEP students, your own chef, and role models for academic success.
YEMI AKINSINDE—Coventry, RI, Class of 2008
LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM—20,000 FEET UNDER THE SEA They’re called “unmanned submersible mine detectors.” But many men and women are responsible for their success at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Newport, RI. People like electrical engineering major Yemi Akinsinde. Before he even graduated from URI, Yemi interned with
NUWC’s electrical engineers on many national defense and security submersible vehicle projects. Now that he’s graduated, Yemi will be working there full-time. Extraordinary experiences beyond the classroom—and even under the sea—make URI a great place to learn.
NEW PATHWAY TO PHARMACEUTICAL CAREERS In response to the unprecedented advances in medicine and life sciences in the world today, we developed a new pharmaceutical engineering track—a unique intersection of chemical engineering and pharmacy. This new chemical
engineering program prepares you to be uniquely qualified and exceptionally competitive as an interdisciplinary specialist in the pharmaceutical profession. New opportunities and rewarding salaries await.
M LECULE sensor A BIOTECHNOLOGY LAB THE SIZE OF A PEA.
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Imagine an entire biotechnology laboratory reduced to the size of a pea and placed on a computer chip. While not yet a reality, that technology for detecting small particles in micrometer-sized channels—called microfluidics—will soon revolutionize research into new pharmaceuticals, early detection of infections, and other healthrelated fields. It could even be used to monitor a person’s exposure to a biological agent released by a terrorist. Equally impressive is the fact that URI was awarded a highly competitive $2.4 million grant by the National Science Foundation to develop this technology along with the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany.
“We’ve identified a cutting-edge technology and we’re going to use it as a platform for developing a new multidisciplinary, multinational model to internationalize engineering research and education,” says Mohammad Faghri, URI professor of mechanical engineering and applied mechanics. It’s one of the many big ideas that have big possibilities at URI’s College of Engineering.
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UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 3
Zaneski Signs With Texas Rangers Academic Honors Ninety-two student-athletes were named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the spring 2008 semester. To be recognized, student-athletes must have a semester grade-point average of 3.5 or better. Sixteen student-athletes earned a perfect 4.0 GPA during the 2008 spring semester.
Rhody Duo Competes at NCAA Outdoor Track Championship Jasmine Jennings and Sarah Thornton of the women’s outdoor track & field team competed in the hammer throw at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship at Drake University. Jennings, who became the first URI student-athlete to win an NCAA Regional title, earned an automatic qualifier after winning the regional championship on May 31 at Florida State with a throw of 205-06. She finished 26th at the national championship meet. Thornton, who finished eighth at the NCAA East Regional, earned an atlarge invitation into the field of the national championship meet. She did not register an official mark, fouling on each of her attempts. It was the first trip to the NCAA Championship for both student-athletes. Jasmine Jennings
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URI catcher Zach Zaneski has signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers. The Waterford, Conn., native is the eighth Rhode Island baseball player to sign with an MLB team since 2003. “I am very excited about this opportunity,” said Zaneski. “I had a great four years at Rhode Island and wouldn’t be in this position right now without the support of my coaches and teammates.” Zaneski, a two-time AllAtlantic 10 selection and recipient of this year’s Rick Ligi Team MVP Award, finished the 2008 season with a team-best .355 batting average. He also led the squad with 77 hits, 49 runs, 46 RBI, 17 doubles, a .449 on-base percentZach Zaneski age and 108 total bases. Defensively, he led all A-10 catchers, having thrown out 27 potential base stealers. He ranks third all-time at URI with 1,027 career putouts and was one of 48 Division I student-athletes in the running for the 2008 Johnny Bench Award that is presented annually to the nation’s top catcher. “I am really proud of Zach,” said head coach Jim Foster. “He had a great career here and certainly deserves this opportunity. He has been everything a coach could ask for both on and off the field.” Zaneski is the eighth Rhode Island baseball player to sign with an MLB team since 2003. Steve Holmes was selected by the New York Mets in the fifth round (154th overall) of the 2006 Draft, Rhode Island’s highest-ever draft pick. In 2005, Zack Zuercher was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth round (290th overall), while Mike Rainville (Tampa Bay Devil Rays) and Mick Lefort (Chicago Cubs) signed free agent contracts. Dan Batz went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth round of the 2004 Draft (178th overall) and right-handed pitchers Reid Willett (21st round, 613th pick, Chicago Cubs) and Jared Trout (28th round, 842nd pick, Oakland Athletics) were selected after their junior seasons and signed professional contracts in 2003. The 2008 Rhode Island baseball team collected more wins than any other Division I team in New England, finishing its season with an overall record of 31-27-1. In conference play, the Rams posted a 15-11-1 mark to qualify for their sixth-consecutive Atlantic 10 tournament. There, fifth-seeded URI took down fourth-seeded Temple (7-1) and top-seeded Xavier (11-4) before falling to Charlotte (11-1) and No. 1 Xavier (3-0) to finish third. URI pitcher Brett Palanski was named to the All-Championship Team while infielder Shaun Hagey earned First Team All-Conference honors and Zaneski landed a spot on the Second Team. Foster and closer Tim Boyce were both recognized by the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association as the pair was selected to participate in the 2008 NEIBA All-Star game at Fenway Park.
Stevens, Valois Earn PING All-New England Honors Mark Stevens and Brad Valois were named to the 2008 Division I PING All-New England Region golf team. Stevens finished the 2008 spring season with a stroke average of 74.8. He competed in seven events for the Rams, posting a low-round of 68 at the Marshall Invitational on April 5. On five occasions, Stevens fired off rounds of 72 or lower. He helped lead URI to a third-place finish at the Atlantic 10 Championship on May 2-4, tying for eighth place overall with a three-day total of 214 (-2). Valois compiled a 76.5 stroke average in seven events during the 2008 spring campaign. He finished in a tie for 35th place at the Atlantic 10 Championship and earned a top 10 finish at the Marshall Invitational from April 4-5. Valois had three rounds of 72 or less, including the best round of the season by a Rhody golfer. PING All-Region teams consist of the top 15 individuals in their region in the Individual Ranking System. Members of the PING All-Region teams are eligible for PING All-America honors.
Mark Stevens
Brad Valois
Mojidi Named Top R.I. Female Collegiate Athlete On June 18, women’s basketball standout guard Safi Mojidi received the Rhode Island Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year award at the second-annual Cox Rhode Island Sports Awards presented by Amica. Mojidi, who previously was honored as the Rhode Island Division I Women’s Basketball Player of the Year, led the Rams in scoring this past season, averaging 12.2 points per game. She finished her career as URI’s all-time
three-point field goal leader (185). She holds the top spot in career minutes played (3,829), ranks second all-time with a .796 free-throw percentage, and is third all-time in scoring (1,601) and assists (354). A three-time All-Atlantic 10 selection, Mojidi represented her native Nigeria at the 2007 FIBA African Championship for Women. Safi Mojidi
Bissett Honored with Atlantic 10 Sporting Award Callum Bissett of the men’s soccer team was honored with the 2008 Atlantic 10 Sporting Award presented annually to a student-athlete who exemplifies good sportsmanship. The native of Pencaitland, Scotland, maintained a 3.2 gradepoint average while majoring in international business. He graduated early (December 2007) after studying at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Bissett has served as a clinician for South County Youth Soccer, Rams FC, and Rhode Island Stingrays Youth Camps, and participated in the Rhody Life Skills Reading Program. He volunteered at URI’s Child Development Center and coached soccer for the Project Goal Inner City Youth Soccer Program. Bissett is the second Ram to receive the A-10 Sporting Award; women’s track & field student-athlete Courtney Klenk was recognized in 2006. Callum Bissett
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For more photos: advance.uri.edu/photoalbums/
Talent Development’s 40th Anniversary
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PhotoS By Michael Salerno
Understanding A Warming
World URI scientists providing answers and solutions
While most Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the seriousness of climate change, you might like to know that many URI researchers have been studying the topic for decades and from a wide variety of perspectives. Just this summer, for example, Oceanography Professor Jeremy Collie and Professor Emeritus Perry Jeffries received national attention for their report on the significant changes that have taken place in the fish community in Narragansett Bay from increasing water temperatures. By analyzing nearly 50 years of data from the University’s weekly fish trawl surveys, they found that while warm-water species have moved into the region in larger numbers, cool-water species—primarily bottom feeders like winter flounder—have declined. Invertebrates like lobsters and crabs have increased, but the maximum size of fish has declined. All results are linked to global warming. “Our overall prediction is that Narragansett Bay is soon going to resemble estuaries to the south of us—Delaware Bay, Chesapeake Bay— so we’ll experience what they are experiencing now,” Collie said. “Narragansett Bay will continue to get warmer and attract more southern species, such as blue crabs. Species that couldn’t complete their life cycle here before may be able to do that now.”
Oceanography Professor S. Bradley Moran is conducting a somewhat similar analysis half way around the world. Along with Associate Marine Research Scientist Robert Campbell, he is examining shifts in the productivity, abundance, and species composition of ice algae, phytoplankton and zooplankton in open water areas of the Bering Sea and in areas where the ice cover is receding due to warming temperatures. According to the researchers, warmer water temperatures in the Bering Sea in spring could result in an earlier and more rapid seasonal ice retreat with potentially harmful effects on one of the world’s richest and most productive fisheries. “The Bering Sea and other sub-Arctic and Arctic seas are predicted to be among the regions most severely affected by global warming, as relatively small changes in the heat content of the water column can have a disproportionately large effect on the spatial distribution and dynamics of sea ice,” Moran said. “This research will improve our understanding of climate-driven ecological changes that have occurred over the past decade.” When not studying squid and other marine organisms living in extreme environments, Brad Seibel focuses his research on the effects of fossil fuel emissions on marine life. While there is a natural exchange of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to the sea and back, he notes that
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Jeremy Collie
Perry Jeffries
S. Bradley Moran
Robert Campbell
Brad Seibel
Randy Watts
Kathleen Donohue
John Merrill
Kate Moran
Albert Kausch
Stanley Barnett
John King
Brett Lucht
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Marion Gold
Fred Meyerson
increasing CO2 levels from power plants, transportation, and other man-made sources are affecting the equilibrium. Seibel, associate professor of biological sciences, said that increased CO2 in the oceans causes a decrease in the pH levels (the measure of acidity) of seawater, resulting in dramatic physiological effects on many species. As atmospheric CO2 diffuses into the upper layers of the water, it inhibits the ability of shellfish to form shells and causes coral reefs to dissolve. Metabolism in some animal species may also be depressed by increased acidity, and some fish, squids, and shrimps will have a diminished capacity for oxygen uptake from their gills to their bloodstream, leading to asphyxiation. Still other faculty members are examining global warming from a larger perspective. Oceanography Professor Randy Watts and Associate Research Professor Kathleen Donohue, for instance, make annual visits to the waters around Antarctica to study changes in ocean circulation patterns in one of the world’s most important regions for heat exchange. According to Donohue, the Southern Ocean is warming faster than other oceans, and winds in the region have increased significantly in the last 30 years, so it is a key location to look for the impacts of climate change. “The Antarctic Circumpolar Current acts as a conduit transporting water between the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The nature of this interaction has consequences for local, regional and global ecosystems and climate,” she said. “It’s important to understand the dynamics of the current so we can understand the impacts of our changing climate.” For many years, Oceanography Professor John Merrill has been monitoring greenhouses gases in the atmosphere, especially ozone, and in 2007 he was honored with the Outstanding Scientific Paper award in the climate category from the research arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He and a team of colleagues found a previously unknown atmospheric feature—an area hundreds of kilometers in size above the southeastern United States where a surprisingly large amount of ozone has been present in recent summers. Examining Historical Changes Another way to understand the climate changes taking place is to examine similar changes in Earth’s history. Kate Moran, associate dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography, and Oceanography Professor John King are doing just that. Moran led an
international team of scientists to collect a 400-meter sediment core from beneath the Arctic Ocean that revealed a 56-million-year record of climate changes in the region. “Little direct evidence about the environmental history of the Arctic Ocean existed before our cruise, partly because of the enormous technological challenges of collecting the samples,” Moran said. “Our analysis of the core sample suggests that 55 million years ago the Arctic was much warmer than today. We anticipate that our data will be used by climate modelers to give us better information about how climate change occurs and possibly where global climate might be heading.“ Similarly, King is collecting sediment cores from lakes in Africa and the eastern United States and from estuaries in Rhode Island to analyze the history of climate changes in those areas. By studying the annual sediment layers—somewhat like examining tree rings—he can determine precipitation rates and other climactic conditions from tens of thousands of years ago. Using this technique, he and colleagues from the U.S. and Canada recently discovered that water levels in the eastern Great Lakes dropped by 35 meters due to a significant climate change 7,800 to 8,800 years ago. “This study proves again that large ecosystems like the Great Lakes are much more sensitive to major natural climate changes than we previously believed, and this discovery doesn’t bode well for the Great Lakes during the major human-induced climate change that is unfolding now,” King said. “We tend to assume that large natural systems can take whatever we can dish out, but unfortunately the detrimental societal impacts for the U.S. and Canada of a large drop in lake levels may prove to be staggering.” Seeking Solutions As temperatures continue to rise, a number of University scientists, all participants in the URI Partnership for Energy, are focusing on how to reduce the impact. For example, Molecular Biology Professor Albert Kausch is developing an improved switchgrass plant that can be used as an effective and inexpensive alternative to corn for ethanol; Chemical Engineering Professor Stanley Barnett is working
Did you know that… This year’s ongoing Honors Colloquium focuses on global environmental change. The series runs through December and includes bi-weekly lectures, a film series, and a coastal cabaret. Oceanography Professors Steve D’Hondt and Art Spivack and Communication Studies Professor Judith Swift are the coordinators. To learn more, go to http://www.uri.edu/hc/.
