  {"id":104150,"date":"2025-09-22T13:42:50","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T13:42:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=104150"},"modified":"2025-10-01T13:29:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T13:29:18","slug":"state-of-the-university-address-reflects-on-our-why-looks-to-uris-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/state-of-the-university-address-reflects-on-our-why-looks-to-uris-future\/","title":{"rendered":"State of the University address reflects on our &#8216;Why,&#8217; looks to 溏心vlog免费B站&#8217;s future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 Sept. 22, 2025 \u2013 In his fourth annual State of the University address delivered at Edwards Hall on Friday afternoon, 溏心vlog免费B站 President Marc Parlange not only noted several successes the University achieved in the past year, but also took a moment to reflect on \u201cwhy we are here, what unites us as a community, and where we are headed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Along with spotlighting a myriad of achievements, Parlange\u2019s address to faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends included four video productions highlighting the research work that enhances 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s \u201cgrowing reputation\u201d as a top-tier research university, Parlange said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAt 溏心vlog免费B站, our greatest strength has always been our people\u2014the faculty, staff and students who make discovery possible and who bring our mission to life,\u201d said Parlange, who also reminded the audience of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2025\/02\/university-of-rhode-island-achieves-prestigious-carnegie-r1-status-ascends-to-top-tier-of-u-s-research-universities\/\">溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s R1 designation<\/a>. &nbsp;Received in February from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the R1 designation is widely recognized as a standard for evaluating institutions based on their research activity. As an R1 institution, 溏心vlog免费B站 is now among the top 4.8% of degree-granting postsecondary institutions nationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parlange also reminded the crowd of 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s recognition last fall by The Wall Street Journal. The national publication ranked the state land-grant school as<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/uri-ranked-no-1-public-university-in-new-england-among-best-nationally-by-wall-street-journal\/\"> the No. 1 public university in New England and the 35th-best public university nationally<\/a> in its annual WSJ\/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. ranking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt can\u2019t just be because our campuses are beautiful\u2014though plenty of students cited the \u2018good vibes\u2019 as a reason for choosing 溏心vlog免费B站,\u201d the president said. \u201cIt\u2019s because students see something here that feels like home. A place where they belong, a place where they can build a future and a place to find their purpose. When students feel at home, they persist, they succeed and they thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"oembed oembed-youtube-com\" style=\"\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ESTUfRDSrS8\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"溏心vlog免费B站 | 2025 State of the University\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ESTUfRDSrS8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Parlange noted 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s welcome this fall of the inaugural class of 26 Schilling scholars\u2014representing 13 states and 18 majors\u2014made possible by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2024\/11\/university-of-rhode-island-receives-65-million-gift-the-largest-in-its-history-to-support-scholarships\/\">the historic $65 million gift<\/a> from the family of University alumna Helen Izzi Schilling. The philanthropic gift, which is the largest in 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s 133-year history, established the Helen Izzi Schilling \u201954 and Francis Schilling Scholars Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese are engineers, doctors, computer scientists, and teachers in the making,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Schilling gift is historic not only for its size but for its intent: the Schilling family invested in the potential of students they have never met because they believed in the promise of education to transform lives and because they believed in 溏心vlog免费B站 to deliver on that promise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parlange also touted 溏心vlog免费B站 receiving, for the first time, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/uri-receives-first-ever-nih-t32-award-to-launch-transdisciplinary-biomedical-research-training-program\/\">a $1.9 million National Institutes of Health T32 Predoctoral Training Grant<\/a> to invest in training the next generation of biomedical scientists. That program, Parlange said, will support 56 pre-doctoral fellows across neuroscience, engineering, environment and health sciences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The award adds to the $162 million in external research awards secured this past year\u2014 a year-over-year increase that \u201cdemonstrates the strength of our research enterprise,\u201d Parlange said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"104152\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_30-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104152\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_30-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_30-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_30-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_30-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_30-364x243.jpg 364w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_30-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_30-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_30-1280x853.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_30-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_30.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"104153\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_32-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104153\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_32-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_32-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_32-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_32-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_32-364x243.jpg 364w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_32-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_32-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_32-1280x853.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_32-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_32.