10 Under 10 Awards

2026 Recipients

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  Lincoln Dark ’21, M.E.S.M ’22

  College of the Environment and Life Sciences

  

  Lincoln Dark ’21, M.E.S.M ’22

  College of the Environment and Life Sciences

  Lincoln Dark ’21, M.E.S.M ’22 is a geographic information system specialist for the great city of Providence, Rhode Island. He is a two-time graduate of the University of Rhode Island, earning a bachelor’s degree in wildlife and conservation biology in 2021 and his master’s in environmental science and management in 2022. While in school, he enjoyed working as a bird bander at the Kingston Wildlife Research Station, where he assisted with tagging migratory birds as part of a decades-long university research program. Since graduating, he has taken the skills and values he gained from URI into the community, serving two AmeriCorps service terms and dedicating time to volunteering for the Rhode Island Osprey Nest Monitoring Program with The Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Looking forward to the next 10 years, Dark is excited to continue proudly serving the Providence community.

  Favorite URI Memory: Four best friends moving into Eddy Hall sophomore year—finally everyone got a single room!

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  Autumn Guillotte ’18

  College of Arts and Sciences

  

  Autumn Guillotte ’18

  College of Arts and Sciences

  Autumn Guillotte ’18 is a proud champion for the Rhode Island workforce and union organizers, committing her professional and personal time to advancing policy and protecting workers’ rights. She is the political director for the Rhode Island American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), focusing on political and civic engagement and education for Rhode Island’s working people. Guillotte’s primary focus is elections, and her passion lies in building coalitions that empower workers to fight for social and economic justice. A Truman Scholar, she received her bachelor’s degree from URI in 2018 and holds two master’s degrees from University College Dublin, where she brought her passion for social justice to a global stage while working on the 2020 Irish general election. Guillotte is a proud union member and president of the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 25 and of the RI chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women. She continues to fight for big ideas and a future that protects and celebrates every worker.

  Favorite URI Memory: Being selected as the 2017 Truman Scholar representing Rhode Island with a surprise celebration from friends, professors, advisors, and University leadership in the middle of class!

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  Anthony Colonna ’17, M.B.A. ’19

  College of Business

  

  Anthony Colonna ’17, M.B.A. ’19

  College of Business

  Anthony Colonna ’17, M.B.A. ’19 is a proud two-time graduate of the URI College of Business, graduating with his bachelor’s degree in 2017 and returning to URI to earn his M.B.A. in 2019. Going back to URI proved to be a stepping stone that provided incredible connection and opened various opportunities for the future of his career in the medical device manufacturing industry. Now a senior buyer and planner at Abbott Laboratories, Colonna has never forgotten his Rhody roots. Always making time to volunteer as a member of the Supply Chain Advisory Board and as vice president of the URI Supply Chain Young Alumni Group—Colonna continues to show up as an enthusiastic alum who proudly supports new generations of students.

  Favorite URI Memory: Meeting his future wife during senior year!

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  Brian Martin ’22

  Feinstein College of Education

  

  Brian Martin ’22

  Feinstein College of Education

  Brian Martin ’22 is a dedicated educator currently serving as an advisor and teacher at the Met School in Newport, Rhode Island, helping his students prepare for life after high school. Since graduating from URI in 2022, Martin has been working to earn his master’s degree in urban education policy from Brown University. Alongside work in the classroom, he continues to foster his passion for education while working as an intern for Big Picture Learning in New York City, supporting research and program development focused on work-based learning and equity-driven school design. Martin is proud to live and work in Rhode Island while contributing to local and national initiatives that reinforce his dream of making education better for every student in the United States.

  Favorite URI Memory: Giving the commencement speech at graduation! A dream since freshman year.

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  Patrick Dumas ’16

  College of Pharmacy

  

  Patrick Dumas ’16

  College of Pharmacy

  Patrick Dumas ’16 began his career as a research scientist in the pharmaceutical industry conducting early-stage drug discovery and metabolism projects at Pfizer’s research headquarters and later joining Sanofi-Genzyme to analyze animal studies and human clinical trial samples. After working in these labs and conducting undergraduate research at URI, Dumas learned firsthand the long and expensive process it takes to bring a drug from the bench to ultimately benefit patients. Seeking to bridge that gap, he moved to Washington, D.C. to influence health care policy and help patients gain access to innovative and cost-effective treatments. He has since consulted for PhRMA, the drug industry’s major trade organization, and holds multiple positions as a health policy advisor to elected members of Congress.