to convert CO2 for use as a replacement for oil; and Chemistry Professor Brett Lucht is investigating methods to enhance the life of lithium ion batteries for the next generation of hybrid vehicles. Lucht and Marion Gold, co-directors of the energy partnership, recently completed a report for the Rhode Island Energy Efficiency and Resource Management Council that assesses the potential use of small-scale renewable energy systems at homes and businesses in the state and recommends policies that could be implemented to encourage their use. “If we’re going to make any meaningful impact on reducing the predicted global temperature increases, we need to start with our energy use,” said Gold. “That means we have to quickly find alternatives to fossil fuels for powering our vehicles, generating electricity, and heating and cooling our homes. And we have to find ways to make it easy for citizens to purchase and use these alternatives as well as to become more efficient energy consumers.” From a policy perspective, Fred Meyerson said that the key to reducing climate change is reducing per-capita emissions of greenhouse gases and reducing population growth. During an online round-table debate on the subject, the assistant professor of demography, ecology, and environmental policy said: “The only viable way to lower per-capita emissions is to make the price of emitting greenhouse gases so high that it’s in everyone’s best interest to reduce consumption and turn to other technologies for producing energy, goods, and services. This will involve significant economic and social change and disruption, but then so did the industrial and fossil-fuel revolutions of the past 200 years that fostered the population growth that brought us to this demographic and climate crisis.” By Todd McLeish
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In the
Middle of the Climate Debate 10 QUAD ANGLES FALL 2008
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he debate about the causes of global warming continues to rage while presidential candidates offer solutions, car manufacturers struggle with emissions standards, the price of oil and gasoline skyrockets, and Americans remain confused. The politics encourages confusion, but a man who sits in the middle of the debate makes a simple point about pollution, global warming, and climate change. “If you look at the polling information, while global warming is at the top of environmental issues of concern to the public, environmental issues in general rank well below other issues the public expresses concern about,” says William Brennan, director of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP), who earned his master’s degree in 1985 from URI’s Marine Affairs Program. “This is one of my major concerns,” Brennan adds. “People don’t realize that they are part of the problem, and fixing the problem will be costly and will require significant changes in our day-to-day lives.” As director of CCSP, Brennan oversees the work of 13 federal agencies as he integrates the planning and budgeting of federal climate and global change activities. CCSP’s main mission is to bring together research conducted by federal scientists, academic scientists, and others to arrive at a consensus on how much the global climate is changing, how it’s changing, and why it’s changing. But his job as climate director is but one of Brennan’s roles in Washington. He has served since 2002 as deputy assistant secretary of commerce for international affairs with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and was recently promoted to the number two position at NOAA. Last January, he was nominated by President Bush to be the assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and deputy administrator of NOAA. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in early June and has since been actively engaged in the day to day management of NOAA and its several branches, including the National Weather Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the National Ocean Service, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, Satellite and Data Information Service, and the NOAA Corps. “This is really an exciting opportunity for me to be involved with so many things that I’ve been interested in for years,” Brennan says, “and so much of it that relates directly to work going on at the University of Rhode Island.” Brennan’s career has been inspired by youthful years in the U.S. Merchant Marine and commercial fisheries. Several years after high school he obtained an undergraduate degree in marine biology, then went to work at
NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Service labs in New Jersey and at Woods Hole, Mass. He transferred from Woods Hole to NOAA’s Narragansett Lab in 1980 so he could do his master’s work at URI. He later went on to earn a doctorate in ecology and environmental sciences. “I studied with Dennis Nixon (now assistant dean of the College of Environment and Life Science), Larry Juda, Lew Alexander, and several other fine professors there,” he said. “It was a great experience, and it opened up new directions for me. The University of Rhode Island has had a profound influence upon me professionally and personally.” Brennan’s son Tyler is in his senior year as a political science major at URI, and Brennan said his son made a good decision in choosing the University. “I was very impressed with the University and all the efforts made to help Tyler,” he said. “They have great support systems in place there to help students.” Brennan was interested to hear that the 2008 URI Honors Colloquium is focused on global climate change. The colloquium is being organized and directed by GSO professors Steven D’Hondt and Arthur Spivack, with assistance from communications studies professor Judith Swift. “We are examining all areas of global environment, not just climate change and global warming,” Spivack points out. The colloquium is certain to focus on the debate about the causes of global warming, which is one of the central conditions being examined by the CCSP. “While there is a general consensus that warming is occurring,” Brennan says, “there isn’t the same kind of consensus on the science. This is part of what we are trying to get at through all this research.” A Time magazine article last April indicted the growing biofuels industry as a backfired solution to global warming, insisting that it has led to gross deforestation and greater carbon emissions as farmers plant corn and soybeans to be turned into biofuels with a resultant increase in food prices because of reduced crops for food consumption. Such reports add to the confusing picture for average citizens. Without question, Brennan says, human impact is a factor in global warming and other aspects of environmental change, so he returns to the human factor as talks about solutions. “Even if we stopped carbon dioxide emissions, warming would continue,” he says. “So we have to look at this with hard scientific evidence and develop policy from that. This is what the U.S. Climate Change Science Program’s objectives are.” By John Pantalone ’71
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 11
Christabelle’s Closet
As owner and president of Christabelle’s Closet, Carathanassis has created a Web-based consignment business that provides top designer clothing for a fraction of the regular retail cost.
ChristabellesCloset.com Photos by Larry Ford
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Is there anything more satisfying than peeking into another person’s closet? Well yes. Getting to wear that fantastic designer piece that your friend owns and you covet. Lucky for us, Christina Carathanassis ’96 has brought one of the best parts of female bonding into the digital age. As owner and president of Christabelle’s Closet (ChristabellesCloset.com), Carathanassis has created a Web-based consignment business that provides top designer clothing for a fraction of the regular retail cost. Because the business is a designer resale boutique, Carathanassis makes sure that every item is authentic, immaculate, and affordable. She uses her many contacts as well as a bevy of fashionista friends to scour the country for finds. Browsing her Web site can be addictive. After an hour, my legitimate “research” expedition had become an all-out shopping extravaganza. As I poked through dresses, shoes, bags, and jeans, my shopping basket started to fill. Betsey Johnson for $60? Is that really a Louis Vuitton bag? Maybe I could pull off those Sergio Rossi stilettos. Carathanassis is a 5’2” dynamo. Even on a hot and humid New York City day, she looked fresh and stylish. But underneath the fashionista exterior beats the heart of a true businesswoman. She has parlayed a career in the fashion and beauty industry into a forward-looking digital venture with franchise possibilities and a philanthropic twist. “I got my flair for fashion and designer clothes from my mother,” she explained. “When I was growing up, there were seven closets just for my mom.” At URI Carathanassis became
known for her own closet. “I was the president of Alpha Xi Delta sorority, and girls were always borrowing my clothes from my walk-in closet. It got to the point where I had to create a sign-out system just to keep track,” she laughed. After graduating with a communication major and English minor, Carathanassis found herself in New York City working in public relations for the beauty industry. She worked for Lancôme followed by a stint at Victoria’s Secret. The catalyst for creating Christabelle’s Closet came after her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2000. “I wanted to do something to help. I wanted to help find a cure for Parkinson’s,” she said. And so ChristabellesCloset.com was born. This business venture is very much a tribute to Carathanassis’ parents. It melds the entrepreneurial spirit she inherited from her father with her mother’s love of fashion and her own shopping expertise. But it also raises money and awareness for Parkinson’s research. The home page directs you to the Clearance Closet where 50 percent of all proceeds are donated to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Even her sister gets into the act. “My sister lives further away, but she’s a teacher and gets the summer off so I get her to help out. I tell her that I pay in love,” Carathanassis said teasingly. Carathanassis lit on the idea for ChristabellesCloset.com as a way to create a business with low start-up costs that capitalized on her expertise. She taught herself to do Web design and created the site herself. “I wanted a Web site with a cute concept, girly-look, lots of editorial content, and a budget way of shopping,” she said.
The Web site feels like hanging out in the pink and white bedroom of a good friend. There are cartoon drawings of Carathanassis and her fashionista friends as well as of each of the closet categories. Every new page offers a fashion tip that coordinates with the product: Are your zippers giving you a hard time? Try some chap stick on them. Handy tips from your friend. When she started Christabelle’s Closet, Carathanassis was still working at Lancôme. She spent her nights and weekends on her new business and her days working her regular job. Eventually she was able to grow her own business to the point that she didn’t need her day job. “I can work until 4 a.m. and not even notice,” she enthused. “I just love what I do.” The merchandise is kept in a warehouse in New Jersey not far from her parents’ home. “It’s great because I can go home and see my parents and get work done,” she said. Her mom is able to use her creative fashion sense to help out. Of course, there can be problems: “I left a pair of white Chanel pants, and when I went back to the house to look for them, they were gone. My mom had them.” Christabelle’s Closet is getting noticed. Carathanassis has appeared on several TV shows, including the CBS Early Show and Fox and Friends, to give fashion advice. The Web site has been featured in numerous magazines, including Shape magazine and Oprah magazine, which voted Chistabelle’s Closet one of the top seven best net bets. “One of my friends was in Miami and she overheard two women talking about this great Web site. It was
my business they were chatting about! I knew then I had moved to the next level,” she related. And there has been another unexpected benefit. Carathanassis has received inspirational emails from all over the country telling her that she has given women the courage to start something new. Her secret to success? Carathanassis credits it to attention to detail and a personal touch, something her mother instilled in her. “Every item that is sent out from Christabelle’s Closet is beautifully packaged,” she explained. “Items are wrapped in tissue paper, and a scented sachet is enclosed. Customers really appreciate that.” The evidence supports her. A large percentage of Web-based companies fail within the first year. Now entering its fifth year, Christabelle’s Closet is still going strong. “When I started, my customers were all women,” said Carathanassis. “Now we’re about 80 percent women.” In addition to a men’s section, she has also added Tweens and Teens, Classy Kids, and even Pampered Pooches. And Carathanassis isn’t easing up. She has lots of plans for the future and the vision to carry them out—not to mention the clothes. By Jennifer Sherwood ’89
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 13
PHOTO BY DANNY BOURQUE OF THE TIMES-PICAYUNE
On the Beat in
New Orleans
J
Just 16 months after Katrina devastated New Orleans in August 2005, Darran Simon ’98 decided to move to the city to get a front row seat on the recovery efforts. In January 2007, he left The Miami Herald—where he had spent almost three years—and joined The TimesPicayune as an education reporter. “I saw this as an opportunity to grow as a journalist,” said Simon, who earned a B.A. in English from URI. “There are a lot of stories here that need to be told, and to me it seemed like a logical life move to make. Down the road, 35 years from now, when memories are all I have, I’ll be able to look back at this time and remember this experience.” Simon showed a penchant for community involvement during his days at URI. He was a member of the
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men’s track and field team while also working as a resident assistant and as an orientation leader. In his senior year, he received the prestigious A. Robert Rainville Award for Student Leadership. He and classmate Danielle Hill also won the Theophilus E. McKinney Award for Undergraduate Research. Simon earned his master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. “That experience really helped to bolster my career and catapulted me to The Miami Herald,” he remarked. The Times-Picayune is famous for its efforts to keep publishing in the wake of Katrina. For three days the paper produced a Web-only version because the presses had been knocked out of commission. Staffers who did not evacuate the area relocated operations to Louisiana
State University in Baton Rouge. neighborhood schools, forcing In late June, New Orleans hosted the The Times-Picayune won two Pulitstudents to attend schools all over country’s largest charter school convenzers in 2006: one for breaking news the city,” said Simon. “Some students tion, with more than 3,000 educators, reporting during Hurricane Katrina, haven’t been able to get into charter policymakers, and advocates attending. and the other for public service. schools (independently run public “A handful of New Orleans schools schools) in part because the schools Simon, 31, who was impressed chartered so they could control their cap their enrollment. In addition, stuby the Putitzers, saw the value of own destiny, including budgets and dents in many of the city’s schools are joining a newspaper that was so hiring. State officials have embraced two or more grade levels behind, which deeply entrenched in its local comcharter schools as a way to hopefully underscores the enormous challenges munity. What he has found at The reform the system,” said Simon. “Some to improve the overall system.” Times-Picayune is “the most fertile, of the fervor to start charters comes nurturing and professional” environ The New Orleans school system, from educators living in New Orleans, ment that he has ever been part of. much like the city at large, has experibut the city has also attracted a lot He works closely with veteran educaenced checkered progress. “Some low of new residents who are starting tion reporter Sarah Carr and credits performing schools have seen a rise in charter schools and a lot of private the paper’s entire staff for the care standardized test scores this year in dollars intended to bolster the that goes into the craft of reporting. some grade levels, though the test charter movement. scores were so low to begin with that “There is tremendous support “What you see here are a lot of some gains were expected even with a here to tell the stories right and to tell emotive reactions. There are many sliver of stability,” said Simon. “And them well,” said Simon, who was decisions being made based on gut born in London and lived in feelings because that is all Guyana until he was 9 years people can really go on. old, when he moved to the New Orleans is becoming United States. a model for the rest of the country, but it is too soon While the effects of to truly gauge how well it Katrina were devastating, will work. People will look Simon commented that the at it five years from now, people of New Orleans are and only then will they be vigorous in their efforts to able to determine what rebuild their community: works and what does not.” “People here have learned to band together, they are taking As events unfold, matters into their own hands Simon is doing his part Last January Simon met with members of URI’s Newman Club who spent to rebuild this city. It’s really to present his readers with their winter break in New Orleans repairing and painting houses damaged inspiring to see people stepa balanced, honest account. by Hurricane Katrina. ping up and taking action. To There is a responsibility there has been more stability this year. be a part of that, in any way, that comes with serving as the source The schools that performed well before is exciting.” of information for both progress and the storm continue to perform well, setbacks. Simon feels a sense of pride Simon covers all aspects of and they will likely surge even further. in taking on that responsibility. education in New Orleans. The But those upper tier schools only school system has essentially had to “There have been tremendous account for a fraction of the system. start over. Most of the city’s schools efforts to reform the school system, This is still an urban school system were placed in the state-run Recovery but what happens depends on time,” with other social ills that make School District (which also includes Simon said. “It is very interesting to progress tough.” some schools outside of New chronicle. History often depends on The education system in New Orleans). In the wake of Katrina, the who is telling it. My role is to try to Orleans is a work in progress. The education system had to be reshaped; understand it and paint a full picture. city currently has 78 public schools, school buildings were destroyed, and There is a chance to be a go-to voice including 40 charter schools, with student records in many areas were during a very important time for this seven more charters set to open for the lost. Since many families permaarea. It is very challenging, but very 2008-09 school year. About 57 percent nently evacuated the area, the student exciting as well.” of the students in New Orleans attend population today is roughly half of By Shane Donaldson ’99 charter schools, which is the highest what it was before the storm. percentage for any area in the country. “The storm shuttered many
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 15
Hillel to Build Home on Campus “When I reflect on my experiences at URI, it does not surprise me that much of my success in college connects to my involvement in Hillel. From Kingston to Jerusalem to Prague, Hillel has given me so many amazing opportunities, introduced me to wonderful friends, and instilled a passion for leadership and involvement.”
