Focus on Philanthropy

Campbell Kids

Three physics students taking different career paths have one thing in common: they are some of the latest “Campbell Kids,” beneficiaries of the largesse of Bruce D. Campbell ’62, a retired businessman who recalls receiving an alumni scholarship when he attended school. “There comes a time to do something for URI,” says the grateful alumnus.

“The Campbell Scholarship allowed me the freedom to choose jobs that would be beneficial to my learning experience instead of being tied down to a job that was academically unrelated. The time that I didn’t have to work has been positively reflected in my GPA and, more importantly, my outlook on school in general,” says Jenna Head of Oakdale, Conn. who worked as a research assistant in organic chemistry/medicinal chemistry and as a chemistry and physics tutor in the Academic Enhancement Center.

“I’m from out of state and enrolled too late to receive a Centennial Scholarship or other financial aid, so this scholarship went directly into my pay for college fund,” says Tom Oggeri of Massapequa, N.Y., a senior who, recruited by the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Officer Candidate Program, will eventually become a submarine officer.

“The scholarship definitely helped cover my book expenses especially since most science textbooks are priced around $120,” says Kelsey Druken ’06 of Newport who entered the Graduate School of Oceanography this fall.

Shelling Out for Aquaculture

Jeffrey Grant often can be seen traveling Narragansett Bay in his 21-foot skiff looking for quahogs. “My father was a commercial fisherman for 32 years. He’s retired now, but not before getting his son addicted to the water,” says the aquaculture student, who will finish class in December.

Recently Grant met his benefactors, Wayne ‘50 and Bernice Durfee ‘49. Wayne, a professor emeritus, taught poultry science

at the University for 26 years. During the 1970s, with interest in poultry waning in the state, he switched to teaching and researching shellfish. “You could see the future was in aquaculture,” he says.

When he retired in 1989, Wayne and Bernice established an endowed scholarship for bright students studying aquaculture. “URI is close to our hearts,” says Bernice who met her future husband while earning a botany degree. Their two children are alumni—Bonita Durfee Lambert ‘84 and William K. Durfee ’88—and their granddaughter Heather is a freshman. “I like the idea of an endowment because it continues to grow,” notes Wayne. “We add a bit of money every year, and I’m surprised and pleased with just how much it has grown over the years.”

Grant was one of two students who received a $500 scholarship this year. “I had a budget all worked out, but with tuition increases, I wasn’t sure I could do it,” he tells the Durfees. “Then I got the notice of the scholarship, which covered the difference.

I can’t thank you enough.”

Math Scholarship Adds Up

Cynthia Grinnell ’58 established an endowed scholarship in 2002, based on financial need and academic merit, for women majoring in math or science.

“I don’t have kids. What am I going to do with my money? Buy a bigger car? Buy a bigger house? I’d rather do something useful with it,” says Grinnell, who taught math and computer classes at Hartford State Technical College for 14 years before retiring.

The day Sara Day’s old computer died, she was awarded a $1,600 Grinnell scholarship. “Yea!” she says with a wide grin. With one semester to go, she knows what she would eventually like to do: develop math curriculum for high schools. Her career path was inspired by her work as a math tutor in the Academic Enhancement Center. With a different curriculum, she says, there would be fewer problems.

She commutes to school from Warwick in a car whose odometer reads 250,000 miles. Grinnell was also a commuter, carpooling to URI from Jamestown. “I received a $100 University scholarship per semester, based on my grades in high school,” the donor recalls gratefully. “It covered most everything.”

Environment of Giving

Kevin MacLeod ‘06 grew up in rural Hartford, Vt., and spent every day outdoors. “The Appalachian Trail runs right through my hometown, so I’ve always been interested in the environment. It’s fair to say that it’s been my career track since kindergarten,” he says.

“I come from an average income family,” explains MacLeod, who graduated in June with a degree in environmental science and management. “Paying tuition hasn’t been easy.” A Lincoln Environmental scholarship eased his monetary crunch.

