RWU Media Room

This entry was posted on March 15, 2010, filed under: Community, Featured. | There are No Comments. |

In support and recognition of the important relationship that exists between Roger Williams University and the Town of Bristol, the Town of Bristol/Roger Williams University Cooperative Committee is pleased to announce the solicitation of grant requests to be funded by the newly established Fund for Civic Activities (FCA). As part of the University’s voluntary agreement with the town, $25,000 in grant funds will be available in 2010 for Bristol residents or organizations that work toward enhancing the civic experience and community life in Bristol.

Twelve representatives from the Town of Bristol/Roger Williams University Cooperative Committee will review two rounds of grant applications in 2010. The first round of grant applications will be accepted through April 15 and those applicants are expected to receive notification by May 15. The second round of applications will be accepted by October 1 and applicants will receive notification by November 1. A total of $25,000 will be available in 2010 and each grant awarded will have a $2,500 limit.

Proposals that request funding for direct costs of new initiatives in the town will be given first preference. A maximum of one grant per organization will be awarded per funding cycle.

The goal of the Fund for Civic Activities is not to replace or be a substitute for public support of the town’s budget, but instead to enhance the projects, programs and services for all residents of the town of Bristol. For more information and to download an online application, visit http://www.rwu.edu/about/administration/bristol_rwu/bristol_rwu.

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.

This entry was posted on March 15, 2010, filed under: Community, Featured, On Campus. | There are No Comments. |

August Strindberg’s classic modern drama about an aristocratic young woman and her father’s valet comes to Roger Williams University’s Performing Arts Center. Written in 1888 by Sweden’s “father of modern literature,” Strindberg treats sexuality and human struggle with a frank naturalism previously unknown in the theatre.

“Strindberg really explores a timeless message in “Miss Julie” by focusing on the tragic futility of a class system that is still prevalent in our society today,” said Kristin Nicole Durinick, director of “Miss Julie” and a senior theatre major at RWU. “We are thrown into an intensely emotional environment where these three characters, trapped in their societal roles, end up tearing each other apart. We will be using live music and video projections to dramatize Strindberg’s world.”

Performances will run March 26 and 27 at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $4 for general admission and $2 for students and senior citizens. The Performing Arts Center is located on the University’s Bristol campus at One Old Ferry Road.

For reservations call the Theatre Box Office at (401) 254-3666. More information can be found on the RWU Theatre website: http://departments.rwu.edu/theatre.

This entry was posted on March 11, 2010, filed under: Academic, Community, Featured. | There are No Comments. |

Graduate students seeking a master’s degree in teaching can now hone their skills by working side by side with seasoned educators at the Gordon School, a racially diverse, coeducational independent school in Rhode Island for students in nursery school through eighth grade. The Teacher Residency Program at the Gordon School - a collaborative project with Roger Williams University - now offers students a yearlong exploration of the theory, research and application of multicultural educational practices and teaching for social justice.

This immersion program features courses taught by faculty members from both Roger Williams and the Gordon School, complemented by daily hands-on teaching experiences at the Gordon School’s campus in East Providence and at local public schools. Graduates will earn a master of arts in teaching from RWU and elementary teacher certification (grades 1-6) through the Rhode Island Department of Education.

“Just as it is the Gordon School’s intention to send our eighth graders out as innovative thinkers who create change in the world, we want our graduate students to discover habits of mind and a disposition in the classroom that will help them connect with children and affect their learning,” says Lynn Bowman, director of the program and a faculty member at the Gordon School since 1997.

Mieko Kamii, dean of the School of Education at RWU, is equally enthusiastic. “We are excited that students will learn the many facets of teaching through daily interactions with children and their teachers,” she says. “The richness of this form of professional preparation is well documented.”

The residency program is designed to serve educators working in all settings - urban, charter, private and rural schools. Bowman sees it as an opportunity not only for teachers, but for visionary educators and principals who may open the schools of the future, as well as individuals embarking upon a career transition into the field of education.