The Norman M. Fain Hillel Center The former Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house will be renovated and re-designed to create the 7,000 square-foot Norman M. Fain Hillel Center. The center will be a central meeting point where students can celebrate Jewish life, explore both Jewish and universal issues, build life-long friendships, and enrich their personal growth. In addition to lounges for programs or casual get-togethers and room for religious services, the center will provide the first and only kosher kitchen and dining space on campus where Hillel will hold its festive Shabbat and holiday dinners and more.
Jessica Wolchok ’09
Photo by michael salerno
Clockwise from top right: Spring 2008 URI Taglit-Birthright Israel: Hillel trip participants. Junior Becca Eithh shows challah she baked for Shabbat dinner. URI Hillel Student President Jessica Wolchok, right, thanks Rosalie Fain for her support of the new Norman M. Fain Hillel Center for Jewish life on the Kingston campus.
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The words of today’s Hillel student president, Jessica Wolchok, echo those of past presidents and thousands of others who have been involved in the Jewish student organization at the University. That spirit of student leadership and involvement will become even stronger as Hillel builds its permanent new home on campus. For the first time since it was established in 1948, URI Hillel will have a permanent doorway upon
which to affix its Mezuzah (a small container holding a parchment paper with words from the Jewish Torah) and welcome new generations of students. With the support of its students, alumni, and friends, Hillel has launched a $4 million capital campaign to design, build, and maintain a new center for Jewish life on campus. The center, located in the heart of the University’s freshman residential area, will play a key role in
Photos by Ed wojcik architect ltd
shaping the future of Jewish student life at the University and enriching the entire campus community. At the campaign kick off last spring, Rosalie Fain and other Fain family members gathered at URI’s Alumni Center with more than 100 students, faculty, staff, alumni, Jewish community leaders, and friends to announce a $1 million gift from the Norman and Rosalie Fain Family Foundation. The gift was made in memory of Norman Fain ’36, Hon. ’67 “We see this as a fitting tribute to our father and an opportunity to invest in the future of the Jewish community,” said Jonathan Fain at the event. “Hillel has been a part of the URI family for many years. It helps build a strong sense of community for our students and guides them toward roles as active citizens in our nation. Hillel creates leaders; young people able to lead in the global village and in the world marketplace. I am so grateful to the Fain family for their commitment to Jewish students and to all the students of URI,” said President Robert L. Carothers. When URI Hillel was established 60 years ago, there were a handful of Jewish students on campus. Today, there are more than 1,200 Jewish undergraduate and graduate students. Amy Olson, executive director of URI Hillel, said that although she officially began her position in 2005, her association with Hillel started in the 1970s when her sister, Paula Silverberg Goldberg ’75, was an undergraduate. At that time her mother, Helen Silver-
berg, M.L.S. ’68, “schlepped all the way from Cranston to Kingston to fry latkes (potato pancakes) for Hillel’s Hanukkah party and schlepped me along to help,” Olson said. “Somehow that oil, and the spice of Hillel must have seeped into my veins, destined my career, and led me back to URI.” Her personal link to Hillel, and the generosity of the Fain family reminded Olson of words from an Israeli folk song, Ki Od Nimshechet Hasharsheret (the chain continues). “Even in my short time as director, I have seen our students, both while in school and as graduates, create new links through their involvement in community service, politics, business, and the arts,” she said. ”Hillel has become part of the community fabric of our campus, integrated with myriad functions and programs for both Jewish and non-Jewish students,” said Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Chip Yensan. “Hillel’s sponsorship of so many diverse offerings and its genuine willingness to partner with the Division of Student Affairs has become standard contributions to our campus life.” Melvin Wade, director of the URI Multicultural Center, agreed with Yensan. “Hillel has emerged as a leading model of programmatic excellence, artfully balancing the need for supporting Jewish identity with the need for promoting a multicultural spirit,” Wade said. Barbara Sokoloff ’64, ’71, president of URI Hillel’s Board of Directors, said that more than 35 Hillel Foundations across the country have either built new
or refurbished existing facilities during the past 13 years. “In each case, the new Hillel centers enhanced the quality of campus life and expanded student involvement,” Sokoloff said. “Based on feedback from students, faculty, staff, and parents, URI Hillel should see similar results here. With the space, there will be new opportunities for students to grow as people and as Jews.” An active member of the Student Alumni Association, Jessica Wolchok will graduate before the new Hillel building is open. “I know it will be a great resource for students for years to come,” she said. “Whether coming together for social events, Shabbat dinners, or community service, we find enormous resources through Hillel. I can just imagine what we’ll be able to do when we have a space to call our own. Some of my best memories and closest friends have come from this organization.” “I am thrilled with the growth of Jewish life at URI and by the vision of Hillel’s leadership and the Jewish community to make this enormous commitment to the students. We are not only building a facility, but building our future leaders,” said Olson. For information about the Norman M. Fain Hillel Center and to learn about giving opportunities, contact either Lawrence Sadwin, URI Hillel development director, or Amy Olson at 401.874.2740 or email amyolson@mail.uri.edu. By Jhodi Redlich ’81
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 17
The New Face of URI Sharpening the Competitive Edge
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• Research results analyzed and presented
• Quantitative research survey conducted
2007 Exploration
• Focus groups conducted
The University began the branding initiative to meet its strategic goals of enhancing student recruitment, retention, involvement, and graduation rates; improving its fiscal health; creating a more inclusive environment; and improving the effectiveness of research and outreach support. President Carothers appointed Ruby Roy Dholakia, professor of marketing and electronic commerce, and Linda A. Acciardo, director of communications and marketing, to co-chair a 22-member Branding Steering Committee to lead the process through its organizational, research, and implementation phases. “Once it was decided to start this initiative, the administration let the brand development be as systematic as possible, almost textbookish,” said Dholakia. Following a competitive process, the Steering Committee appointed FORGE Worldwide LLC, of Waltham, Mass., and Jamestown, R.I., to develop the brand strategy. FORGE looked for the characteristics that distinguish URI from other similarly sized New England academic institutions.
• Launch URI brand Web site
• URI brand Web site built
• Firms solicited to assist in research
• Fall semester committee meetings, research priorities, approaches established
• Steering committee appointed
2006 Organization
The University of Rhode Island has reached a remarkable point in its 120-year history. The number of enrolled students is at an all-time high (15,650), while the support received from the State of Rhode Island is at an all-time low (12%). Meanwhile, a dramatic decrease in the number of qualified high school graduates is expected over the next decade. Faced with these sobering economic realities, President Robert L. Carothers determined that the University needed to look at itself in an entirely new way: “We intend to define our distinctiveness in the marketplace, communicate our value, and tell our story in the most compelling ways possible,” Carothers stated in 2006. Since then, the University has undergone a carefully researched examination of its brand, or reputation. Using best practices from corporate America’s marketing arena, URI has set out to discover and articulate its unique qualities, core values, and strengths. The University has now developed a unified look and voice for the institution. While celebrating the successes and appreciating the uniqueness of each of its entities—including colleges, programs, and people—the whole is now revealed to be greater than the sum of its parts. “Our brand is our promise to the public. It tells them what they can expect from us, and it differentiates what we offer that other universities don’t: Big Thinking. Our brand is derived from who we are, who we want to be, and who people perceive us to be,” said President Robert L. Carothers.
• Kick-off
Branding is the process of determining an organization’s core strengths and communicating those strengths to its most important stakeholders.
Joe Giblin; Nora Lewis
The New Look
A sample poster featuring Engineering Professor Mohammad Faghri.
• Rollout of new brand
• Comprehensive marketing communication plan created
• Rollout plan developed
• Brand strategy and plan developed
2008 Implementation
• Brand standards and guidelines developed
— By Jhodi Redlich ’81
• Identity design finalized
• Visual strategy presented
• Brand identity designed
• Recommendations and positioning statement developed
• Firms solicited to develop the brand strategy
A progressive roll out of the University’s new look is now underway just as high school seniors are considering their choices for fall 2009. The unified message is being conveyed in all media—from the University’s Web site to its printed materials to its advertising. The new URI word mark replaces the Green Hall logo that has been used since the University’s centennial in 1992. The tagline “Think Big. We Do.” combined with its graphic elements is the University’s official brand mark. “Our constituents, including alumni who lead some of the most successful corporations in the world—CVS Caremark, The Thomson Corporation, and Wolters Kluwer—felt we needed to better define and showcase our identity and our strengths. Used throughout the University, the spirit of this new brand voice and visual identity will create a cohesive umbrella approach to accurately represent all of our areas,” said Robert M. Beagle, vice president for University Advancement. An advertising campaign is bringing the University’s new voice to targeted markets for student recruitment. Billboards, radio and television spots, online key-word search ads, and ads in select publications are extending the new identity. “Throughout this entire brand research and implementation process, we have listened to and learned from those inside and outside of the University to discover our common understanding and shared vision,” said Acciardo.
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 19
THE ROLLING FARMLAND THE PRISTINE BEACHES. TH SUSTAINABLE FUELS
“Building a strong brand involves more than determining and communicating core strengths, and establishing an identity among stakeholders. A strong brand truly lives and breathes within the whole organization.” — Ruby Roy Dholakia, professor of marketing and electronic commerce
DS. THE STONE WALLS. E RESEARCH IDENTIFYING FOR THE FUTURE.
uri.edu The University’s Web site features a carousel of video clips that highlight faculty, students, and others engaged in the life of the University.
A world class trading room. The fast track to Wall Street with finance major Case DeSormier.
The University’s new home page drew more than a half million visitors during its first two weeks.
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Huge Idea for low birthweigh babies: cord clamping and the implications for infant health.
Live campus video on the Kingston Campus quad. Hello to the world of URI!
KEEP IT UNDER ON YOUR HAT Go to
bookstore.uri.edu
and get all your official URI gear online. Show your Rhody Pride!
James Prochaska: A Model of Health Promotion First psychologist to win a Medal of Honor for Clinical Research from the American Cancer Society. A recipient of an Innovator’s Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation PHOTOS BY NORA LEWIS
Named one of the Top Five Most Cited Authors in Psychology from the American Psychological Society. The giant global healthcare company, Johnson & Johnson, licensed the rights to the smoking cessation model of change. The Cancer Prevention Research Center has created numerous jobs and employed many students. The Cancer Prevention Research Center has been awarded more than $70 million in funded grants.
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Making Big Changes Worldwide W
hen people ask us to name the University’s foremost researchers, Jim Prochaska’s name is always at the top of our short list. When James Prochaska was a young boy he felt a sense of helplessness. His dad was bi-polar, and there were problems with alcohol and violence at home. He wished he could change things. He grew up, became a professor of clinical and health psychology, and converted that youthful turmoil into a quest that has helped thousands of people around the world change their unhealthy behaviors. Jim did it by developing a revolutionary model of behavior change. The model has been applied to more than 50 behaviors and has been cited thousands of times in published studies in more than 20 languages, making it the most cited model in health behavior change. In short, the director of the University’s Cancer Prevention Research Center has changed the way professionals view change. “When the history of modern-day psychology is written, Jim Prochaska’s name will be at the top of the list of those who shaped how we think about change itself, especially how we change the unhealthy behaviors of large populations,” says President Robert L. Carothers. “We are profoundly proud that he is one of ours.” Other higher education institutions, especially Ivy League schools, have tried to recruit him, attempting to lure him away from URI with generous offers. He refuses them all. “I’ve always believed in public education,” he says. “Both Jan and I were the first in our families to go to college. Our fathers worked in factories.” Jim met his future wife in the band room of Fordson High School in Dearborn, Mich. He was a football player; Jan was a majorette. She studied social work in college while he studied psychology. Before Jim joined the URI faculty in 1969, the couple visited the Kingston Campus. “Just like with Jan, it was love at first sight,” Jim says. “The University is small enough to be appreciated and big enough to have wonderful collaborators. And the University has always encouraged entrepreneurship.”
Challenge to Maintain Excellence This year Jim and Janice Prochaska pledged $250,000 to URI’s Making A Difference campaign to establish the Prochaska Cancer Prevention Research Center Leadership Endowment to ensure that the CPRC maintains its stellar programming under strong leadership. The gift is a challenge grant, which means the couple will match other donations to the endowment dollar-for-dollar. The endowment’s primary purpose is to help the University attract a nationally recognized director for the center when Jim eventually steps down and to provide support for graduate students who study and work in the center. Many of those former students have made major contributions to health promotion. Robert Beagle, vice president for university advancement, worked with the Prochaskas on their endowment. “Jim and Jan’s gift demonstrates their commitment to continued success of the Cancer Prevention Research Center. I suspect the couple’s challenge grant will motivate their many colleagues, friends, and associates to give to the endowment. Private support for renowned areas like our behavior change programming is essential.” Anyone wishing to respond to the Prochaska challenge should contact Tom Zorabedian, associate dean, College of Arts and Sciences, at 401-874-2853 or zman@foundation.uri.edu. For more information on the campaign, click www.urifoundation.org.
