A Message from your University...Dear Alumni and Friends,
The events of the past months have affected us all. As we look toward the New Year, we are more thankful than ever for the URI community of alumni and friends.
At this time our thoughts are especially with the families of Christine Barbuto ’90, Christian DeSimone ’00, Michael G. McGinty, M.B.A. ’91, and Frank Schott ’83, who lost their lives in the tragic events of September 11. As a way of honoring their memory, we have established a permanent scholarship fund, the Alumni Association Memorial Scholarship, which will be awarded annually.
The true measure of any institution is its alumni and we know our alumni are among our greatest strengths. We have been pleased with the success of our two new television ads featuring prominent URI alumni, which aired during televised URI football games and continues in basketball season. We are also delighted to see our URI Alumni Online Directory fully operational, and hope you’ll sign on soon! The directory, along with our Web site, the e-mailed ALUMNI DIGEST and NEWSLINE, is the latest example of our effort to expand our electronic communications and offer better ways for alumni to connect with one another and with us.
Our alumni and friends have continued to demonstrate tremendous support for the University. Giving in the 2000-2001 fiscal year exceeded $14 million. Thanks to such generosity, we met the $2 million Kresge Challenge and successfully completed the campaigns for the renovations of Ballentine Hall and Green Hall which are now underway.
As our teams compete for their final season in the much-honored Keaney Gym, the Convocation Center is becoming more of a reality every day. Construction is making great progress, and the three-year Convocation Center Campaign launched in February 1999 continues its extraordinary momentum. Private fund-raising totals have now exceeded $14 million of our $15 million goal, and we anticipate a June ’02 opening for the Center.
It has been a beautiful and busy fall and early winter here in Kingston. We have been cheered by the success of our first-ever Rhodes Scholar, Rachel Walshe ‘00, the continued top-notch research, teaching and service endeavors of our faculty that have been awarded highly competitive grants, and by our students on athletic teams, the stage, and in the classroom.
We will continue to keep you posted on all the developments in the Division and the University on our Web site, www.advance.uri.edu, which we hope you will visit often. And, as always, if time and distance permit, we invite you to visit and see the many changes taking place on campus —construction is everywhere. Let us know you’re coming and we’ll give you a special tour!
Sincerely,
Robert M. Beagle
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