The year 2010 marks a major milestone for the Gordon School - its 100^th anniversary. From its beginning in the home of Helen West Cooke on the East Side of Providence, the School has stayed true to its progressive roots and is now seen as a national leader on best practices in multicultural education and social justice. In addition to the new master’s program, it also hosts the annual Gordon School Institute on Multicultural Practice, a weeklong series of workshops for teaching professionals across the United States.

Applications are currently being accepted for the master’s program, which begins in May 2010. For more information on the Teacher Residency Program at Gordon School and Roger Williams University, please contact Lynn Bowman at (401) 434-3833, Ext. 181, or email lbowman@gordonschool.org.

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.

About The Gordon School: The Gordon School is a racially diverse nursery through eighth grade coeducational independent school in East Providence, Rhode Island. Child by child, the Gordon School community cultivates successful students by inspiring joyful learning, encouraging intellectual leadership, fostering an empathic spirit and stimulating a drive for positive societal impact.

This entry was posted on March 10, 2010, filed under: Academic, Community, Featured. | There are 1 Comments. |

Roger Williams University Health and Wellness Educator (HAWE), Hannah Freedman, was honored at the recent BACCHUS Network regional conference for her peer education efforts at RWU and the local community. Ms. Freedman received the BACCHUS Area 10 Outstanding Peer Educator Award on Feb. 27 at Suffolk University in Boston, Mass., the location of this year’s regional conference. This award is given to a peer educator who has demonstrated commitment to their peer education program, excelled in leadership roles and maintained academic success.

Originally from Millwood, NY, recipient Hannah Freedman is an RWU senior studying communications with a minor in political science. She joined the Health and Wellness Educator program as a sophomore. In 2008, she was appointed to the eleven-member National BACCHUS Network student advisory committee becoming the communications liaison for the Northeast. The BACCHUS Network is a university- and community-based association that emphasizes the importance of health education and safety programs.

In her three years as an RWU health educator, Ms. Freedman has participated in every HAWE event. She was responsible for designing all RWU HAWE event advertisements, including posters, banners and flyers.

Ms. Freedman’s commitment to peer education led her to work on other projects in her community over the last year. The largest undertaking involved working with the national non-profit, Security on Campus, where she delivered over ten presentations last spring on the dangers of drinking and sexual assault to local high school students in both Bristol and Portsmouth, R.I.

For further information on RWU’s HAWE program, please contact Donna Darmody, director of health education and alcohol/drug prevention coordinator at (401) 254-3413.

This entry was posted on March 5, 2010, filed under: Community, Featured, On Campus. | There are No Comments. |

More than 400 high school girls descended on the Roger Williams University campus today to participate in the ninth annual GRRL Tech Interactive Technology Expo. Presented by Tech Collective, the industry association for information technology and biotechnology in Rhode Island, GRRL Tech (Girls Reaching Remarkable Levels) offers female high school students an engaging look into dynamic and rewarding technology opportunities. GRRL Tech aims to encourage STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning, break down gender myths and offer career insight into STEM industries. Roger Williams University faculty paired up with female professionals from Amgen, Atrion Networking Corporation, EpiVax, Inc. and other local organizations to facilitate 20 interactive workshops on topics ranging from mathematics and marine science to theater and media technology.

The conference concluded with the presentation of one four-year, full tuition Roger Williams University scholarship to Susan Woodard, a senior at Chariho Regional High School, under the condition of acceptance to the University. The Tech Collective GRRL Tech Committee selected Ms. Woodard for her outstanding scholarship essay describing her passion and pursuit of civil and environmental engineering. In speaking about her interest in wind farming, Susan noted she would love “to be a part of improving the world one breeze at a time.” In addition to her full-tuition scholarship, Susan will also receive an annual $1,000 textbook stipend during her undergraduate course of study at RWU.