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 25
Today, Jan is president and CEO of Pro-Change Behavior Systems, Inc., an 11-year-old privately held research and product development company that expands Jim’s change model by developing and delivering innovative programs for dissemination partners. The Prochaskas have two children; one is an astrophysicist and the other a clinical health psychologist. How was the model created? Prochaska and his colleagues identified and integrated about 200 behavior systems of psychotherapy on how people changed. They then placed ads in the local newspapers seeking volunteers for their research project. One thousand Rhode Islanders responded to the ads. The team followed them for two years. “They gave us the blueprint, teaching us what worked and what didn’t. Rhode Islanders taught us about the stages of change. I believe in the wisdom of ordinary people,” Prochaska says. The researchers understood that change is not an event, but a process. The Transtheoretical Model has five stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. It targets each person’s stage and then guides him or her through the remaining stages of change. It is not just for the small majority prepared to take action, but for people at all stages of change. It’s personalized, not a one-size-fits all approach, and consequently more effective. The development of the model and its expanding number of applications are backed by 30 years of research, more than $70 million in funded grants, and more than 120,000 participants.
26 QUAD ANGLES FALL 2008
Why Change? Why is change so important? Consider this: The major causes of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease result from behaviors like smoking, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, substance abuse, and stress. In fact, diseases resulting from these behaviors account for more than 60 percent of health care costs. Change saves more than money; it saves lives. Model’s Applications The model has been applied to the following behaviors: Smoking, alcohol and substance abuse, sun exposure, coping/stress, exercise, and weight control. Pro-Change, which Janice Prochaska heads, has developed numerous programs including domestic violence prevention, stress management, weight management, medication adherence, becoming a proactive health consumer, readiness for adoption, bullying prevention, obesity prevention, and organizational change. The company employs 20 staff members of which seven are doctoral level psychologists and two are doctoral candidates. All but one of the Ph.Ds are URI graduates. When asked if the couple’s recent gift (see box) meant he planned to retire, Jim responded with a smile: “I’m in the precontemplation stage.” Precontemplation is the stage in which people are not intending to take action in the foreseeable future. “That doesn’t mean I’m not ready to turn over leadership of the CPRC to a younger person,” he added. By Jan Wenzel ’87
LOOKING back Dedication and Rededication
URI’s World War I Memorial Gateway on Upper College Road was rededicated on June 16, 2008, the 80th anniversary of the original 1928 dedication, which is shown in the front page photo of Rhode Island State College Alumni Bulletin, August 1928. Other photos show the area as it appeared in the 1930s. The bottom photo shows the rededication plaque; in the foreground are President Robert L. Carothers; Professor Emeritus Walter Christoff “Chris” Heisler, a World War II Army veteran who was part of the D-Day invasion; Army Capt. Jim Poland, URI ROTC leadership captain; and Gary Kullberg ’63, president of the URI Alumni Association. Questions for readers: When did the lights on top of the gates disappear? And when was Upper College Road widened so that it now appears closer to the Memorial Bench and Rock?
PHOTO BY JOE GIBLIN HISTORIC PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE URI LIBRARY DEPT. OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS.
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 27
ALUMNIchapters
advance.uri.edu/alumni/events/chapters
FUN WITH ALUMS Chapter events are open to all alumni, family, and friends of the University. Contact your local chapter rep and join the fun!
Calendar of events Upcoming events
Events Gone By
October 17 Theta Chi alumni and their guests will celebrate Homecoming 2008 with a dinner at the UClub on Upper College Road. Open to Theta Chi alumni from any graduation year. For more information about this or other upcoming Theta Chi alumni events, please contact John Eastman at joneastman@aol.com.
On June 2, the Alumni Association hosted the Alumni Golf Tournament at Valley Country Club in Warwick, R.I. Over 100 golfers enjoyed the beautiful weather, a great day of golf, raffle prizes, lunch, and dinner at the golf course, raising more than $8,000 for student scholarships.
October 23-26 The annual Theta Chi Alumni New Hampshire Weekend is open to Theta Chi alumni from any graduation year. Please contact John Eastman at joneastman@aol.com for details.
On June 25, the Rhode Island Alumni Chapter gathered at McFadden’s Restaurant & Saloon in Providence for a “Rhody Rendezvous” after work.
November 2 Join your fellow Arizona alumni to thank Art ’51 and Laura Levin for their years of service as the Arizona Rhode Runners chapter leaders at a special “Thank You” brunch, held at the Phoenix Art Museum and Arcadia Farms. Register online at advance.uri.edu/ events/chapters, or contact the Alumni Office at 401-874-2242 for further details.
On July 12, URI alumni and their families got together to enjoy the Big Apple Circus at Ninigret Park in Charlestown, R.I.
November 8 Sigma Kappa Sorority is hosting a Founders Day celebration from 1-4 p.m. at the URI Sigma Kappa chapter house, located at 16 Fraternity Circle. For more information, please contact Anna Stanhewicz at anaastanhewicz@mail.uri.edu or 845-551-3869.
New York City alumni hosted a gathering for area alumni at the Beekman Tower Hotel’s Top of the Tower Lounge on July 31. The new RIDOT/Transportation Affinity Chapter held an afterwork event on July 31 at Joe’s American Bar and Grill in Providence. The Phi Kappa Psi Chapter held its annual Pop Top Open on August 2 at Beaver River Golf Course in Richmond, R.I., with proceeds to benefit the RI Beta Chapter Scholarship Fund.
December 2 The Theta Chi Alumni Chapter will hold its quarterly dinner. Location TBA. For more information, contact John Eastman at joneastman@aol.com.
URI alumni gathered at the Providence Performing Arts Center on August 5 for opening night of the Rhode Island International Film Festival.
December 6 Join the Southwest Florida Gators for the Big Thinkers Series and for their annual December gathering, featuring guest speakers Dr. Kate Moran of the URI Graduate School of Oceanography and Bob Beagle, vice president of University Advancement. For more information, contact Chapter Leader Gerry Leonard '63 at 941-475-3529 or samlen381@aol.com.
Snowbirds from the Southwest Florida Gators Alumni Chapter got together in Kingston on August 7 for lunch at the Alumni Center.
January 9-11 The fifth annual Alumni Ski Weekend, sponsored by the URI Alumni Association, will be held at Mount Snow, Vermont. The weekend includes a casual group dinner on Friday night, accommodations for two nights at the Grand Summit Hotel, and a one- or two-day ski pass. For more information, contact Sarah Howard at 401-874-2438 or showard@advance.uri.edu. Online registration will be available soon. January 31 Join the Southwest Florida Gators as they host guest speaker Professor John Grandin of the URI International Engineering Program. Contact Chapter Leader Gerry Leonard '63 at 941-475-3529 or samlen381@aol.com for details. February 27-March 1 Save the date for a weekend in Grafton, Vermont, sponsored by the URI Alumni Association. The weekend consists of a group dinner on Friday night; Friday and Saturday night accommodations at the Old Tavern at Grafton; weekend breakfasts; and winter activities at Grafton Ponds. For more information, contact Sarah Howard at 401-874-2438 or showard@advance.uri.edu. Online registration will be available soon.
28 QUAD ANGLES FALL 2008
Members of the Chicago Alumni Chapter got together at U.S. Cellular Field on August 11 to take in the Chicago White Sox-Boston Red Sox game and a patio party before the game. On August 12, the New Jersey Alumni Chapter hosted its annual Welcome Freshmen Picnic at Commerce Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, New Jersey. Local URI alumni and current students invited new students from the area to the picnic and to take in the Camden Riversharks-Somerset Patriots baseball game. On August 20, more than 200 URI alumni, family, and friends turned out for another successful Pride In URI at McCoy Stadium. The URI Alumni Association and the Rhode Island Rams Athletic Association sponsor this popular annual summer event. The URI Alumni Association hosted a get-together before the August 30 Red Sox Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park.
ROTC Hall of Fame Call for Nominations The ROTC Alumni Chapter is seeking nominations to the URI ROTC Hall of Fame. Membership in the Hall of Fame is open to any person who is either an ROTC alumnus of URI, a supporter of the URI Cramers Sabers ROTC Battalion, or an individual with a distinguished history of service to the military, community, or to URI ROTC. Please send nomination and supporting information to: LTC (Ret) Paul Helweg '86 Berry Hill Lane, Kingston, RI 02881 or email helweg1@cox.net. Nomination deadline is January 4, 2009. Those selected will be inducted into the ROTC Hall of Fame at ceremonies held in November 2009.
ROOM WITH A VIEW New York City alumni enjoyed the view and some great Rhody spirit on July 31 at an event held at the Beekman Tower Hotel’s Top of the Tower Lounge. Special URI guests included URI Football Coach Darren Rizzi, Athletic Director Thorr Bjorn, and Bob Beagle, vice president of University Advancement.
BUILDING BRIDGES Alumni from the Rhode Island Department Transportation (RIDOT) make up our newest affinity chapter. RIDOT chapter members got together in Providence at Joe’s American Bar and Grill for an after-work gathering on July 31.
AT THE BALLPARK Before the Red Sox-Orioles game at Oriole Field on June 1, Washington, D.C. area alumni enjoyed a barbecue sponsored by the URI Alumni Association.
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 29
THE WHOLE GANG June 3 was the 10th anniversary of the Theta Chi Affinity Chapter’s quarterly dinner gatherings. To mark date, the group got together for an all-day event, which included a golf tournament, cocktail party, and dinner.
Martha Smith Patnoad ’68, Wyoming, RI Phone: 401-539-2180 Email: mpatnoad@uri.edu
Phi Gamma Delta Richard Kingsley ‘71, Jamestown, RI 401-874-6693 (w) Email: kingsley@gso.uri.edu
Phi Kappa Psi Joe Hart ’85, Kingston, RI Phone: 401-783-4852 Email: jphart@cox.net Web site: www.ribeta.com
Phi Mu Delta REGIONAL Chapters
Minnesota
Arizona Rhode Runners
John ’92 & Kristen Turcotte ’95, Saint Louis Park Phone: 952-285-1148 Email: jfturcotte@mindspring.com keturcotte@mindspring.com
If you attended URI as an international student, please contact the Alumni Office and let us know your current address. If you're traveling abroad,feel free to contact one of our alumni to say hello.
New Hampshire White Mountain Rams
FRANCE (PARIS AREA)
Rob Constantine ’95, Plainfield Phone: 603-469-3012 (h) Email: rconstantine@unity.edu
1A Rue Jules Vincent 95410 Groslay, France Phone: 011-33-1-39-83-0627 (h) 011-33-1-45-24-92-17 (w)
Christopher ’93 & Lisa O'Connell ’94 Goodyear, AZ Phone: 623-476-7303 (h) Email: lisa.oconnell@cox.net
California Northern Pat Ludes ’79 & Greg Passant ’78, Pleasanton Phone: 925-227-1878 Mel Rodinsky ’63, San Jose Phone: 408-857-7269
New Jersey
INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS
Alexandra De Matos Nunes '79
Lauri Pietruszka ’84, West Paterson Phone: 973-890-1623 (h)
GREECE
Southern
New York: Metro
Jeff Bolognese ’02 Phone: 760-945-4560 Email: jeff@dcmortgage.com
Debbie McGowan ’99, New York
44 Achileos Pal Faleron 17562, Athens, Greece Phone: 011-30-1-981-3559 (h)
Colorado Mile High Rams Christy L. Gallese ’03, Denver Phone: 303-561-4979 Email: christygallese@gmail.com
Florida Southeast
We are currently seeking chapter leadership. Please contact Sarah Howard at 401-874-2438 for details.