  Favorite URI Memory: Watching the Rams beat top 25 ranked Nebraska basketball at the Ryan Center during sophomore year. An overtime thriller all the way to the end!

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  Jeannine Blake ’16

  College of Nursing

  

  Jeannine Blake ’16

  College of Nursing

  Jeannine Blake ’16 has built a career that bridges clinical nursing practice, research, and education. After graduating from URI in 2016 she began her professional journey as a registered nurse in critical care and post-anesthesia settings. During this time, bedside experience shaped her interest in patient safety and the challenges nurses face when using complex medical technologies. Blake is currently an assistant professor at the Elaine Marie College of Nursing at UMass Amherst, where she earned her Ph.D. in nursing science, followed by a postdoctoral research fellowship. Today, in her own classroom and in mentorship, Jeannine is dedicated to the future of patient care and prioritizes clinical relevance, critical thinking, and preparing students to navigate complex healthcare environments with confidence.

  Favorite URI Memory: A moment of mentorship during the pinning ceremony: Advanced Medical–surgical Nursing Professor, Dr. Kathy Paquette encouraging Blake to pursue a Ph.D. and return to academia.

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  Ryan Light ’15

  College of Engineering

  

  Ryan Light ’15

  College of Engineering

  Ryan Light ’15 is a proud College of Engineering alum and licensed professional engineer with more than a decade of experience in manufacturing, automation, and controls engineering. As an automotive enthusiast and experienced technician, Light decided to return to school at 28 years old to advance his skills, with his growing family supporting him through every homework assignment and final exam. He is currently the lifecycle/sustaining engineering manager at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, leading the integration of advanced metrology and sensor technologies into aerospace, automotive, and medical manufacturing. As a leader at Hexagon, he has the privilege of working with and mentoring fellow alums from URI’s International Engineering Program, strengthening his connection to the University every day.

  Favorite URI Memory: Driving the Rhody Racing dune buggy across the Quad after a redesign by fellow engineering students—it was a school project after all!

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  Alexandra Winnes ’19, D.P.T. ’21

  College of Health Sciences

  

  Alexandra Winnes ’19, D.P.T. ’21

  College of Health Sciences

  Alexandra Winnes ’19, D.P.T. ’21 earned her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from URI. She is a graduate of the EIM Orthopedic Residency Program and an ABPTS Board-Certified Specialist in Orthopedics. Winnes is currently the clinic director for Pappas OPT and is most interested in treating orthopedic and pediatric conditions. At Pappas OPT she has helped develop a student program that allows undergraduate and graduate students to gain experience in the field of physical therapy and occupational therapy. In her free time, she enjoys anything involving the ocean, spending time with friends and family, and traveling.

  Favorite URI Memory: Living down in Bonnet Shores during the second year of grad school with fellow PT classmates! The time spent together created lifelong friendships and countless memories.

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  Anna Mercer, Ph.D. ’15

  Graduate School of Oceanography

  

  Anna Mercer, Ph.D. ’15

  Graduate School of Oceanography

  Anna Mercer, Ph.D. ’15 earned her Ph.D. in fisheries oceanography from the URI Graduate School of Oceanography. Her career has focused on expanding fishermen’s involvement with scientific data collection and application, and she continues this charge in her position as the chief of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center Cooperative Research Branch and the director of the NEFSC Narragansett Laboratory. As part of her research programs, she has spent hundreds of days on fishing vessels collecting data and learning from the men and women who harvest seafood. Mercer’s work and research have been at the forefront of applying collaboratively collected data to the assessment and management of fisheries resources.

  Favorite URI Memory: A URI wedding day! Anna and her husband (a fellow URI GSO graduate) got married surrounded by friends and family on URI’s Alton Jones campus.

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  Jeffrey Dowtin ’20

  Athletics

  

  Jeffrey Dowtin ’20

  Athletics

  Jeff Dowtin ’20 was a seasoned Rhody athlete on the URI Men’s Basketball team. Throughout his time at URI, Dowtin helped lead the Rams to two NCAA tournament appearances. After entering the NBA draft after graduation, he traveled the country playing for several teams including as a guard for the Philadelphia 76ers. Recently, Dowtin signed a three-year contract to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the EuroLeague.