“In our workforce today, only one in every four technology professionals is a woman,” said Jo Ann Johnson, manager of youth and education programs for the Tech Collective. “We are changing that statistic through events like GRRL Tech, where hundreds of high school girls are invited each year to not only experience opportunities in the technology fields, but to also dispel gender myths and gather some of the resources they need to succeed in their education and career paths. Tech Collective is grateful to Roger Williams University, Amgen and our other GRRL Tech sponsors for their generous support of this important initiative and our future workforce.”

GRRL Tech effectively strengthens community connections with local youth and industry organizations to promote technology-based education, thereby promoting a highly skilled workforce in Rhode Island. Kimberly Gauthier, senior engineer at Amgen, delivered the opening keynote address, sharing her perspective as a successful female professional in the technology industry. The event concluded with inspiring remarks from Barbie Jo DiMaria, marketing and promotions director at local radio station, 92 PRO-FM.

“Amgen is proud to partner with Tech Collective and Roger Williams University as a GRRL Tech sponsor,” said Kimball Hall, vice president, Rhode Island operations. “Together, we can offer a great opportunity for female students to explore careers in the science and technology sectors. These industries offer enormous opportunities and career potential.”

GRRL Tech 2010 marks the fourth consecutive year that Roger Williams University hosted and co-sponsored the conference, and the third year a full-tuition scholarship was awarded to a participant.

“GRRL Tech is a wonderful initiative that engages young women to pursue careers in technology and science, and is directly aligned with RWU’s commitment to educating a competent and inclusive workforce in Rhode Island and beyond,” said RWU President Dr. Roy J. Nirschel. “In order to ensure our long-term economic prosperity, we must first educate and inspire our future leaders to succeed. Programs like GRRL Tech are how we can make this happen.”

Amgen, Inc. is a premier sponsor of GRRL Tech. The conference is also sponsored by: Atrion Networking Corporation, EpiVax Inc., Junior Achievement of Rhode Island, Governor’s Workforce Board of Rhode Island and Workforce Partnerships of Greater Rhode Island.

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.

About Tech Collective: Tech Collective is the technology industry association of Rhode Island. Focusing on Community Building and Workforce Development, we are driving technology growth, innovation and prosperity by uniting industry, government and education. Tech Collective builds and strengthens community by creating partnerships, offering thought-provoking forums and organizing state-wide participation in events like Forward Thinking, Bio Ed, GRRL Tech and Technology Laureate’s Night. In promoting and developing a highly-skilled Rhode Island workforce, Tech Collective drives technology-based education and training programs for students in grades K-16 as well as for incumbent and transitioning workers. For more information about Tech Collective initiatives and events, visit www.tech-collective.org

About Amgen: Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses. With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and our vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.

This entry was posted on February 19, 2010, filed under: Academic, Community, Featured, On Campus. | There are 1 Comments. |

Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” is a Pulitzer Prize-winning look into racial prejudice in the American South and a modern U.S. literary classic. As the book marks its 50th anniversary this year, Roger Williams University is hosting a series of events to celebrate the acclaimed novel, culminating with a lecture next week by a leading expert on Harper Lee’s body of literature.

The Tenth Annual Professor John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Lecture will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 24. The keynote lecture by Dr. Alice Hall Petry, “Still Flying After All These Years: The Enduring Presence of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’” will take place at 4 p.m. in the Feinstein College of Arts and Sciences Building, Room 162.

Dr. Hall Petry is a recognized scholar of Lee’s literature and in addition to several other literary-related books, has authored “On Harper Lee: Essays and Reflections” (2007). Dr. Hall Petry chaired the English department at the Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville from 1995 to 2001 and is now a professor emeritus of English at the university.