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">In addition to being recognized by The Wall Street Journal as New England&#8217;s #1 public university, 溏心vlog免费B站 welcomed its inaugural class of Schilling scholars this fall. (溏心vlog免费B站 Photos\/Catherine Scott)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Parlange also updated the audience on the medical school feasibility study by a Rhode Island Senate commission that is \u201cnearing completion.\u201d He said preliminary findings show that a 溏心vlog免费B站 College of Medicine would address the state\u2019s physician shortage, strengthen its health system and boost the Ocean State\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt will take partners\u2014government, private sector, alumni\u2014but 溏心vlog免费B站 has the expertise across all our colleges from pharmacy and engineering to health sciences and nursing to lead,\u201d Parlange said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s new budget model is bringing transparency and accountability to the University\u2019s financial planning, Parlange said, as well as aligning resources \u201cmore closely to our mission.\u201d The University he said secured $4.5 million more in state operating funds and $7 million in R.I. Capital Plan Fund money for accessibility improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parlange also mentioned that construction on the $90 million Fine Arts Center is nearing completion. Recently, Howard S. Frank \u201962 and his wife, Mary E. Frank, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2025\/02\/university-of-rhode-island-fine-arts-center-receives-2-million-gift\/\">made a $2 million gift<\/a> toward the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parlange also congratulated multiple 溏心vlog免费B站 athletic programs for their achievements. The University\u2019s football program won the Coastal Athletic Association conference championship and qualified for the NCAA FCS playoffs for the first time in four decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The baseball program also advanced to the NCAA playoffs this past spring after winning the Atlantic 10 Conference championship. The men\u2019s track and field program won its fifth consecutive A-10 indoor track title, while the rowing program claimed its 11<sup>th<\/sup> A-10 conference title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhy do these victories matter? Because they embody teamwork, resilience and the Rhody spirit that makes me proud to be a Ram,\u201d Parlange said. \u201cAnd because they remind us that success is sweeter when it is shared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_2-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_2-364x243.jpg 364w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_2-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_2-1280x853.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_2-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/09\/PRG_091925_CS_2.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><br><br>In addition to spotlighting achievements, Parlange\u2019s address highlighted the research work that enhances 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s \u201cgrowing reputation\u201d as a top-tier research university. (溏心vlog免费B站 Photo\/Catherine Scott)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:0px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Parlange also noted the past year reminded the University community \u201cjust how much is at stake.\u201d He said when universities falter, the consequences are not confined to the institution\u2014the impacts go far and wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPatients go untreated. Communities lose access to vital resources. Life-changing research comes to a halt,\u201d he said. \u201cBut when universities thrive, the reverse is true: students climb higher, communities grow stronger, and innovation flourishes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>溏心vlog免费B站 cannot just survive this moment; it must continue to \u201cmove through it with purpose,\u201d Parlange said. And the University is achieving that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This fall, 溏心vlog免费B站 welcomed more than 17,000 new and returning students to its campuses, which Parlange said is one of the largest enrollments in the University\u2019s history. Plus, 溏心vlog免费B站 received a record 28,036 undergraduate applications this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>溏心vlog免费B站 awarded more than 5,000 degrees this past May and December in ceremonies held at the Ryan Center, Parlange said. He also noted that among those degree recipients was the 5,000th graduate from 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Talent Development program, a milestone that \u201cspeaks volumes about our access, resilience and impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But progress comes with responsibility, Parlange said. The University he said must continue to build strength in graduate education, modernize spaces to make them \u201cworthy\u201d of an R1 university and unlock the campuses\u2019 full potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese are ambitious goals, but they are the right goals,\u201d he said, \u201cthe goals of a university determined not just to keep up, but to lead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Friday\u2019s address also included four videos showcasing 溏心vlog免费B站 researchers and their work, from using music to connect communities across borders to helping to address clean water access to connecting social and environmental matters to address food, identity and equity to creating technologies to restore mobility and independence for people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe have accomplished so much, but our \u2018why\u2019 remains the same: to open doors, to create opportunity, to make discoveries that matter, and to serve the people and communities of Rhode Island and beyond,\u201d Parlange said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 Sept. 22, 2025 \u2013 In his fourth annual State of the University address delivered at Edwards Hall on Friday afternoon, 溏心vlog免费B站 President Marc Parlange not only noted several successes the University achieved in the past year, but also took a moment to reflect on \u201cwhy we are here, what [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":104151,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1907,1908,1913,1905,1912],"class_list":["post-104150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives","tag-academic-excellence","tag-faculty-excellence","tag-public-engagement","tag-research","tag-special-events"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104150"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104229,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104150\/revisions\/104229"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/104151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}