Southwest Gators Gerry Leonard ’63, Englewood Phone: 941-475-3529 Email: samlen381@aol.com
Louisiana/Mississippi Phyllis DelFiore ’68, Slidell, LA Phone: 985-847-1609 (h) Email: feliciadf@hotmail.com Dee Canada ’62, Slidell, LA Phone: 985-643-8801 (h) Email: delinac@charter.net
Massachusetts Anne-Marie Enderby ’76, Attleboro Phone: 508-226-6239 (h) Email: teamenderby@verizon.net Nicholas G. Chigas ’03, Waltham Phone: 978-505-7161 (h) 781-672-5170 (w) Email: nicholas.g.chigas@smithBarney.com Michael P. Sams ’90, Westborough Phone: 508-665-4299 (w) Email: mpsams@kandSlegal.com
Michigan David Diana ’84, Warren Phone: 586-268-0048 Email: dianad@flash.net
Phone: 646-295-5320 Email: debbie.mcgowan@gmail.com Janet Irlander ’78, New York Phone: 917-612-7276 Email: jirlander@paramount-group.com
North Carolina Ed Doughty ’93, Charlotte Phone: 704-995-9300 (h) 704-331-2219 (w) Email: edoughty@carolina.rr.com
Ohio Tom Noyes ’67, Wooster Phone: 330-345-6516 (h) 330-264-8722 (w) Email: noyes.1@osu.edu Danielle Pray ’88, Cincinnati Phone: 859-485-6790 Email: d@prayzpaws.com Bill ’74 & Betty ’74 Sepe, Hudson Phone: 330-650-6715 Email: OHRhody@hotmail.com
Irene Kesse Theodoropoulou '69
Affinity Chapters Alpha Phi Laura McMahon Kovacs ’01, Arlington, MA Phone: 781-648-1280 Email: lauralaylin@gmail.com
Community Planning Mike DeLuca ’80, M.C.P. ’88, Narragansett, RI Phone: 401-789-6888 (h) 401-461-1000, ext. 3137 (w)
Continuing Education Joyce Dolbec ’95, Slatersville, RI Phone: 401-766-2209 (h)
Delta Zeta
Phi Sigma Kappa Kenneth Gambone, New York, NY Phone: 212-996-2277 Email: Kgambone@lehman.com
Political Science Al Killilea, Kingston, RI Phone: 401-874-2183 (w)
RIDOT Christos Xenophontos ’84, Exeter, RI Email: xenopon@dot.ri.gov Charles St. Martin ’92, Coventry, RI Email: cstm@cox.net; cstmartin@dot.ri.gov
ROTC John Breguet, Smithfield, RI Phone: 401-232-2097 (h) Email: jbreguet@cox.net Military Instructor Group, Kingston, RI Email: urirotcalumni@cox.net Web site: www.uri-rotc-alum.org
Schmidt Labor Research Center J. Richard Rose M.S. ’06 Phone: 401-461-2786 (h) Email: rrose@mail.uri.edu
Sigma Chi Mark Trovato ’89, Wakefield, RI Phone: 401-782-0064 (h) Email: mtrovato@riag.state.ri.us Web site: www.rhodysig.com
Theta Chi
Graduate School of Library and Information Studies
John Eastman ’62, North Kingstown, RI Phone: 401-295-1956 (h) Email: joneastman@aol.com Mike Testa, Jamestown, RI Phone: 401-423-8918 Email: jtown@cox.net
Allison Field ’95, Providence Phone: 401-808-9463 Email: allison@conderi.com
E. Gale Eaton ’74, Kingston, RI Phone: 401-874-4651
Theta Delta Chi
Texas Rhode Horns
Mary Laurence ’80 Phone: 401-431-8434 (w)
Rhode Island
Jeffrey A. Ross ’75, Houston Phone: 713-668-3746 (h) 713-791-9521 (w) Email: jross67785@aol.com
Washington, D.C./ Baltimore Hank Nardone ’90, Laytonsville, MD Phone: 301-803-2910 (w) 301-482-1062 (h) Email: henryjn@us.ibm.com Brooke Bondur ’93, Baltimore Phone: 443-756-3977 (h) 410-527-9328 (w) Email: bbondur@aol.com
Nancy Lundgren ’54, Tiverton, RI Phone: 401-624-6364 (h)
Hasbro
Eric Lalime ’95 Phone: 201-962-2001 (h) 347-739-7345 (cell) Email: eric.lalime@morganstanley.com
Italian Alfred Crudale ’91, West Kingston, RI Phone: 401-783-3081 Email: acwvmhs@rinet35.org Remo Trivelli, Kingston, RI Phone: 401-874-2383 Lucia Vescera ’96, Lincoln, RI Email: lvescera@hotmail.com
Lambda Chi Alpha Jeffrey Hill ‘00, Shippensburg, PA Phone: 717-530-0188 Email: firemarshal70@hotmail.com
Lambda Delta Phi Linda F. Desmond ’68, North Andover, MA Phone: 978-687-7443 (h) 978-794-3896 (w) Email: lfdesmond@comcast.net
30 QUAD ANGLES FALL 2008
Jim DeNuccio, East Greenwich, RI Phone: 401-884-2993 (w) Fax: 401-885-2228 (w)
Would you like to START A CHAPTER in your region or for your group? We’d love to hear from you. To learn more, contact Sarah Howard at showard@advance.uri.edu or 401-874-2438.
CLASSacts
Read Class Notes Online at advance.uri.edu/quadangles/classnotes Submit Class Notes Online at advance.uri.edu/eservice
ALUMNI DIRECTORY
STAY
CONNECTED
’43 Paul Craig Mangan, ENG, writes: “My wife, Ruth Crandall Mangan ’42 HS&S, and I are still located in Ventura, Calif., in a retirement facility near our daughter. We like it here. We are in good health, active, but miss New England and Connecticut. Our 64th is in September. We play golf all year round. No snow!”
It was a perfect summer evening at the ballpark when URI alumni, family, and friends gathered at McCoy Stadium for Pride in URI Night on August 20. More than 200 Rhody alumni attended, cheering the PawSox on to victory over the Syracuse Chiefs. Special guests included a number of URI coaches, with Sarah Thornton, assistant track and field coach, throwing out the first pitch.
’46 Robert Francis Shea, HS&S, of Lighthouse Point, Fla., was entered into the Stonington High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Robert was a member of the 1939 Class B championship football team. Donald Wheeler Cole, A&S, of Chesterland, Ohio, has organized 26 Organization Development (O.D.) World Congresses and consulting teams outside the USA since 1983 to test the use of O.D. technology in world trouble spots. Since 1981, he has been active in working to build the field of O.D. into a profession. He is a charter member of the O.D. Network and helped found the O.D. Journal in 1984. He founded the Ohio O.D. Network, the Midwest O.D. Network, and the O.D. Institute. He has written five books and numerous articles. The O.D. Library at the University of West Coast has been named the Don Cole Library.
’52 Madelyn Geisser Rumowicz, A&S, of Wakefield, R.I., writes: “I retired from the N.J. Department of Transportation as assistant commissioner in 2006. I moved back to Rhode Island in April 2008. New Jersey’s Governor J. Corzine appointed me to the Financial Review Commission, which oversees capital plans and finances for New Jersey’s transportation system. Meetings are in New Jersey or by conference call, so I can preside while staying in Rhode Island. I was elected chair at the first meeting.”
’58 Anthony P. Chatowsky, A&S, of Palm City, Fla., writes: “Since I was unable to come up to the reunion, I contacted John Piacitelli ’58 whose address was in the reunion Grist. My wife, Florence, and I met with him and his wife, Carol, in Port Charlotte, Fla., on May 27 for a
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SALERNO
’50
mini reunion. John and I were biology majors, lived in Theta Chi, and worked together in the summer on Cape Cod. I had not seen him in 50 years. He is also a retired physician so we had a lot to talk about.”
President Carothers announces retirement
’60 Theodore B. Carter, A&S, of Reston, Va., writes: “I retired from the Foreign Service in 1993 after 25 years as a legal advisor to USAID economic assistance programs, serving both around and in the Washington, D.C. headquarters. Since then I have been a consultant for foreign assistance programs in southern Africa, Egypt, Russia, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. After the 9/11 attack and the fall of the Taliban, I was asked by the USAID Office of the General Counsel to act as legal advisor to the emergency assistance program in Afghanistan. It was a real challenge to re-open the Afghan schools and begin reconstruction of the longneglected, war torn infrastructure. I am on the International Programs Advisory Board of the National Center for State Courts in Arlington,
At a press conference September 25, President Robert L. Carothers formally announced that he would end his 18-year tenure at the University as of June 30, 2009. View the press conference online at uri.edu/news/press_conf/. “It has been a great honor to serve a great university, a feisty and creative institution which, as William Faulkner put it, has not only survived but has prevailed,” said Carothers to a standing-room only crowd. “Despite being under-funded since 1892, the University of Rhode Island is always thinking big and the results show.”
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 31
Va., which carries out rule of law programs in the developing world. Last year I donated my scratch-built collection of 350 20th century model warships to the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, R.I. Some of that collection is now on display in my old hometown.”
’62 Rudolph A. Hempe, A&S, of Narragansett, R.I., was inducted by the R.I. Press Association into its Hall of Fame. He started working in the newspaper business before he graduated from URI as a part timer at The Providence Journal. Rudy has been a writer, reporter, and editor. He’s a history buff, volunteer, and Master Gardener. He retired three years ago after a 40 year career in journalism,most of which was spent as editor of the Standard-Times in North Kingstown.
’67 Michael J. Cappuccilli, HS&S, of Milton, Mass., writes: “I met with many alums at Casey’s in Wakefield for the annual Phi Mu Alpha-Tau Kappa Epsilon Golf Tourney. I had not seen Steve Chubin ’66, Tony Tetro ’64, or Jack Reed ’66 in years. Greg Gutter ’66 always finds a good group each year. We lost one of our group, Frank Cuddy ’66 this past May. He was missed by all.” Patricia E. Harrison, A&S, of Block Island, R.I., has stepped down as spiritual leader of the Harbor Church on Block Island to go into semi-retirement. She hopes to be involved in ”pulpit supply,” substituting for pastors who are ill or on vacation. She also plans to
volunteer as a chaplain in hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes. That kind of work is her real passion and is how she started. David William Jacobs, ENG, of Niantic, Conn., writes: “After 41 years at the railroad, I finally retired from Metro-North. I’m now teaching full time in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Hartford.”
’68 Roberta Mudge Humble, A&S, of Warwick, R.I., has published Friendly Faces: On the Rhode with the Old Windmill. It’s a truly Rhode Island book for both older children and adults. It is generously illustrated with colored drawings and adapted and enhanced photographs of the Old Windmill in Middletown and many familiar Rhode Island faces. Touches of Rhode Island humor are spread throughout the book. See the Web site westerlyarmory.com. Arthur W. Manchester, A&S, of Jamestown, R.I., a saxophonist, has released his first recording at the age of 61. It’s called “Little Nights” and is full of Arthur’s originals, complete with a Blue Note records style CD cover designed by Newport’s Lakuna Productions. The CD was a work in progress for two decades. Arthur teaches at St. Michael’s Country Day School in Newport and at The Pennfield School in Portsmouth, where he is the band director. Jeffrey P. Rosenfeld, A&S, of Bayside, N.Y., has just published Home Design in an Aging World (N.Y.: Fairchild Books, 2008), a book that
Reunite with Your Friends and Classmates When was the last time you made plans to get together with your URI friends? Has it been too long? NOW is the time to start planning for a 2009 class or affinity reunion. You will need 10 volunteers from your class or group who are willing to help plan, promote, and attend the reunion gathering. The Alumni Relations Office will help you plan and promote your event with a listing on the Alumni Web site and in QUAD ANGLES, with electronic notices, and with the printing and mailing of your reunion invitations. If you are interested in working on an event for your class or affinity group and would like to find out more about getting started, please visit the Alumni Web site at advance. uri.edu/alumni/reunions or call the Alumni Relations Office at 401-874-2242.
32 QUAD ANGLES FALL 2008
looks at the design of housing for older people in seven of the world’s most rapidly aging nations, including China, India, Japan, and the USA. Jeff’s co-author is architect Wid Chapman of Parsons School of Design. Jeff, the director of the Gerontology Program at Hofstra University, often writes on the design of housing for older people.
’69 Peter G. Barlow, A&S, of West Kingston, R.I., has joined Allstate Financial Group as a personal financial representative.
’70 Eric D. Roiter, A&S, of Chestnut Hill, Mass., is an adjunct professor at both Harvard Law School and Boston University School of Law. Eric left his post at the world’s biggest mutual fund company to teach law full time.
’73 Nancy M. Kline, A&S, of Storrs, Conn., writes: “I have established the Mattoon-Kline Scholarship in the Graduate School of Library & Information Studies. An annual award for full or part-time graduate students, it recognizes academic excellence and supports the diversification of the library profession. The first scholarship was presented in April 2008.”
’74 Anthony D. Giarrusso, A&S, of North Providence, R.I., writes: “ I am still involved with local agencies that need instructors to help younger children improve their
reading skills. I am also involved with low income and minority support groups.”
’75 Linda M. Bergemann, ENG, of Charlestown, R.I., was honored when her employer, Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics, Groton, Conn., submitted her name to the Connecticut Technology Council for the fourth annual awards program of Women of Innovation. Linda also received a personal commendation from the governor of Connecticut, M. Jodi Rell, for being recognized for her talent, motivation, entrepreneurial spirit, and leadership qualities. Linda attributes this distinction to the education she received from URI’s College of Engineering. Alan W. Blazar, A&S, of East Greenwich, R.I., is the owner of Blazing Editions in the old Greenwich Mills Complex in Warwick. Alan is well known in graphic arts circles in Rhode Island as one of the first graphic artists and printers to see the potential in digital imaging. In 1984, he founded Blazing Graphics, a photography, design, pre-press, and printing company that became known for pioneering emerging technologies.
’76 Judye Gershman Hess, A&S, of Berkeley, Calif., has been part of the core faculty of the Integral Counseling Psychology program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco since 1984. She teaches family dynamics and therapy and group dynamics. She also taught marriage and couple counseling. Judye has taught these classes at the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology, John F. Kennedy University, Cal State University at Hayward, Saybrook Institute, Rosebridge Institute, and Holy Names University. Judye wrote Core Focused Family Therapy, a unique approach to family therapy that is appropriate for students and practitioners who favor a humanistic, experiential approach to working with families but who lack the guidance to put this approach into practice. Michael J. Mercer, CELS, of Snellville, Ga., was one of 100 power brokers who lead Atlanta’s financial sector. Michael became president of Georgia Credit Union Affiliates in 1985. He is a member of CUNA’s board of directors. He also serves on the board of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Harry A. Ward, A&S, of Nashua, N.H., has been named medical director for The Huntington, a medical facility in Nashua. Harry is certified in internal medicine and has a certificate in geriatric medicine.
