 | Fran and Bob Weygand
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Weygand establishes scholarship endowment; donates public service papersFormer Rhode Island congressman and University of Rhode Island alumnus Bob Weygand has made two substantial gifts to his alma mater. Weygand and his wife, Fran, have established the Weygand Family Scholarship with an endowment through the URI Foundation. He has also donated more than 200 boxes of documents, letters and papers, spanning his 22 years in public office, including papers from the investigation of ex-Pawtucket Mayor Brian Sarrault and the impeachment of President Clinton.
“Growing up in Pawtucket, I had always heard what opportunities a quality education could provide. The University of Rhode Island changed my life and provided both me and my family with a great education and countless opportunities in life,” said Weygand. “This scholarship and the donation of my public service papers are but two small ways that Fran and I can give something back to an institution that gave us so much. I hope that this will do the same for other young people and encourage them to enter public service and give something back to their community,” he added.
The Weygand family established a $150,000 endowed scholarship, $50,000 of which will be available by the end of the current year. The remaining $100,000 is in the form of a deferred gift of life insurance. The endowed scholarship will provide financial assistance to non-traditional, Rhode Island students attending URI, especially single parents and first-generation college students.
The endowment earnings from the Weygand Family Scholarship will provide students with a minimum of $1,500 per year. When the endowment is fully built through the life insurance policy, additional scholarship dollars will be available.
“Individuals who have had their educational aspirations interrupted after high school should have the opportunity and support to achieve their dreams of higher education,” Weygand said. “Through this scholarship, we hope that we may provide some assistance to these Rhode Islanders and it’s our hope that others will do so.”
“The Weygand Family Scholarship is an important addition to our scholarship program at URI,” said Robert M. Beagle, vice president for university advancement. “While providing a significant boost to our endowment, it also focuses on a segment of our student population needing more help.
“When they first approached us about setting up this scholarship program, Bob and Fran were focused on giving something back to Bob’s alma mater and also doing something to encourage community service in Rhode Island. This scholarship captures their community-minded spirit and their ongoing commitment to URI,” added Beagle.
Weygand’s papers have been archived at the University’s library and are available for scholarly research. The papers include historical documents related to legislative matters of the U. S. Congress and R.I. General Assembly, the arrest and conviction of former Mayor Sarrault and the impeachment of President Clinton. Students conducting research will have access to these documents for a better, firsthand understanding of historical and unprecedented events that shaped the state and nation.
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