The University of Rhode Island community joined together for a photo on the Quadrangle this past Tuesday to celebrate the University’s 125th anniversary.
Students, faculty and alumni lined up together to celebrate URI’s Quasquicentennial by forming “URI 125” with their bodies on the quad. In order to get the picture, a helicopter flew overhead and a cherry picker crane was set up in one of the corners of the quad. A coordinator remained on the ground to prompt attendees when to smile and wave at the camera. The community cheered and applauded, celebrating the moment of history in which they were involved. The event, which was originally scheduled for Oct. 18, was rescheduled to Oct. 25. A similar event was hosted 25 years ago, celebrating the university’s centennial anniversary.
In honor of this event, we asked students what URI means to them.
“URI is home away from home,” Eric Steed, senior Finance major said.
“URI is a community of 16,000 students where anyone can be anything. It’s a tight knit community where everyone comes together to succeed everyday,” Lou Martocchio, senior General Business major said.
“Here at URI, I feel not only at home, but also this community allows me to be successful at everything that I do when I come here on this campus,” McHenry Ternier, junior Supply Chain Management major said.
“URI has always been a place where I have felt welcomed. It’s really a second home for me at this point,” David Cruz, junior Economics major said.
“URI has offered me my chance at tackling the ‘real world’,” Caelan Nardone, senior Gender & Women’s Studies and Writing double major, said. “I’ve had professors that shaped not only how I view my field, but life in general. URI has given me the confidence to carry forward as my own individual person, knowing I come from a community of intelligent and passionate people.”
URI is a special community filled with incredible people and inspirational stories. What does URI mean to you?