Excellence Awards

2024 URIFAE Excellence Awards Winners

2024 Excellence Awards (L-R): Rod Mather, Jacqueline F. Webb, Lil Breul O’Rourke, Marc Parlange, Colleen Gouveia Moulton, M.B.A.’98, Mary-Jane Kanaczet, M.A.’13, and James Byrnes. URI photo by Nora Lewis.

The URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement Excellence Awards honor faculty and staff whose hard work and dedication consistently elevate their departments, colleges, and the University. Recipients are nominated by students, faculty, and staff for excelling at their positions and making the University a better place for all.

Each year, an Excellence Awards Committee, composed of faculty and staff and supported by URIFAE, selects a winner in:

  • Administrative Excellence
  • Scholarly Excellence
  • Staff Excellence
  • Teaching Excellence

Awardees are celebrated and honored at a special reception hosted by URIFAE, and receive an honorarium, citation, and a pin.

2024 EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS

Administrative Excellence
Mary-Jane Kanaczet, M.A.’13
Director, Healthcare Workforce Development
College of Pharmacy

Scholarly Excellence
Rod Mather
Professor; Director of History, Archaeology and Anthropology M.A. Program;
Advisor, Underwater Archaeology Minor
College of Arts and Sciences

Staff Excellence
James Byrnes
Tech III, Mechanical, Industrial, and Systems Engineering
College of Engineering

Teaching Excellence
Jacqueline F. Webb
Professor; George and Barbara Young Chair in Biology; Director, URI Marine Biology Program
College of the Environment and Life Sciences

Directory of Past Excellence Award Recipients

  • 1975 – Polly Matzinger, Director of Publications
    1976 – Robert Rainville, Assistant Vice President, Student Affairs
    1977 – Everett T. Harris, Assistant Dean, College of Business
    1978 – Walter Gray, Director of Division of Marine Resources
    1979 – Eleanor Lemaire, Associate Director of Athletics
    1980 – Rod Crafts, Director of Student Life
    1981 – Jane Dow, Manager, General Accounting Office
    1982 – Charles Hooker, Director of Photo, Radio & TV
    1983 – James Griffin, Director of Facilities, Graduate School of Oceanography
    1984 – M. Beverly Swan, Acting Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs
    1985 – Leo F. DiMaio, Director, Special Programs for Talent Development
    1986 – John F. Demitroff, Registrar
    1987 – Harry J. Amaral, Financial Affairs
    1988 – Sheila Black Grubman, Faculty Senate
    1989 – Deofredo M. Dolor, Controller’s Office
    1990 – Joyce Allen, Deans Office, College of Arts & Sciences
    1991 – Kathleen B. Gianquitti, Dining Services
    1992 – William Wright-Swadel, Career Services
    1993 – Jane M. Stich, Dean’s Office, College of Business
    1994 – Joseph A. Sauro, Purchasing Agent, Administrative Services
    1995 – J. Eugene Knott, Director, Counseling Center
    1996 – Pauline B. Wood, Director, Health Services
    1997 – Sarah H. Rockett, Assistant Dean, University College
    1998 – Bette L. Erickson, Specialist, Instructional Development Program Glenn R. Erickson, Director, Instructional Development Program
    1999 – Richard M. Vandeputte, Assistant Dean, College of Engineering
    2000 – Jonathan L. Blaney, Manager, Arts & Sciences
    2001 – Marjorie J. McMahon, Associate Registrar
    2002 – Eileen M. Tierney, Curator, Media Resource Center
    2003 – Mary E. Fetherston, Language Lab
    2004 – John M. Grandin, Director of the Int’l Engineering Program
    2005 – Susan D. G. Warford, Child Development Center
    2006 – Elizabeth C. Connors, Communicative Disorders
    2007 – Kathryn S. Meier, Cancer Prevention Research Center
    2008 – Linda A. Acciardo, Director, Communications & Marketing
    2009 – Ellen M. Reynolds, Health Services
    2010 – Ronald Bernier, Associate Controller
    2011 – Tommaso Pitassi, Associate Controller
    2012 – Joseph G. Fuscaldo, IT
    2013 – Kenneth Sisson, Enrollment Services
    2014 – Sara C. Hickox, GSO
    2015 – Jerome Sidio, Facilities Services
    2016 – Michele Curreri, President’s Office
    2017 – Douglas Michael, Facilities
    2018 – Ian Lester, Manager of Technology Services, Academic Health Collaborative
    2019 – Sigrid Berka, International Engineering Program
    2020 – Cynthia Mace, Associate Controller
    2021 – Deborah L. Mathews, Director, Office of Strategic Initiatives
    2022 – Sunshine Menezes, Executive Director, Metcalf Institute
    2023 – Kathleen Maher, Director, Office of National Fellowships and Academic Opportunities

