News&Views

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education have named D. Scott Molloy, professor of labor and industrial relations, as Rhode Island Professor of the Year. It’s another in a long line of honors for Molloy, who was awarded the URI Foundation 1995 Teaching Excellence Award. A former RIPTA bus driver who operated out of the garage that once housed trolleys operated by his Irish immigrant grandfather, Molloy said he learned how to teach, not in a classroom, but in a union hall.

URI’s Counseling Center

URI’s Counseling Center recently hosted a reception to honor Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, one of the authors of a bill that will help college students gain increased access and enhanced mental and behavioral health services. Jim Campbell, director of the URI Counseling Center, worked closely with Reed and legislative members of the American Psychological Association to create the legislation.

A bioterrorism clinic

A bioterrorism clinic exercise operated last semester in response to a simulated smallpox outbreak in England provided “vaccinations” for 285 patient volunteers. The clinic followed a morning workshop on smallpox attended by 120 medical professionals. The University was asked by the Rhode Island Department of Health to conduct the bioterrorism response clinic exercise after having successfully run the largest university-based simulated clinic in the nation last spring in response to a mock anthrax incident.

Nathaniel Nelson

Nathaniel Nelson, a senior political science major, chairs the State College Republicans and has worked on four local political campaigns. In the bi-weekly column he writes for URI’s student newspaper, The Good 5¢ Cigar, Nelson tackles a variety of often controversial topics. One of those columns called “Under God” has been included in the book, What We Think: Young Voters Speak Out, which was published this fall. Nelson has been nominated for URI’s Rainville Award, a competitive process that recognizes outstanding student achievement, and is also a member of Leadership Rhode Island’s Emerging Leaders Program.

CAST YOUR VOTE ONLINE

CAST YOUR VOTE ONLINE for the new members of the URI Alumni Executive Board at http://advance.uri.edu/surveys. Voting must be completed by May 31, 2005.

Support the URI Alumni Fund

Wes ’70 and Dianne Kenny Card ’69 believe in looking out for their URI family. That’s why the couple volunteered to chair URI’s 2004-2005 Alumni Fund. “It really struck me that it is up to us as alumni to look out for our URI family,” says Wes. “I think we would all look back on our college experience and say it’s where we got started. It provided a foundation for our life. And if we don’t do it, no one else will.”

Please join Wes and Dianne and give as generously as you can to the Alumni Fund. You will be supporting scholarships and student programs that are not covered in URI’s regular budget.

To give, either call 401-874-4505 or pledge on line at http://www.advance.uri.edu/giveonline

The Bookshelf

Recent books by URI alumni

’38: The Great Hurricane in Quonochontaug Rhode Island by John Livsey ’85. Big Wave Books, 2004. Seen from the viewpoint of 14-year-old Luther Keegan, this novel traces the story of the 1938 hurricane as it forms off the coast of Africa until it hits Rhode Island on September 21.

America’s Founding Food: The Story of New England Cooking by Keith Stavely & Kathleen Fitzgerald, M.L.S. ’89. The University of North Carolina Press, 2004. Focusing on the traditional foods of the region—including beans, pumpkins, seafood, meats, baked goods, and beverages such as cider and rum—the authors show how New Englanders procured, preserved, and prepared their sustaining dishes.

An Ornithologist’s Guide to Life by Ann Hood ’78. Norton, 2004. A collection of short stories detailing the pleasures and pains of human relationships. The Providence-based writer is the author of nine novels, including Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine and Ruby.

Boats and Ships of Rhode Island: Your Field Guide by Robert Holtzman, M.M.A. ’96; illustrated by Wayne Marcus. Moon Mountain Publishing, 2004. The first in a new series that introduces children to boats and ships, the book combines text and photos with detailed line drawings suitable for coloring.

Imperial Ascent: Mountaineering, Masculinity, and Empire by Peter L. Bayers, Ph.D. ’94. University Press of Colorado, 2003. A mountain climber himself, Bayers analyzes some of the forces behind the successful 1953 ascent of Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary.

In the Beginning: The Story of Genesis and Earth Activities for Children by Michael J. Caduto ’78; illustrated by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. Paulist Press, 2004. This book offers an imaginative new experience of the Bible that can be used as a guide for living in a connected way with all of creation.

Little Loon and Papa by Toni Buzzeo, M.L.S. ’90; illustrated by Margaret Spengler. Dial 2004. This children’s picture book tells the story of a loon chick who is afraid to dive and provides a guessing game about animals found along the shores of northern lakes.

Paradise Made by Eric Steeves ’88. Trade Paper, 2004. This first novel by Steeves, a former captain of the men’s track team, is an escapist drama detailing the criminal career of the brilliant but ruthless John Thompson and the story of the men who track him down.

The Black Regiment of the American Revolution by Linda Crotta Brennan ’73; illustrated by Cheryl Kirk Noll. Moon Mountain Publishing, 2004. The Black Regiment was among the finest military units fighting for independence in the Revolutionary war. The book describes how African-American slaves became members of this elite unit, how they lived and fought, and how they earned their freedom—or died.

The Boatman Gang by Brendan Carson ’93. Swiftwater Books, 2003. Set in Alaska, this novel details the lives of five white water river guides and their interactions with the tourists who pay their salaries.

From Your Alumni Association President

Dear Fellow Alumni,

As I write this letter, the Alumni Office has just held two of its signature annual events, the presentation of the Alumni Achievement Awards and the Winter Gala.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who submitted a nomination to the Alumni Achievement Awards as this is an important way for us to hear about the successes of our alumni. If you haven’t had a chance to see the list of award winners, take a look at page 18-19 of this magazine. I know you’ll be impressed by what these folks have achieved, and I’m sure it will get you thinking about next year’s awards.

I would like to acknowledge Anne and Dick Beaupre ’62, Hon. ’03, who were the honorary chairs of this year’s Winter Gala, our largest fundraising event of the year. The Beaupres joined co-chairs Mark ’64 and Donna Ross, Hon. ’02, and Deb ’85, M.P.A. ’96, and Rich O’Brien ’86, M.B.A. ’00, in running another successful event. This year’s Gala raised over $100,000 for scholarships. For those of you who don’t live in Rhode Island and are not able to attend the Gala, take heart! It seems the Gala Committee is looking into expanding the online auction to include items that will entice more out of state bidders. So if you have an idea for donations that would interest folks in your area, give the Alumni Office a call. Don’t forget, we have alumni all over the country!

This is also the time of year when we ask our alumni to cast their ballots for the new leadership team. The Nominating Committee has done a great job once again of putting together the nomination slate, which was approved by the Executive Board at our meeting of February 2. A special thank you goes to Dennis DiSano who chaired the committee this year. The slate will be available on the Web site, so please take a minute to vote.

I recently took a tour of our new Alumni Center, which is finally fully occupied and open to the public. This project was many years in the making, and I think at least three former Alumni Association presidents were involved at one time or another. Thank you to Phil Kydd, Alan Wasserman, and Linc Almond for your vision and persistence in keeping this project moving forward. I know Michele and her staff are busy planning a variety of events to show off the building, but don’t wait for an invitation! If you have a chance to visit the campus, please stop by and see the center.

Sincerely,

Kathy Goulding ’77