Gary Ezovski ‘72, president of the firm, is familiar with limited resources. On the advice of his high school guidance counselor, Ezovski, one of five children, applied for financial aid at URI to study engineering. “I didn’t know how I could afford it,” he recalls. He was awarded a $400 grant and given a $400 loan, which covered his first year. By working summers on the railroads during the week and assembling and delivering 400 Providence Sunday Journals, he was able to earn his civil engineering degree.

Ezovski established the scholarship in the firm’s name in 2003. “It’s payback for the opportunity URI created for me,” he says. “I know how much the help meant to me. I would like to have the same kind of impact on a student.”

“Jim and June Diller have lived the American dream, and they believe that their university experiences made that possible.”

‘Growing the Base’ of Talented Scientists

Some talented but needy Rhode Island high school students who intend to major in either physics, chemistry, computer science, math, chemical engineering, or computer engineering at the University will get their full college tuition and fees paid, thanks to a couple of former Rhode Islanders.

“The United States is not graduating enough technical talent,” says Jim Diller ’57, a URI physics alumnus and pioneer in the semiconductor field. The retired business executive and his wife, June, have pledged $800,000 to establish a permanent endowed fund for the future scientists. “We’re trying to grow the base.”

Asked why the Californians—the couple has lived out-of-state for decades—donated to URI, Jim responds simply: “I’m a graduate and the University was there when I needed it.”

The Dillers stipulate that the scholarships go to the most talented Rhode Island students with the greatest financial need.

“I especially feel strongly about a need-based scholarship,” says June who earned a psychology degree from Brown University. “I could have never gone to Brown without being given a full-tuition scholarship.”

“Jim and June Diller have lived the American dream, and they believe that their university experiences made that possible,” said URI President Robert L. Carothers. “They now want to make living that dream possible for the next generations of students, especially those who can help build the new economy in America. We thank the Dillers most sincerely on behalf of all of our future recipients.”

In its first year, the endowment should produce enough funds to pay for the tuition and fees of one student. In its second year, the James and June Diller Endowed Scholarship will continue to support the original student, plus an additional student, and so on for the third and fourth years provided the students continue to major in one of the stipulated science, math, or engineering fields. Thus, by the fourth year and beyond, there will be at least four students receiving Diller Scholarships. Any remaining funds generated by the endowment may be used to pay for the recipients’ books and/or lab fees.

Jim’s family moved to Rhode Island from the South after World War II and settled in Warwick. He met June Nyberg, who lived in a different section of that city, at a church social when he was 17 and she was 15. The childhood sweethearts have been together ever since.

Jim enrolled at URI because it was affordable; although he wanted to live away from home, he didn’t want to be too far from June. Always a hard worker—he got his first job when he was 12—Jim rolled up his sleeves at the University, washing dishes at the Student Union and serving meals at his fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta.

After graduation, Jim attended M.I.T. for a year. He left to pursue a career in the new semiconductor industry. He began in Boston but within five years, the couple moved to California, where the industry was centered.

He joined Fairchild Semiconductor, moving into management within a few years. He spent a year in Hong Kong managing Far East manufacturing in Hong Kong and Seoul.

Joining National Semiconductor in 1969, he started European operations near Munich. He stayed with National until the early ’80s serving in various management capacities, including two years in Singapore where he managed Far East manufacturing.

In 1984, Jim founded Sierra Semiconductor, which initially produced chips for the computer industry. The company went public on NASDAQ in 1991. As the Internet exploded the networking business grew dramatically and became the focus of the company. At this point, the company changed its name to PMC-Sierra, which was the name of the division producing these products. In 1997, Jim retired briefly before joining Elantec Semiconductor as CEO to help turn the company around. In 2000, after a successful turnaround, Jim retired a second time although he remains active serving on the boards of two public and two private companies.

In their leisure time, Jim and June enjoy spending time with their two sons and four grandchildren who live nearby. They also travel and enjoy outdoor activities.

By Jan Wenzel ’87