URI Fine Arts Center Beam Signing Ceremony

The event marks an important milestone in constructing the new Fine Arts Center on the URI Kingston Campus.

The ceremonial beam that will be signed is the last exterior beam of the construction project to be placed this fall. The effort to create a new, state-of-the-art space for student and faculty artists has been supported by the approval of Rhode Island voters and legislators per Question 1* on the ballot in 2021 and was further supported with capital funding from the State of Rhode Island.

September 19th, 2024

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Fine Arts Center, 105 Upper College Rd, Kingston, RI 02881

Parking available in Lot 6, located behind the Fine Arts Center

The ceremony will include several key speakers and student performers to continue building excitement for the future of the fine arts programs at URI. Light refreshments will be provided.

Program

Welcome: Isaiah Agabi ’27, Theater and Civil Engineering Major

Master of Ceremonies: Jeannette Riley, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Remarks:

  • Barbara Wolfe, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
  • Marc Parlange, President
  • Margo Cook, Chair, URI Board of Trustees
  • The Honorable Daniel McKee, Governor, State of Rhode Island
  • The Honorable Joseph Shekarchi, Speaker, Rhode Island House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Susan Sosnowski, Senator, Rhode Island Senate

Performances:

  • Remarks and introduction by David Howard, Professor of Theatre
  • A monologue from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, performed by Isaiah Agabi ’27
  • Remarks and introduction by Luis Víquez, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Orchestral Studies
  • Adagio from Sonata no.1 in G minor, Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Zeynep Balci, M.M. ’25, Violin

Remarks continued:

  • Annu Matthew, Professor, Department of Art and Art History
  • Andrew Bock ’25, Art Major

Closing: Jeannette Riley, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Beam Signing and Refreshments

Special Recognition

  • KMW Architecture – Principal/Director Bruce Wood
  • Project Managers: URI Capital Projects Schane Tallardy, Hill-LiRo Michael Steinbrecher
  • Ahlborg Construction Company: Glenn Ahlborg and Jude Fairbanks and Project Managers: Jon Miles and Tom Converse
  • URI Planning and Design: Director Ryan Carrillo, Associate Director Katherine Kittredge
  • URI Capital Projects: Director Paul DePace, Associate Director Kenny Burke
  • URI and the execution of a Project Labor Agreement with the Rhode Island Building Construction Trades, Michael Sabitoni, and Build Rhode Island, Executive Director Greg Mancini

*Question 1: The Fine Arts Center was on the ballot as bond referendum #1, which would provide $107.3 million for major renovation projects at the state’s three public colleges. A total of $57.3 million was designated to continuing vital upgrades to URI’s Fine Arts Center.