Students were treated to free cupcakes, hayrides and hot chocolate on the quad last Wednesday as the University of Rhode Island celebrated it’s 125th anniversary.
The URI community, along with alumni and friends, gathered to help kick off the beginning of the schools quasquicentennial anniversary. The event, held on the Quadrangle across Davis Hall, began with hayrides around the campus. Speakers, President David Dooley and Student Senate President Cody Anderson, followed at 4 p.m., culminated by the lighting of Davis Hall.
Music could be heard as students, faculty and friends of the University gathered to enjoy the lights around trees ringing the quad, along with those on Davis Hall. Attendees enjoyed campfires, as well as visits from Officer Erica Vieira and Figaro, URI’s bomb sniffing dog, and Officer Mark Chearino and Astro, another well-known police dog.
The school gave away 125 anniversary scarves to the first 125 attendees on the Quad. Students who missed out on scarves were still able to enjoy an ice sculpture in the shape of “URI 125,” a large cake, that unfortunately wasn’t edible but still looked immaculate underneath the lights, and a performance given by the Ramettes.
Over the course of the two hour event, many students stopped by to see what was going on and take part in the celebration. Tim Legg, a junior, said that he is excited about the 125th year of the school, as well as the different events planned to help celebrate URI.
“To think that it all started 125 years ago with someone coming up with the ‘think big we do’ idea,” Legg said. “As an engineer, it’s kind of cool to think about what the future holds for this school.”
“It’s absolutely incredible that URI has been around for 125 years,” said Brianna Montecalvo, student senate vice president. “It’s funny to see how far we’ve grown and to see where students will go in the future. We’re the past now, and not the future, so it’ll be crazy to come back in 25 years for the 150th.”
Anderson said that URI has 125 years of accomplishments to celebrate. He also talked about the impression that URI had on him during his years here.
“The friends I’ve met, the things I’ve done, the things I’ve learned,” he said. “It’s truly had a foundational impact in my life and I’m going to bring it anywhere I go.”
“URI means community and people coming together for something bigger than themselves,” said Montecalvo. “Being a part of a university that has over 14,000 students but still feeling like you matter to other people is such an incredible feeling.”
President Dooley said it comes down to celebrating the “vision that led to the establishment of universities like the University of Rhode Island.” Dooley added that this is a time to be proud of everything alumni and graduates have done after leaving the university.
“It’s all about our students,” Dooley said. “That’s the main reason that we exist. Being with them makes me feel optimistic about the future.”
URI will hold other events in honor of its 125th year, including a celebration weekend in February that will host a Men’s Basketball Game as well as “America’s Got Talent” winner and URI alumnus, Mat Franco. Other events celebrating URI’s 125th anniversary can be found on the URI website.