Mary-Ruth Demers Cayer ’47
A Statistic Unto Herself
Spend just a little time with Mary-Ruth Demers Cayer, and you get the impression that trailblazer is a mantle she would just as soon shrug off. Cayer is the first woman to graduate from URI with a B.S. in electrical engineering. She entered the then Rhode Island State College at 16 years of age, intending to pursue a degree in home economics. “And I disliked it so,” the 81-year-old said. “I started school in June; engineering wasn’t offered until the fall. I thought engineering would be interesting, because I used to like to design and draw. So when engineering opened up, I enrolled.” Cayer attended classes six days a week, with Sundays off. Classes were small, comprising 10 or 12 students on average. Math was always at 8 a.m., and if you were late, Cayer said, you were locked out of the classroom. Standing in a classroom in Bliss Hall during a recent visit to her alma mater, Cayer recalled one professor’s morning routine. “There was always a slide rule problem on the board when we got into the classroom. We came in in a hurry, because the first five students to solve the problem got an A. You wanted to get an A.” After graduation, Cayer received an offer to study at Duke University’s School of Law. “But I got married instead,” she said. Three children followed. Cayer became a high school mathematics teacher on the advice of her mother, who believed in preparedness. “I taught math 15 or 16 years—all because my mother told me I should be prepared in case something happened.” Today about 15 to 20 percent of a given engineering program’s students are women. In the 1940s, Cayer was a statistic unto herself. Was it a problem being the only female in the class for most of her college career? “No,” Cayer said and laughed. “I enjoyed being the one woman in the company of many men.” —Marybeth Reilly-McGreen PHOTO BY NORA LEWIS
John E. Carr ’84
Ready for Prime Time It took John Carr 14 months to write his first two books, Don’t Touch That Dial! and And Now, A Word From Our Sponsor. Established authors may bristle, as it often takes them that much time to develop a plot. Yet for Carr, a journalism major and self-described pop culture addict, writing these satirical tributes to classic television shows and commercials of the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s came naturally: “I won’t say that
Arnie “Tokyo” Rosenthal ’73
Play It Again, Toke Some years back, Tokyo Rosenthal was at a standstill in L.A. traffic, reading the newspaper. He came across this headline: “Baby Boomers Pursuing Second and Third Careers.” The fateful headline made a lasting impression, and today, Tokyo describes himself as a “poster child for second and third careers.” An accounting major at URI, “with a rock and roll minor,” Tokyo had a successful post-URI career as a cable TV executive, was an amateur boxer, and at a certain point, merged those interests as a boxing commentator and promoter. But he was always a musician first and foremost. Now, finally, music is his day job. He has earned attention and critical praise for his latest CD, One Score And Ten. His current success can be attributed to his song “Edmonton,” which attracted the attention of DJs in Edmonton, Alberta, earning him radio play and the keys to the city and igniting interest in the CD. Rosenthal describes his musical repertoire as “Americana with a few blues numbers in the mix.” His musical talents are as diverse as his résumé: he is a talented songwriter, vocalist, and instrumentalist—most at home on guitar, but also practiced on piano, mandolin, and drums. Having long ago figured that life was taking him on a journey that would feature music as an essential sideline to his other careers, he is relishing this surprising but well-deserved second chance at making music center stage. Until recently, the highlight of his musical life was when, as a URI student, Tokyo and his band, Harpo and Slapshot, played as the opening act for America in Edwards Auditorium. There’ve been a lot of other highlights lately, but one of the things still on Tokyo’s wish list is playing at Edwards again. “That would really be coming around full-circle for me.” Visit tokyorosenthal.com to listen to Tokyo’s music, see what the critics are saying, and find out where to see him live. PHOTO COURTESY OF TOKYO ROSENTHAL —Barbara Caron
it wasn’t hard work, but it flowed for me because I have a passion for it.” Carr’s love for programming from yesteryear stems from his childhood when family friendly sitcoms dominated the airwaves.: “It was a simpler time. The American family had one TV in the family room, where everyone would gather for the ‘family hour.’ “My books generate discussion. As we get older, we like to reminisce about this age of innocence when television was in its infancy. Reading about these times moves us to share experiences about a gentler time.” While the subject matter of these books will resonate with Baby Boomers, Carr thinks all generations will enjoy his works. Cable channels like TV Land have spawned new legions of fans. Carr attributes the popularity of this programming to the high quality of the script writing: “The writers had serious talent. Think of the fantastic interaction between M*A*S*H characters Hawkeye and B.J. Where is the creativity today? Reality TV doesn’t compare to the quality of programming, and crime shows just rehash what’s in the newspaper.” Carr hopes that his books, in addition to spurring a stroll down memory lane, will foster an appreciation for the ingenuity of yesterday’s writers and producers. Carr’s trip back in time continues with a DVD supplement to his books. Based on characters and images in Don’t Touch That Dial! and And Now, A Word From Our Sponsor, it is scheduled for release after Thanksgiving. For more information, check johnecarr.net. PHOTO BY NORA LEWIS
—Maria V. Caliri ’86, M.B.A. ‘92 UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 33
He will direct all medical care for residents at Huntington. In addition to his duties in Nashua, he is an adjunct instructor at Dartmouth Medical School.
’78 Robin Grasing Harvey, HS&S, of Nantucket, Mass., was nominated to the Nantucket School Committee. She has served on the board of directors for the Nantucket Boys & Girls Club for 15 years, as president of the Nantucket Boosters Club for three years, and as an assistant coach on the softball and field hockey teams. She and her husband have lived on the island for 26 years.
’79 Jane Thierfeld Brown, A&S, of West Hartford, Conn., writes: “My research and work with college students with Asperger’s syndrome and autism was profiled in a Good Morning America piece this April. I provided research and students for the piece, and was on the air briefly. The research is from our book College Students with Asperger’s Syndrome to be published this fall.” Gail Kauranen E. Jones, A&S, of Topsfield, Mass., has joined Currier & Associates of Newburyport as the company’s market development manager. Gail DeSisto Read, CELS, of Bar-
rington, R.I., the garden manager at Blithewold Gardens in Bristol, R.I., has always had a garden since she was young: “Gardeners are nurturers; they’re taking care of something, and they’re creative. It’s good for your soul,” she says.
’80 Kathleen C. Monroe, A&S, of Westerly, R.I., is a longtime cellist for Musica Dolce, an ensemble of classical musicians. Kathy splits her time between private string lessons for around 12 students, music education, the Musica Dolce youth string group (which includes rehearsals and the business of running the group), her weekend vocation as a cellist with the Music Performance Series and the Connecticut String trio, and her family and home.
’81 Donna Russo Morin, A&S, of Saunderstown, R.I., writes that she has “a two-book contract with Kensington Publishing. The Courtier’s Secret, set in 1682 at the court of Versailles, a February ’09 release, will be followed in November by The Secret of the Glass, a story of the glassmakers of Murano at the turn of the 17th century. Both books are historical adventure novels with unique and powerful women as the lead characters.” Donna hopes
her books will capture the reader’s imagination with a compelling fictional tale set in an authentically recreated period in history. B. Michael Rauh, A&S, of Narragansett, R.I., was honored as 2008 Citizen of the Year by the Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce. Michael, a bank executive at Washington Trust Company, was honored for his community and civic work as well as for his leadership skills. He is executive vice president of sales, service and delivery at Washington Trust.
’82 Russell Paul Knight, of East Greenwich, R.I., is the deputy/chief of staff at the Naval War College in Newport.
’83 Donald W. Larsen, A&S, of Woonsocket, R.I., writes: “I am a systems administrator for the Statewide Homeless Management Information System, R.I. Coalition for the Homeless Board (12 years); George Wiley Center (4 years); and board of Thundermist Health Association (present).”
’84 Patrick J. Clays, CBA, of Westerly, R.I., is vice president, mortgage consultant at BankNewport. He is
responsible for originating residential first mortgages in Kent and Washington Counties and is based out of BankNewport’s Narragansett and North Kingstown branch offices.
’85 Joseph Costa, A&S, of Tiverton, R.I., is general manager of Wetherlaine’s Restaurant and Pub, which is located in a downtown corner of Woonsocket. David B. Tetreault, A&S, of Narragansett, R.I., has joined Citizens Bank as a loan officer. He has been in the mortgage business for 20 years. Dave is a member of the board of directors of the South Kingstown Chamber of Commerce and of the South County YMCA. He is also a member of the Kent-Washington Board of Realtors, the Narragansett Lions Club, and the Narragansett Running Association.
’86 Sheila M. Gallogly, CBA, of Memphis, Tenn., writes: “I recently accepted a new postion with Marriott Hotels in Memphis, Tenn., as a rooms inventory manager in the revenue management discipline. In October 2007, I celebrated my 18th year with Marriott. I am also celebrating my first year anniversary with my husband, Brad Barbour. Life is good!”
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34 QUAD ANGLES FALL 2008
Brendan Leonard ’91
A Visit to the Oval Office Brendan Leonard has worked for Fortune 500 companies like Hasbro, Samsonite, and Capital One, but it is his work with the small, nicheproduct company Health Enterprises, Inc., that paved his way to the White House. Last May, Health Enterprises earned the “E” Award for Excellence Left to right, Glenn Leman, president of Health Enterprises; President George W. Bush; in Exporting from President Bush. As the company’s vice president of Brendan Leonard, senior director of sales & marketing at Health Enterprises; and Rep. sales and marketing, Leonard represented his company at a ceremony Jim McGovern. in which Health Enterprises was honored for its model of growth in international business. “He was extremely gracious, and it struck me how—with everything he has “My biggest challenge was letting it all sink in,” said Leonard, who on his plate—he was so focused on why we were there,” Leonard said. “He earned a B.S. in marketing at URI. “I wish I could have found a way to slow freed up his time and was actively involved in the day.” down time that day. After we left, I took a video tour just so I could refresh my Leonard saw Theodore Roosevelt’s Congressional Medal of Honor, the memory of what I saw.” Great Seal, and the Resolute Desk, which has served as the working station Headquartered in North Attleboro, Mass., Health Enterprises is at the for most presidents since Rutherford B. Hayes. forefront of health care products around the world. It works domestically on “It was an overwhelming experience,” Leonard said. “You see all the history branded and private-label products with companies like CVS and Walgreens and realize the magnitude of the decisions made by the people who occupied but also has clients in over 45 countries. It was one of 15 companies honored, that office. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” along with powers like FedEx. Leonard and company president Glenn Leman —Shane Donaldson ’99 visited the West Wing, where they met President Bush in the Oval Office.
Victoria Lockard ‘07
Lori Urso, M.P.A. ’03
When more than 300 artists submit 860 works for a juried art exhibition, it is fair to say that competition is keen. Chances of winning are not that high— especially for a newly minted printmaking graduate. Despite the odds, Victoria Lockard entered the 10th Annual Fidelity Investments All Media Juried Exhibition primarily “to feel like I was doing something for my career. I had no attachment to winning. When my family and friends asked if I thought I could win, I couldn’t understand how absurd they were being.” Lockard, who submitted a linocut entitled “Soviet Supper,” did not even consider the possibility of capturing a prize until the third and second place winners were announced. “It dawned on me then that I might have a chance. When I heard my name, my mouth dropped.” While Lockard was shocked, the jurors may have seen a refreshing perspective in her work. “People say that I have a way of expressing an image that’s totally unseen before.” “Soviet Supper” may have evoked a sense of mystery among the judges as well. Using a photo composite, Lockard created a dinner scene portraying three women and a man at a table PHOTO BY NORA LEWIS topped with a bottle of vodka, shot glasses, and traditional Russian fare. Instead of showing the blank wall that was behind the dinner table, she cut an image of a Persian rug into the linoleum to represent a cold building. Lines cut into the plate give the work the impression of an old photo that has been folded in someone’s wallet. “I like making up very complex stories when I create linocuts, but I wonder about what’s really going on. I’m also curious about what viewers think.” Although “Soviet Supper” is open to interpretation, the trajectory of Lockard’s future is more concrete. An award-winning artist who also held her first solo show this spring, she is quickly gaining a well-deserved reputation for excellence. —Maria V. Caliri ’82, M.B.A. ’92
She retired after 10 years as the executive director of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association, but it was no swan song for Lori Urso. Urso, who earned an M.P.A. from URI, began her career with the WPWA in 1992. After three years she left for a career in radio at WERI, where she hosted talk shows, was a D.J., and produced “Backstage with the Blues” hosted by James Montgomery. After Urso’s family sold WERI, she returned to WPWA in 2000 for a six-month, interim stint. Months became years, and before she knew it, Urso was being honored with the Lifetime Achievement Environmental Merit Award from the New England Environmental Protection Agency. “The pace was fast,” said Urso, 43, a mother of two. “There were few opportunities over the years to sit back and relax because there was always something new going on. Before I knew it, it was time for a change.” When Urso first joined the WPWA, the organization rented a one-room office and had 300 members and an endowment of $8,000. When she retired in March, the WPWA owned a property on the Wood River with three buildings, three PHOTO COURTESY OF LORI URSO river access areas on the Pawcatuck, a fleet of 24 kayaks and five canoes, and an endowment of nearly $500,000. There were more than 1,000 members, and the WPWA’s net worth topped $1.5 million. Her work with the WPWA is hardly Urso’s lone achievement. As half of the blues group Ursula George—along with George Reithoffer—Urso released an album, Blue Basics, in 1999. She also produced a blues album for James Montgomery and partnered on record label Innerhythmic. She is working on four new songs that will be released on the Internet in the coming months. “Because I went into environmental science, which has a heady, technical side, I made sure to hold onto my artistic side,” Urso said. “I wanted to balance myself.” —Shane Donaldson ’99
“Soviet Supper” Steals the Show
River Champion
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 35
Frank T. Landolfi, A&S, of Hope Valley, R.I., has joined Citizens Bank as a mortgage loan officer. He has been in the mortgage origination business for 18 years. He is a member of the finance council of St. Joseph’s Church in Hope Valley. Denise A. Patnode, CBA, of Warwick, R.I., is chief financial officer at The Providence Center. Denise is responsible for providing sound financial strategies to the board of trustees and management team, as well as providing relevant financial data necessary for budgetary and financial decisions for The Center. Karen A. Raposa, HS&S, of Trenton, N.J., created a program called “Tips for Treating a Patient With Autism—The Experience of a LIfetime.” Karen provides an overview of patients with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The program includes a review of how dental professionals can assess a patient’s abilities, techniques for treatment, and a comprehensive homecare regimen for patients and caregivers. Guidelines for incorporating these special patients into a practice are also included. The programs are given with Power Point and embedded videos, case study discussions, group activities, and lots of heart warming and entertaining stories about life with an autistic child. Karen’s journey into ASD began when her now eight-year-old son was diagnosed with autism just prior to his second birthday. For more information on Karen’s autism program, contact Karen_Raposa@colpal.com
’87 Jeffrey B. Pattison, CBA, of Tenafly, N.J., has joined INTTRA, the leading e-commerce portal for the ocean freight industry, as chief information officer. Samuel L. Resnick, A&S, of Woodstock, Conn., completed 20 years of service with the Connecticut State Police this past April. His duties have included road patrol, detective, and K-9 officer.
