Keeping Close Ties to URI

On the day Susan Forman ’69 M.S. ’71 was dropped off at the URI campus by her parents, she had no idea what to expect. She chose URI sight unseen because it was just far enough away from home to make her feel that independence every teenager craves without being too far away if she got homesick.

Luckily, she found URI to be the perfect fit, so much so that after completing her bachelor’s in psychology, she also went on to get her master’s in school psychology with the University. Forman reflects fondly on drinking coffee with friends in the Memorial Union and attending football games with her sorority sisters.

“In addition to my wonderful friends, I was a DJ on the URI radio station, and I had a weekly radio show that I just loved doing.”

Forman was working as a school psychologist in the Washington D.C. public school system when the Keaney blue thread tying her to URI tugged her in a new direction. Her graduate advisor had recently taken a faculty position at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She decided to pursue her Ph.D. in school psychology there.

After completing her Ph.D., Forman stayed in the Chapel Hill area, working in their school system before she made another career change and moved to academia. From there, she had a long career in higher education, holding several roles at various institutions.

Working in higher education tied her even closer to the University by making her see the student experience in a new light and has driven her to give back to URI.

“URI provided such a positive experience, and I know now, from working at various universities, that the support from alumni is very important.”

Forman is a URI Alumni Engagement Council member and makes it a point to attend alumni events when she can. She knows her support and involvement with the University play a special role in welcoming new students by showing them all URI has to offer.

“My advice to students is to take everything you can and enjoy it,” said Forman. “Be open to all the academic, social, and career opportunities there.”