  • 1977 – Yuzuru Shimizu, Pharmacognosy Arthur G. Rand, Jr., Food Science/Nutrition
    1978 – Rodney D. Driver, Mathematics
    1979 – Maury N. Klein, History
    1980 – Jill C. Bonner, Physics
    1981 – James P. Kennett, Graduate School of Oceanography
    1982 – Shashanka S. Mitra, Electrical Engineering
    1983 – Paul J. Petrie, English
    1984 – Theodore J. Smayda, Graduate School of Oceanography
    1985 – Phyllis R. Brown, Chemistry
    1986 – Lewis M. Alexander, Geography & Marine Affairs
    1987 – Oved Shisha, Mathematics Robert G. Weisbord, History
    1988 – Bernice Lott, Psychology and Women’s Studies
    1989 – Paul S. Cohen, Microbiology
    1990 – Norman L. Zucker, Political Science
    1991 – Richard J. Gelles, Sociology
    1992 – James O. Prochaska, Psychology
    1993 – Haraldur Sigurdsson, Graduate School of Oceanography
    1994 – James F. Findlay, History
    1995 – Arun Shukla, Mechanical Engineering
    1996 – Gerasimos Ladas, Mathematics
    1997 – Jan A. Northby, Physics
    1998 – Margaret M. McGrath, Nursing Donald W. Tufts, Electrical Engineering
    1999 – David M. Gitlitz, Languages
    2000 – Wayne F. Velicer, Research, Cancer Prevention Research Consortium
    2001 – Arthur J. Gold, Natural Resource Science
    2002 – Judith M. Swift, Communications Studies/Theatre
    2003 – Joseph S. Rossi, Psychology
    2004 – Philip G. Clark, Human Development & Family Studies
    2005 – Linda M. Welters, Textiles/Fashion Merchandising
    2006 – Thomas N. Mather, CELS-PL
    2007 – Candace A. Oviatt, Oceanography
    2008 – Mohammad Faghri, Mechanical Engineering
    2009 – Jimmie C. Oxley, Chemistry
    2010 – Steven Kay, Electrical Engineering
    2011 – Stephan Grilli, Professor, Ocean Engineering
    2012 – Lisa Harlow, Psychology
    2013 – Peter August, Natural Resource Sciences
    2014 – Martin J. Bide, Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design
    2015 – Mary Cappello, English Department
    2016 – Brett Lucht, Chemistry Department
    2017 – Ruby Roy Dholakia, College of Business Administration
    2018 – Joëlle Rollo-Koster, Department of History
    2019 – Colleen Redding, Department of Psychology & Cancer Prevention Research Center
    2020 – John King, Graduate School of Oceanography
    2021 – Angela Slitt, Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences
    2022 – Rainer Lohmann, Oceanography
    2023 – Jeffrey Bratberg, College of Pharmacy

  • 1976 – Henry LaFleur, Industrial Engineering
    1977 – Anna Hagarty, Bureau of Government Research
    1978 – Fran Danowski Cohen, Student Relations and Research Frank Furtado, Graduate School of Oceanography
    1979 – Eileen Hughes, Graduate School of Oceanography
    1980 – Ernest Turnbull, Office of Residential Life
    1981 – Edward Blais, Physics
    1982 – Ethel A. Thompson, Speech Communications
    1983 – Nancy Tucker, College of Nursing
    1984 – Barbara Janson, Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs
    1985 – Sharon Woodmansee, Political Science
    1986 – Dolores Chadwick, Zoology
    1987 – Joyce Reusch, Graduate School of Oceanography
    1988 – Walter Castle, Heating Plant Engineer
    1989 – Vernice M. Burnett, Library
    1990 – Reba Whitford, Pharmacy
    1991 – Phyllis D’Abate, University College
    1992 – Joyce R. Deacon, Dean’s Office, College of Nursing
    1993 – Elaine P. Taylor, Cancer Prevention Research Consortium
    1994 – Shirley Barney, Dental Hygiene
    1995 – Veronica Pokladnik, Graduate School of Oceanography
    1996 – J. Peter Morgan, Pharmacy
    1997 – Raymond T. McLaughlin, Chemical Engineering
    1998 – Stephen T. Pellegrino, Physics
    1999 – Valerie Morgan-Addison, Textiles
    2000 – Deborah A. Gardiner, Honors Program
    2001 – Alice C. Bristol, Cooperative Extension Center
    2002 – Kim A. Bissonnette, Athletic Therapist
    2003 – Mary L. Pinch, Labor Research Lab
    2004 – Joanne D. Lawrence, Dean’s Office Arts & Sciences
    2005 – Kathleen A. Craig, Enrollment Services
    2006 – Denise K. Gorenski, Pharmacy
    2007 – Michael P. McDonald, Housing and Residential Life Warehouse
    2008 – Ronda B. Hammond, Office of the Provost
    2009 – Lora F. Choquette, Capital Projects
    2010 – Rebecca Lamb, University College
    2011 – Anthony Frias, GSO
    2012 – Patricia Victoria, Human Resources
    2013 – Darlene Golomb, Facilities Services
    2014 – Nora N. Lewis, URI Photographer
    2015 – Michelle Caraccia, English Department
    2016 – Marsha Mott, School of Education
    2017 – Dr. Roger Ashley, Health Services
    2018 – Cindy Sorlien, Assistant Administrative Officer, Department of Chemistry
    2019 – Franca Cirelli, Office of Sponsored Projects
    2020 – Terri-Lyn Hodson, Institute for Integrated Health and Innovation
    2021 – Linda Forrester, Introductory Biology Labs
    2022 – Melissa Schenck, International Engineering Program
    2023 – Amy Harrington, Physics