’88 Rosemary Reilly Chammat, A&S, of Cumberland, R.I., earned her Doctor of Education from Johnson & Wales University.
’89 Carl J. Asprinio, CBA, of Cranston, R.I., is now an associate attorney at Martinous Law Associates, 999 Westminster Street, Providence RI 02903. Phone 401-277-2900, email casprinio@martinouslaw.com. Shawn J. Brown, CBA, of Middletown, R.I., is town administrator for the Town of Middletown. Christopher J. Gladu, A&S, of Seffner, Fla., writes: “I sell IT security software over the phone into the Quebec market. I’ve been doing it since 1998. I got the second major in French almost as an afterthought just because I had enough foreign language credits from my junior year abroad. It has been the catalyst for all the big moves I’ve made in my professional life. I graduated a semester early, and my first job was with Holt Rinehart
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36 QUAD ANGLES FALL 2008
and Winston’s Foreign Language group in Fort Worth. I broke into IT during the Internet boom despite not having a background in technology because the company wanted a French speaker. Five years later, I got this position in sunny Florida because of the French sales experience. French has paid off; that year abroad has been of immeasurable value. But the B.A. in political science has yet to show a return on investment. I completed my M. A. in pastoral studies at Saint Leo University in December 2007.” Sara M. Hiebner, CBA, of North Kingstown, R.I., is vice president, business development officer at BankNewport. She is responsible for commercial lending origination and business development throughout Rhode Island. David M. Just, HS&S, of Derry, N.H., opened his first Domino’s Pizza franchise on May 19, 2008, in Somersworth, N.H. Additional locations are slated for Epping, Candia, and Hooksett.
’90 Mark C. Mazmanian, CBA, of North Attleboro, Mass., was promoted to senior vice president and director of syndications and participations at Citizens Bank’s Dealer Financial Services division, which offers comprehensive services and support to automotive dealerships. Henry J. Nardone, CBA, writes: “I am currently a senior contracts manager with IBM in the Washington, D.C. metro area. I am completing my sixth year on the URI Executive Alumni Board for the College of Business Administration. I also serve as president of the Washington, D.C., URI Alumni Chapter. I live with my wife, Lin, and daughter Angela in Laytonsville, Md. Rosanne L. Rabinowitz, A&S, of Cresskill, N.J., graduated from Fordham University with a Doctorate in Education in May 2008. Matthew J. Ventura, ENG, of Saunderstown, R.I., was appointed vice president and senior project manager in Citizens Bank’s Technology Infrastructure and Support department. He is a member of the High Technology Crime Investigation Association, the Project Management Institute, the Certified Information Systems Security Professionals, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Scott T. Willard, CELS, of Starkville, Miss., is head of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Mississippi State University.
’91 Erin C. Kennedy, CBA, of New York, N.Y., writes: “It has been a while
since I wrote last. My husband, Bruce, and I have two kids now: Lexie, a girl born 4/14/04, and a boy, Jasper, born 12/6/06. I’m programming director at Spike TV.” Susan E. Maria, HS&S, of Cumberland, R.I., is a cooperative teacher at the new preschool at Calvin Presbyterian Church in Cumberland. Susan has a master’s degree in counseling from GordonConwell Theological Seminary. Meghan M. Ostroff, CBA, of East Falmouth, Mass., joined the West Falmouth office of Real Estate Associates.
’92 Susan Grenke Rancourt, HS&S, of Warren, R.I., has been named national sales manager for Fuel Belt, the pioneer of hydration solutions for runners, triathletes, and other endurance athletes. William B. Sweeney, ENG, of Bristol, R.I., was promoted to project executive and head of Shawmut’s recently opened New Haven office. Bill has been with Shawmut for six years and has 16 years’ experience in the construction industry.
’93 Sophia F. Morse, A&S, of Poulsbo, Wash., writes: “After 15 years as a professional mariner/outdoor educator, I am two years into a fouryear seminary program at Seattle University aiming for ordination within the United Church of Christ in 2010. I hope to return to New England to pursue a career as a chaplain.” Sheila K. Disarro Paquette, CELS, of West Greenwich, R.I., was awarded a U.S. Coast Guard/U.S. Merchant Marine Officer Master Captain 50 ton license for the operation of uninspected passenger vessels on inland and near coastal waters. Sandra G. Parrillo, CBA, of North Smithfield, R.I., is the first woman to serve as president and CEO of the Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Co. headquartered in Warwick. Stacy J. Schiff, A&S, of Kew Gardens, N.Y., is graduating with an M.L.S. degree from City University of New York/Queens College with honors and with a concentration in archival studies. Stacy completed a grant at the American Museum of Natural History in special collections and had an article published this year.
’94 Tracy A. Dagesse, HS&S, of Tiverton, R.I., received a Master’s in Social Work from Boston University on May 18, 2008.
’95 Christian R. Blaney, A&S, of Wakefield, R.I., has joined Citizens Bank as a mortgage loan officer. Robert Donley, A&S, is executive director for the State Board of Regents in Iowa City, Iowa. Chris T. Poulos, HS&S, of Wakefield, R.I., is best known for winning the 1991 Bicycle Stunt World Championships in Denmark at age 20. He also won the 1990 and 1991 U.S. National Bicycle Stunt Championships. He is a veteran of more than 413 competitions worldwide. Since 1988, Chris has performed in thousands of live events worldwide. He has been featured in events promoting the X-Games and Gravity Games. He has appeared in television programs, commercials, newspapers and magazines worldwide.
Community Unsung Heroine of 2008 for Middleborough by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.
’01 Dorothy I. Doniec, PHM, of Johnston, R.I., accepted a marriage proposal from Eric J. Branchaud, PHM ’98, at Magic Kingdom on 4/13/2008! The wedding is planned for August of this year. Robinson H. Quiroz, A&S, of Pawtucket, R.I., writes: “M.B.A. graduate of ’03 and commissioned into the U.S. Army. Recently returned from a tour in Iraq. Worked as the aide to a two star general in the R.I. National Guard. I am now an executive manager of logistics.”
’02 Cristine H. Tindall Lydon, A&S, of Maple Shade, N.J., is with the 128 Chemical Company of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and served for seven months in Iraq. Her company arrived from Fort Dix to the Armory in Northeast Philadelpia in March, and then the troops were released to celebrate with their happy families.
’03 Jessica E. Ryan, A&S, of Wakefield, R.I., a physician’s assistant student at Drexel University in Philadelphia, completed a six-week internshp at Block Island Health Services. John A. Studer, CBA, of Middletown, R.I., was the March 2008
ideablob contest winner. No Sweat Apparel manufactures organic cotton T-shirts in a factory in Palestine. Jewish owned and operated, organized under a Muslin union, and produced in a factory run by a Christian, the founders of No Sweat believe that mutally beneficial economic incentives are key to helping resolve the crisis in the Middle East. Heather S. Weinberg, A&S, of Newington, Conn., writes: “On May, 17, 2008, I graduated summa cum laude from Springfield College with an M.S. in art therapy.”
’04 Ariana E. McBride, CELS, of Wakefield, R.I., is senior associate, Northeast Projects, at the Orton
’96 Howard J. Hague, CBA, of North Kingstown, R.I., is a math teacher at North Kingstown High School. This is his first season as the sailing coach, although he has been coaching the wrestling team for six years.
URI FOUNDATION
GIFT PLANNING NEWS
’97 Eileen F. Norton, CBA, of Plymouth, Mass., was installed as president of The Labor Guild, a Weymouth based association sponsored by the Archdiocese of Boston with a memberhsip of more than 1,200 labor relations activists and professionals. For over 50 years the guild has promoted order and justice in the workplace and provided a forum for interchange among its unique cross section of members.
’98 Michael Charles Coffas, A&S, of Huntington, N.Y., was promoted to fashion director at GQ magazine on Dec. 28, 2007. Lori M. Kelley, NUR, of Wakefield, R.I., has joined the medical staff of Westerly Hospital as an ob/ gyn nurse-midwife. Marilyn R. Shellman, CELS, of North Kingstown, R.I., is Westerly’s director of code enforcement and town planner.
’99 Shannon L. LaDuke Neufeld, A&S, of Houston, Texas, was hired in June 2008 as the communications coordinator for the Post Oak School in Bellaire, Texas. The oldest Montessori school in the Southwest, Post Oak offers a comprehensive education from infancy through eighth grade.
Create a Legacy and Join the 1892 Society Thinking of a way to create a legacy and support the University of Rhode Island, its programs, faculty, and students? Over 300 of your fellow alumni or friends have become 1892 Society members by informing the URI Foundation of their intent to include the University in their estate plans. This can include naming URI as a beneficiary in your will, trusts, insurance policies, gift annuities, retirement accounts and more. Why create a legacy society? This legacy society was created because in years past, URI officials were not notified that the University had been included in the wills and estate plans of many individuals. Why is this notification so important? Bequest language, in some cases, can be vague, leaving us to guess the intent and best use of certain gifts. Or the language can be technically incorrect, making it even more difficult for us to meet the goals and fulfill the wishes of donors. Working with you, we can ensure that your
wishes and the specific use of your gift is clearly outlined and carried out. Sample bequest language on-line The simplest way to include URI in your will is to add, “I bequeath the sum of $____ to the University of Rhode Island Foundation, Inc., 79 Upper College Road, Kingston, RI 02881, for its general use and purposes.” The Foundation’s Web site offers other language options as well that are available at urifoundation.org/programs/ images/bequestlanguage.pdf. The benefits of membership The 1892 Society is a very special way in which we acknowledge your partnership with URI and honor your thoughtful and generous gift planning. You will also be recognized in our Annual Giving Report and other publications and on our Web site (unless you choose to remain anonymous) and you’ll be invited to attend an annual Society reception at the President’s house in the spring.
’00 Heather E. Ashworth, HS&S, of Middleboro, Mass., was named
Office of GIFT PLANNING, URI FOUNDATION, 79 Upper College Road, Kingston, RI 02881-2004 WWW.URIFOUNDATION.ORG | DONNA-JEAN RAINVILLE: 401.874.2296 DJRAINVILLE@FOUNDATION.URI.EDU
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 37
Family Foundation. Her background in place-based economic development and community planning perfectly dovetails with the Foundation’s commitment to help communities describe, apply, and sustain their heart and soul attributes.
’05 Anne E. Colella, CBA, of Barrington, R.I., was promoted to advertising and marketing manager at the Newport County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Annie will be responsible for the creation, development and management of the bureau’s advertising efforts, image library, and core marketing initiatives. Michael A. Galioto, CBA, of Boca Raton, Fla., joined HSBC Bank USA as a business relationship manager for Palm Beach County. Jennifer O. Jurczak, CBA, of Avon, Conn., is assistant branch manager at BankNewport in the new Narragansett office. David J. Millar, CELS, of North Providence, R.I., is a scientist at Wheatstone Engineering Consulting, Inc., an environmental consulting firm in Braintree. Brian P. Solecki, CBA, of Providence, R.I., was named to the sales team at Sports Radio 103.7 WEEI-FM.
’06 David J. Urban, CELS, is the new proprietor of The Secret Garden, a flower shop in Jamestown, R.I. David has 10 years’ experience working in every phase of the florist industry.
’07 Amber C. Castle, PHM, of Hamden, Conn., writes: “I am still in contact with the French pharmacy students who participated in the exchange program with URI. This summer I hope to take a month to travel across Europe. I am working at Yale-New Haven Hospital as a pharmacy resident. We host two exchange programs, one from Spain and one from Rennes, France! Every year I get to meet two new French students. I haven’t figured out what to do with my certificate in French and Pharmacy yet, but I’ve been looking into working in a hospital in Montreal. Thanks for a wonderful experience at URI!” Timothy M. Mahoney, A&S, of Peachtree City, Ga., a major in the U.S. Army, arrived for duty at Fort McPherson, Atlanta. An operational protection officer with nine years of military service, he is assigned to U.S. Army Central. Joanne M. Pires, A&S, of Woburn, Mass., is an account coordinator at Schneider Associates, a Bostonbased public relations and marketing communications agency.
38 QUAD ANGLES FALL 2008
Weddings
In Memoriam
Douglas J. Allam ’93 to Maureen A. McCue, on November 10, 2007. Lauren A. Bond ’98 to Jason W. McNeace ’97, on June 27, 2008. Melissa S. Donahue ’00 to Stephen Gardner, on April 25, 2008. Mary P. Harrington ’01 to Michael A. Ferraro, on August 4, 2007. Kerri McElroy ’01 to Nelson C. Carreiro, on December 31, 2007. Amanda K. Condon ’02 to Joshua Guerin ’04, on April 18, 2008. Katelain R. Kelly ’04 to Jason R. Tavares, on October 27, 2007. Tara L. Nastari ’04 to Dave P. Lafleur, on July 8, 2007. Alicia Picard ’04 to Kenneth F. Olszewski ’05, on September 1, 2007. Maureen E. Gilligan ’05 to Wesley R. Zemrak ’07, on December 29, 2007. Allison A. Borah ’06 to Eric A. Foni, on September 1, 2007.