The Birss Memorial Lecture is being held in conjunction with the Birss Memorial Lecture Library Exhibition, “Harper Lee, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ and Racism in America.” The exhibition is being shown in the Main Library from Feb. 1 to March 15 during regular library hours. The RWU Main Library is open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 2:00 a.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

The Birss Memorial Lecture is free and open to the public as space allows and will be held on the University’s Bristol campus at One Old Ferry Road. For more information on the Birss Memorial Lecture series, contact Dr. James Tackach, professor of English literature and creative writing, at (401) 254-3234. The Birss Memorial Lecture series is sponsored by the Professor John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Library Fund.

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.

This entry was posted on February 19, 2010, filed under: Academic, Community, Featured, On Campus. | There are No Comments. |

As part of its campus-wide response to the crisis in Haiti, Roger Williams University will host an art sale to benefit Haitian relief efforts. Community artists from across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, as well as artists from the RWU campus, have donated approximately 60 works of art that will be displayed and available for purchase during the event.

The art sale will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 24, from 4 to 8 p.m. All proceeds will benefit Partners in Health, Plan USA and Habitat for Humanity International.

Various mediums will be represented at the show, including: original oil paintings, blown glass, encaustics, etchings, monotypes, Giclee prints and offset prints. Every piece of art at the show will be framed or shrink-wrapped for easy transport.

The majority of pieces for sale are priced at $100 or less. The middle range for several original oil paintings will be between $125 and $250. The featured painting for the event, priced at $500, is “Summer Bunch” by celebrated Rhode Island artist Meredith Wildes Cornell. This floral painting includes tones of red, blue and yellow, the primary colors in the Haitian national flag. Simple, bright flowers are a common motif in Haitian art, and the exuberance of the painting is a reminder of the hope for Haiti’s prosperous future. Ms. Cornell also donated the digital rights to this painting, which are included in its purchase.

The RWU Bridge to Haiti: House, Heal, Hope – Art Gallery Opening and Sale will be held at the Mary Tefft White Cultural Center in the University Library on the Bristol Campus at One Old Ferry Road. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact K.C. Ferrara, director of RWU’s Feinstein Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement, at (401) 254-3765.

Members of the media are also encouraged to attend. For more information, contact University Communications at (401) 254-3805.

This event is sponsored by RWU’s Bridge to Haiti program, the University community’s response to the crisis in Haiti. For more information on RWU’s Bridge to Haiti program, visit: http://sites.rwu.edu/bridgetohaiti.

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.

This entry was posted on February 18, 2010, filed under: Academic, Community, Featured. | There are 1 Comments. |

One of the most critically and commercially successful Latina writers of her time, Julia Alvarez, will visit Roger Williams University to share her keen insights and fresh observations of the Latino experience, past and present, in the United States.

Ms. Alvarez will visit the University as part of its Civil Discourse Distinguished Lecture Series on Thursday, Feb. 25, to discuss themes from her writings, which include cultural assimilation and identity in the lives of Hispanic Americans, particularly women.

“Understanding the cultural and social contributions of Latinos better prepares our nation for the demographic shift that is shaping our future,” said University President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D. “Julia Alvarez is an elegant storyteller whose prolific contribution to Latin American literature has given our nation a deeper appreciation of the Latino experience.”

Julia Alvarez is revered for masterfully crafting novels, poems and essays shaped largely by a childhood spent in the Dominican Republic until her father’s involvement in a political rebellion forced her family to flee to the United States. Celebrated for her rigorous investigations of cultural stereotypes in both countries, Alvarez is perhaps best known for “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents” and “In the Time of Butterflies,” a novel chosen by the National Endowment of the Arts as a national selection for it’s Big Read program.

Ms. Alvarez’s most recent book, “Return to Sender,” was the winner of the 2010 American Library Association’s Pura Belpré Author Award, honoring Latino authors whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children’s books.

The presentation will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the University’s Recreation Center Gymnasium on the Bristol Campus at One Old Ferry Road. Limited tickets to this free event will be made available to the public—to reserve a ticket, call (401) 254-3210.

Members of the media are also encouraged to attend. For more information, contact University Communications at (401) 254-3805.

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.