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Speakers bring URI "Out Front"University of Rhode Island faculty and staff were out in full force during the first year of the reinvigorated URI Speakers Bureau, "URI Out Front." One program of the URI Department of Communications in the Division of University Advancement, the Speakers Bureau is the central clearinghouse for providing speakers on an array of topics to community organizations statewide. The program is organized and promoted by Todd McLeish, a public information officer in the department. "Participation in the University's Speakers Bureau is just one of the many ways in which the faculty, staff, and some of our students can and do share their areas of expertise with Rhode Islanders. Todd has done an effective job organizing and marketing the effort both within the University and to the organizations throughout the state," said Communications Director Linda A. Acciardo. A few of the highlights from the 2000-01 year include: o About 90 presentations were made from July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001. This is ten times as many as were recorded in all of the 1999 calendar year. o February and May were the busiest months, with 19 presentations each. o History, forensic science, wildlife, health, and oceanography were the hottest of 58 different subjects most often requested. o More than 3,500 individuals in 51 different organizations from 20 cities and towns throughout the state attended the presentations. o Garden clubs, church groups, senior citizen organizations, Lions and Rotary clubs, chambers of commerce, libraries, schools, retiree groups and professional organizations were among the venues for URI speakers. o A promotional brochure and a website, http://www.news.uri.edu/speakers_bureau.html, were developed to support the marketing effort. For more information about the URI Speakers Bureau, to participate as a speaker or to request a brochure, call Todd McLeish in the URI Department of Communications/News Bureau at 874-7892. |
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