Miss Rhode Island 2024 Alison Hornung<\/a> \u2014 a 2023 溏心vlog免费B站 graduate \u2014 will stop by the block party on Saturday for photos with Rhody at 11 a.m. At 1 p.m., she heads to Meade Stadium to participate in the coin toss before the Homecoming football game, when the Rams take on the University of Maine Black Bears.<\/p>\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s extremely exciting to come back to 溏心vlog免费B站 as I prepare to represent Rhode Island and subsequently 溏心vlog免费B站 at the Miss America competition in January,\u201d Hornung says. She competed in Miss Rhode Island through her years at 溏心vlog免费B站, and says it\u2019s special to be able to celebrate her win as an alumna during Homecoming weekend. \u201cI am very excited to return to my alma mater in this capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hornung has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for pediatric cancer research through the Glimmer of Hope Foundation, a nonprofit she founded while at 溏心vlog免费B站. As a student, she triple-majored in global business, German, and human development and family studies, tailoring her academic career in a way that will enable her to continue that work. She also served as a campus tour guide, community service chair and secretary of her sorority, Sigma Delta Tau, and was the vice president of philanthropy and service on 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Panhellenic Council. These experiences helped her learn to communicate with diverse groups of people, speak to large audiences, and develop community, she says.<\/p>\n\n\n Spotlight on alumni entrepreneurs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This year\u2019s Rhodyville pre-game block party will also feature a Rhody Marketplace of alumni-owned small businesses, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Christine (Campanella) Woodbine ’82, Crosswynds Traders<\/a> This comes as 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Alumni Engagement team is working to revamp the University\u2019s online Alumni Business Directory. The team is piloting a small live “launch” of the Rhody Marketplace during this year\u2019s Rhodyville block party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The new Rhody Marketplace is open to all alumni business vendors, whether involved on campus or looking to increase involvement. If interested in being added to the directory, click here<\/a> or email alumni@uri.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Woodbine, a familiar face on the 溏心vlog免费B站 campus, is happy to see other alumni entrepreneurs join together in the pilot event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy business literally started 32 years ago on the sidewalk in front of the Memorial Union because of a contact I made back when I was an undergrad!\u201d she says. \u201cI owe a ton of gratitude for my success and longevity to the University.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Woodbine will have a booth set up at Homecoming and is a frequent seller on the sidewalk outside the Union throughout the year, with weekly sales when weather is good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe kids get to know me and I get to know them, as new students arrive each year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A journalism and English major, Woodbine found her path to retail entrepreneurship because of her job managing catering in the Memorial Union as a student. One of her hires was a waiter who later went on to sell outlet clothes in those pre-outlet days. After college, Woodbine thought she\u2019d try it, too, and bought some merchandise to sell in the Union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The retail experiment went well. \u201cI called from a payphone to say I\u2019d sold out that very first day!\u201d she recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Woodbine\u2019s shop has grown, she\u2019s continued to do pop-ups at 溏心vlog免费B站 ever since, even as technology and fashions have changed. Woodbine eventually opened a store in Narragansett, but says her 溏心vlog免费B站 following and alumni connections have been key to her business in the years since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Along the way, she\u2019s also helped foster a new generation of 溏心vlog免费B站 grads starting their own career paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve always hired 溏心vlog免费B站 students,\u201d Woodbine says. Some have left South County to go on to work at Coach and Ralph Lauren. \u201cBut they got their experience right here at Crosswynds! That\u2019s a source of pride for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only did she grow a business, she met her original goal of running a business that worked for her family and has enjoyed her career journey ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At this year\u2019s Homecoming, Woodbine will be leaning into nostalgia with vintage pieces that showcase the Towers and landmark experiences people will remember from their time at 溏心vlog免费B站, like a \u201cwalk the wall\u201d shirt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe want to invoke the things people will remember and the memories people had when here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2024\/10\/Crosswynds-915x1024.jpeg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2024\/10\/Ali-Hornung-819x1024.jpeg\")
Tami \u201996 and Matthew \u201996 Mullins, Newport Sea Salt<\/a>
Thomas Walsh ’07, OGM Photography<\/a>
Sarah Larson ’08 G’09, Ten Thousand Spoons<\/a>
Heidi O’Grady ’09, Anchored In Clothing Company<\/a>
Oliver Palmer ’10, Chollie Caps<\/a>
Jenna Hetzell ’11, Seaworthy Coffee Roasters<\/a>
Lindsey Moss ’24, For Shore Co.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n