  • 1970 – David Camp, Psychology; Robert S. Haas, Electrical Engineering; Robert Weisbord, History
    1971 – Leon Bouvier, Sociology; Alfred G. Killilea, Political Science; Stephen D. Schwarz, Philosophy
    1972 – Winifred A. Caldwell, Speech Communications; Robert DeWolf, Zoology; Warren Smith, English
    1974 – Ward Abusamra, Music; George R. DeLodzia, Management; Elmer A. Palmatier, Botany
    1975 – Philip L. Carpenter, Microbiology; Leo Carroll, Sociology; Robinson J. Hindle, Plant and Soil Science
    1976 – Virgil Norton, Resource Economics; Nancy A. Potter, English; Glenworth A. Ramsay, Economics
    1977 – Marguerite J. Bumpus, Education; Scott MacKenzie, Chemistry; Frank M. White, Mechanical Engineering
    1978 – Dorothy F. Donnelly, English; Murn Nippo, Animal Science; Joel A. Cohen, History
    1979 – Marjorie J. Caldwell, Food Science; David D. Warren, Political Science
    1980 – Agnes G. Doody, Speech Communications
    1981 – Hannelore Crossgrove, Languages
    1982 – Dave Nacci, Civil Engineering
    1983 – Joan Lausier, Pharmacy
    1984 – Walter L. Barker, English
    1985 – Lois A. Cuddy, English
    1986 – Arthur B. Stein, Political Science
    1987 – Gerasimos Ladas, Mathematics
    1988 – Winifred W. Brownell, Speech Communications
    1989 – C.B. Peters, Sociology
    1990 – Lynn Pasquerella, Philosophy
    1991 – Domenic Valentino, Psychology
    1992 – Raymond P. Panzica, Medicinal Chemistry
    1993 – Norman L. Zucker, Political Science
    1994 – Leonard M. Kahn, Physics
    1995 – D. Scott Molloy, Labor Research Center
    1996 – Cheryl A. Foster, Philosophy
    1997 – Richard McIntyre, Economics
    1998 – Marc A. Genest, Political Science
    1999 – Mario Trubiano, Languages
    2000 – Roger A. LeBrun, Plant Science
    2001 – Jerry L. Cohen, Psychology
    2002 – Alain-Philippe Durand, Languages
    2003 – Musa K. Jouaneh, Mechanical Engineering
    2004 – Valerie A. Karno, English
    2005 – Arthur C. Mead, Economics
    2006 – Galen A. Johnson, Philosophy
    2007 – Damon Rarick, Languages
    2008 – Gerry S. Tyler, Political Science
    2009 – Frank C. Golet, CELS-NRS
    2010 – Libby Miles, Writing and Rhetoric
    2011 – Charles (Chet) Hickox, College of Business Administration
    2012 – Stephen M. Barber, English
    2013 – Paula McGlasson, Theatre
    2014 – J. Jennifer Jones, English
    2015 – Cynthia Blanthorne, College of Business Administration
    2016 – Angelo Simeoni, Department of Landscape Architecture
    2017 – Catherine Sama, Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
    2018 – Marc Hutchison, Department of Political Science
    2019 – Brenton DeBoef, Department of Chemistry
    2020 – Kathleen Torrens, Communication Studies
    2021 – Kayon Murray-Johnson, Adult Education
    2022 – Donna Gamache-Griffiths, College of Business
    2023 – Keith Brown ’96, Film/Media