Correction Shirley Goldberg Mittleman ’48 of Providence and George Binns ’59 of Beverly, Mass., were incorrectly listed in the In Memoriam section of the July issue. QUAD ANGLES apologizes to both of them for the error.
Births Lota Ipnacio and William C. Rowell ’80, a son, John Philip, on June 12, 2008. Deb and Daniel Lutz ’94, a son, Henry Daniel, on June 28, 2008. Amanda and Christopher Michael Santos ’94, a son, Harrison Oliver, on May 31, 2008. Christopher M. and Kelly R. Walsh Eddy ’95, a daughter, Hannah Elizabeth, on December 20, 2007. David Brideau Jr. and Caryn L. Gorczynski ’97, a daughter, Olivia Lee, on March 27, 2008. Jocelyn M. ’00 and Peter Sherman ’97, a daughter, Audrey Rose, on May 20, 2008. Sean and Colleen M. Amrock Jarboe ’99, a son, Mason James, on March 18, 2008. Aiden ’99 and Jennifer Langheld Byrne ’99, a son, Kyle William, on March 11, 2008. Erica Aline Pearson and Kevin A. Thornton ’99, a daughter, Braedy Aline, on July 21, 2008. Matthew R. and Melissa M. Foley ’02, a daughter, Kaitlyn, on October 11, 2007. John ’02 and Kelly Octeau Martin ’02, a daughter, Margaret Grace, on April 29, 2008. Richard ’03 and Aliza G. Cacchiotti ’05, a daughter, Olivia, on January 10, 2008.
Howard Gardiner ’37 of North Kingstown, R.I., on May 27, 2008. Robert M. Mudge ’37 of Westerly, R.I., on March 20, 2008. Bowen Sweet ’38 of North Providence, R.I., on June 9, 2008. William Corr ’40 of Tiverton, R.I., on June 27, 2008. Elaine Walcott Henry ’41 of Trabuco Cyn, Calif., on March 27, 2008. J. William Corr ’43 of Warwick, R.I., on June 27, 2008. H. David Hedison ’43 of Warwick, R.I., on June 3, 2008. Richard Griffith ’49 of Pensacola, Fla., on May 16, 2008. William Kramer ’49 of Wakefield, R.I., on March 31, 2008. Richard Sinnott ’49 of Walnut Creek, Calif., on May 3, 2008. Norberta Gross-Rosen ’50 of Sun City West, Ariz., on June 30, 2008. Russell McKeton ’50 of Seekonk, Mass., on June 9, 2008. Joseph Rossi ’50 of Pacific Palisades, Calif., on June 2, 2008. Mitchell Geller ’51 of Cranston, R.I., on July 5, 2008. Ascanio Dipippo ’54 of Middletown, R.I., on May 29, 2008. Burton Stafford ’55 of Greensboro, N.C., on May 8, 2008. Thomas Daley ’57 of West Springfield, Mass., on June 1, 2008. Anthony Zambarano ’57 of Smithfield, R.I., on June 29, 2008. Stephen Hyman ’58 of Framington, Conn., on June 30, 2008. Calvin Peckham ’58 of Pawcatuck, Conn., on April 19, 2008. Carolyn Glynn Cashman ’59 of Rockville, Md., on June 12, 2008. Sondra Cole Frederick ’60 of Kensington, Conn., on May 21, 2008. Chester Wellington Ham ’62 of Warwick, R.I., on July 3, 2008. Herbert Dawley ’64 of West Grove, Pa., on June 2, 2008. James Cayer ’66 of Portsmouth, R.I., on April 24, 2008. Francis J. Cuddy ’66 of Amherst, N.H., on May 25, 2008. Anthony Giunta ’66 of Ellsworth, Maine, on May 17, 2008. Lester Slater ’66 of Warwick, R.I., on June 28, 2008.
Cynthia Rae Adams MacLaughlin ’67 of Gainesville, Fla., on May 12, 2008. Katherine Izzo ’70 of Barrington, R.I., on May 26, 2008. Leo Pinson ’70 of Greenfield, Mass., on May 28, 2008. Lois Thurber ’71 of Chepachet, R.I., on May 16, 2008. Lindalee Beckenbach Bell ’73 of New Port Richey, Fla., on July 3, 2008. Marjorie Neuse ’73 of Kingston, R.I., on April 25, 2008. Bruce Paris ’74 of Bloomington, Minn., on June 28, 2008. Larry Larsen ’76 of Manchester, Mass., on June 13, 2008. Frank Rothemich ’76 of Warwick, R.I., on November 8, 2007.
Help Us Find Your Missing Classmates We’re searching for URI alumni we’ve lost contact with over the years. Sometimes alumni move and forget to send us their current mailing address. Now you can help us find our lost alumni through Eservices. A convenient look-up table lets you search for lost alumni by class year or college. Log in at advance.uri.edu/eservices and help us find your missing classmates. We’ll put them on our QUAD ANGLES mailing list so they can stay in touch with URI.
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Bruce Arnold ’77 of Westerly, R.I., on June 9, 2008. Sheldon Pomerantz ’79 of Sharon, Mass., on May 31, 2008. Helen Johnstone ’86 of Washington, D.C., on June 4, 2008. Jacqueline Botelho Mistretta ’88 of Yarmouth, Maine, on July 1, 2008. William Thayer ’88 of Manchester, N.H., on November 21, 2007. Karen Iacampo-Conte ’91 of Cranston, R.I., on May 12, 2008. Leo Murphy Jr. ’96 of North Kingstown, R.I., on June 25, 2008. Dawn Ward ’96 of Barrington, R.I., on May 30, 2008. Kevin Watterson ’97 of Wakefield, R.I., on June 12, 2008. Mary O’Dea-King ’98 of Middletown, R.I., on May 15, 2008. Christine Grinavic ’03 of Cumberland, R.I., on May 7, 2008. Blake Wilford ’06 of Bridgehampton, N.Y., on June 25, 2008.
In Memoriam Faculty Thomas H. McCabe, 76, professor emeritus of English, died at home in Charlestown, R.I., on July 9 after a courageous 14 year battle with prostate cancer. He was the husband of Betty Tychsen McCabe, to whom he was married for 50 years. He was a graduate of Union College, earning post graduate degrees at Columbia University and the University of Wisconsin. He served his country as a captain in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He was a member of the English Department for 30 years, before retiring in 1994. In later years, his days were filled with caring for the land on which he had built his home and enjoying his love of literature. Beside his wife, he is survived by four children and their spouses, Peter and Alison McCabe Bullen, Holly and Paul Manchester, Hugh and Valerie McCabe, and Erica and Jan West; and five grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to The American Cancer Society, 931 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick, RI 02886. Yngve Ramstad, 67, professor of economics and a former department chair, died July 5 of complications from ALS. The Rhode Island chapter of the ALS Association honored Ramstad with its Brian Dickinson Courage Award on June 12. His daughter, Kathryn Ramstad-Albert, accepted the award on his behalf. Ramstad earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial management from Purdue University, a master’s degree in economics from
Washington State University, and a Ph.D. in economics in 1981 from the University of California at Berkeley. He joined the URI faculty in 1982. He was married to Alexa Albert, a URI professor of sociology who died May 2, 2007. He was an expert on the career of John R. Commons, a noted authority on labor relations. Ramstad’s book chapters, articles, and conference presentations on Commons received international acclaim. In January 2009, Ramstad’s work on Commons will be the topic of a panel at the annual meeting of the Association for Evolutionary Economics, which he once chaired. Ramstad served several terms on the Faculty Senate, including two years as vice-chair; he also served on the Teaching Effectiveness Committee, a General Education Task Force, and the Executive Board of the URI AAUP. He was a member of the Athletics Advisory Board, which he chaired from 2003-2006, and was the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative. He made it a point to attend athletic events and to get to know URI student-athletes. In October 2007, many of those studentathletes and their coaches joined other URI students, faculty, staff and friends in a Walk Around the Quad to honor Ramstad and raise money (more than $10,000) for the ALS Association. Also participating was the URI Traditional Jazz Band, one of several groups Ramstad performed with after returning to trombone playing in the late 1990s. He joined the Wakefield Civic Band in 1998 and ROMPS (Retired Old Men Playing Swing) in 2001 and played with both until his illness. From 2001-2004, he also was a member of the Dixie Gents. In addition to his daughter, survivors include two sons, David and Eric Ramstad of Berkeley, Calif. Donations in his name may be made to the ALS Association— Rhode Island Chapter, 2915 Post Rd., Warwick, RI 02886. Jeannette E. Crooker, professor emerita of physical education, died June 19 after a long battle with cancer. She enjoyed a 38-year career as a URI coach, teacher, and administrator. She was a member of URI’s Athletic Hall of Fame. She received her B.S. in physical education from the University of New Hampshire and an M.S. in sociology from the University of Rhode Island in 1959. She is survived by a sister Carla Crooker Darrell of Maine; three nieces and a nephew. Memorial donations may be made to the Jonnycake Center, 1231 Kingstown Road, Peacedale, RI 02883.
Stay Connected With Your Classmates Have you registered for the URI Alumni Online Directory yet? Just go to advance.uri.edu/eservices, and register today. It’s easy, and best of all, it’s FREE! Search for friends and former classmates using a v ariety of criteria, such as class year and geographic area. The URI Alumni Online Directory is a secure, p assword-protected database. For your own privacy, you can access, modify, or hide all or part of your data at any time. Go to advance.uri.edu/eservices and stay connected!
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UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 39
BACKpage
PHOTOs by Michael Salerno
A Decade of Helping Journalists Interpret Science Did you know that more than 260 journalists from around the U.S. and several foreign countries have participated in programs run by The Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting, based at the Office of Marine Programs at URI’s Graduate School of Oceanography? The Metcalf Institute, named in honor of Michael P. Metcalf, the late publisher of The Providence Journal, exposes journalists to the basic science underlying environmental news to improve the accuracy and clarity of science-based reporting. Celebrating its 10th year, the Institute has built an international reputation for providing reporters and editors with opportunities to improve their craft by learning first-hand about science and the research process. Its annual Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists provides 10 reporters from around the world with an intensive, one-week experience examining the connections between scientific research and public policy. Reporters engage in field and laboratory research with URI scientists, graduate students, and policy experts, gaining hands-on knowledge about pressing environmental issues. The Institute also features leading journalists and scientists in a concurrent public lecture series each June. Since 2001, the Institute has administered an annual fellowship program for early-career minority journalists who come to campus each September for a month-long exposure to marine and environmental research. Afterwards, they are placed in newsrooms around the country—including The Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, CNN, and Minnesota Public Radio—for nine months of environmental reporting. In 2005, the Metcalf Institute launched the Grantham Prize for Excellence in Reporting on the Environment to recognize exemplary reporting on environmental issues in North America. The $75,000 award is the largest journalism cash prize in the world. The winning reporters have worked at The Record in Bergen County, N.J. (2006), The Los Angeles Times (2007), and The New York Times (2008). By Todd McLeish
40 QUAD ANGLES FALL 2008
Profile in Giving
Vision and generosity: They are the virtues Howard S. Frank ’63 prizes in others and cultivates in himself. The vice chairman and CEO of Carnival Corp., who earned an accounting degree from URI, credits the University with cultivating the leadership and communications skills that would help launch him to the top of his industry. Frank’s pledge of $250,000 to create the Mary and Howard Frank Endowed Scholarship Fund ensures that a new generation of students in the College of Business Administration will have the foundation needed to achieve similar professional goals. Frank, who spearheads several philanthropic endeavors in both his professional and private life, sees his charitable giving as a means of repaying the kindnesses extended to him throughout his life. “I feel the need to give back to my community and my school for the support they gave me. For me, that’s important,” Frank says. “I enjoy helping others to succeed. Supporting people who have helped you, who have been loyal to you, it’s what I take great pleasure in.”
Under Frank’s 19-year stewardship, Carnival has become a global vacation business with 12 cruise lines employing more than 75,000 people. It is the most profitable company in the leisure industry, serving seven million guests annually. Frank’s ability to lead was honed early, when he was a member of the fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi. There, Frank says, he gained a reputation as a “pragmatic problem-solver.” A 2007 recipient of a University of Rhode Island President’s Distinguished Achievement Award, Frank’s philosophy on leadership is grounded in sensibility. “I’m a regular guy. Part of being successful is being who you are,” he says. “I think people respect that. You get people’s attention when you talk in plain language. When I talk in front of an audience, I do it in an informal conversational way. This style is really quite effective.” Dean of the College of Business Administration Mark Higgins said Frank’s gift reflects both the pragmatic and philanthropic aspects of its donors.
PHOTO courtesy of Howard Frank
Howard S. Frank ’63
Helping Others to Succeed “We are extremely grateful to Howard and Mary for their generous contribution,” Higgins said. “They understand the value of education and that the success of this state is tied to being able to educate as many people as possible. This gift provides the opportunity for students to get that education.” To the students who will benefit from his gift, Frank’s advice reflects the pragmatism his fellow fraternity brothers noted more than 40 years ago. In talking about advice he gives to young people starting out in their careers, “It’s important to know what drives you, what makes you happy,” he says. “Do what you enjoy doing and do it well. The rest will come. “ By Marybeth Reilly-McGreen
THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND CAMPAIGN
For more information on the many giving opportunities at the University of Rhode Island, please visit our Web site at urifoundation.org, or contact the URI Foundation, 79 Upper College Road, Kingston, RI 02881. Please call 401-874-7900 or toll free 877-874-4555 or email campaign@uri.edu.
Save the date Mark your calendar for a fun-filled weekend of special events! Reunite with URI alumni, parents,
February 13–15
2009 big Chill WEEKEND
family, and friends, and support undergraduate student scholarships!
For more information contact the Alumni Office at 401-874-2242 or email gmdei@advance.uri.edu.
advance.uri.edu/alumni/events/bigchill
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