After a year, President Parlange is inaugurated as the official president of URI. PHOTO CREDIT: uri.edu
Marc Parlange, who is self-proclaimed the University of Rhode Island’s biggest fan, celebrated the first year of his presidency on Thursday in his inauguration ceremony.
At the ceremony, Parlange was officially sworn in as the 12th President of the University of Rhode Island.
The inauguration is normally held within the first month and a half of a president’s term, but due to COVID-19, the event itself was postponed. Parlange began his term as president in Aug. 2021, but did not have his inauguration until Sept. 22, 2022.
The event was held in Edwards Auditorium and included various guest speakers, from Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee to Student Senate President Grace Kiernan. Other speakers included board members Tom Ryan and Margo L. Cook as well as an original poem read by Rachel Ansong.
“Marc is not just a leader, he is a true servant leader, the best kind,” Ryan said.
Over the past year, President Parlange has become a fixture all around the URI campus. He can often be found working out with student-athletes whether in the strength room or running on the bike trail. His schedule for the next week is packed full of group runs with a variety of sports teams.
His support for the athletes has spread to their competitions as well. He spouted out accomplishments from last year’s football game against Brown University in anticipation of the Governor’s Cup, the rivalry game between URI and Brown’s football teams.
“As I say often, it’s the best job in the world to be the URI president,” Parlange said.
Presidents from other universities in Rhode Island were also guests at the ceremony as a testament to Parlange’s commitment to unity with other institutions. President Parlange will be a guest at the RISD Inauguration ceremony for President Crystal Williams in October. Parlange and Bryant President Ross Gittell even created a friendly competition during the football game between the two schools on Sept. 10.
“Well, they’re in the Apple Valley and we’re in South County, of course,” Parlange said. “So oysters versus apples. And you know who won? We won. So I came home two nights later and there was an apple crisp outside the door.”
Despite URI receiving the victory, Parlange still sent Gittell a bunch of oysters.
Since joining the URI community, Parlange and his wife Mary have added a few members to their family. They have a cat named Ruckus in an ode to their school spirit. They also have a flock of chickens that are taken care of in collaboration with Peckham Farm.
The Parlanges have taken part in almost every community on the University campus. He commented on the stressful experience of having to judge Greek Sing, a competition between sororities and fraternities as a part of the annual Greek Week.
“It was great, but I felt so much pressure because it was really tight in the end,” Parlange said.
Parlange was also able to step into the classroom a few times over the past year as a guest lecturer. He even took part in a shark tagging experience, and highly recommended taking an ornithology class.
Parlange’s main priority is and always will be the students and their experience while at the University. Over the next year, he aims to take steps in creating more housing as well as broadening experiential education.
“It’s been a great year and I’m looking forward to the next year,” Parlange said. “We keep the momentum and the snowball growing and it will be fun.”