English professor teams up with literary superstar James Patterson

After an exhaustive audition process, Derek Nikitas was invited to co-author two novellas with literary superstar James Patterson, Diary of a Succubus and You’ve Been Warned – Again. The first is about a supernatural assassin; the other concerns the mysterious presence of a girl’s dead brother. Both titles were published as e-books and are part of Patterson’s “BookShot” series.

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URI professors explore new ways to teach writing

Writing & Rhetoric professors at URI are rethinking how they teach some first-year composition classes to give students an opportunity to write in new ways that incorporate technology, personal experience and public awareness. In this semester’s classes, students are offered a variety of projects, including opportunities to join citizen science projects and write about them for the public; to consider their out-of-school writing practices—such as on social media—inside the classroom; to identify fake news, fact-check those items and then write accurate accounts; and to raise awareness and create change on social justice issues they are passionate about.

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URI collaborates with Ocean Tides on sociology course

A new collaborative program between the University of Rhode Island and the Ocean Tides School at the Christian Brothers Center in Narragansett and Tides Family Services in Providence, two Christian Brothers/LaSallian child welfare ministries, is hoping to show sociology students the vast array of career options in the field of sociology, while also assisting at-risk teens and youth simultaneously.

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URI graduate, writer wins short story contest in prestigious The London Magazine

Theo Greenblatt’s story, “Solitaire,” was rejected 22 times before winning first place recently in a short story contest in “The London Magazine,” so prestigious it’s known as “The New Yorker” of England. The prize—$700 and publication in the magazine—will be bestowed at a celebration in the House of Commons in mid-March.

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Student receives scholarship for students who have lost parents

Just a few weeks ago, Connor Rogers had no idea how he would pay for his final class at the University of Rhode Island. Then goodness swept in by way of a URI alumnus who also understands the pain of losing a parent at a young age. With a scholarship he created recently, Jonathan Herman gave Rogers $3,000—more than enough to reach the finish line and get his degree.

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Student takes aim at body shaming for senior capstone project

“Simply Beautiful” was one of 40 projects presented recently at the Showcase of Undergraduate Research, Scholarly and Creative Works on the Kingston campus. Paola Moreno, who is majoring in psychology and Gender and Women’s Studies, wrote a paper and created a poster. “I decided on this topic because I really want people talking about body positivity and the horrific effect of body shaming on women who are not thin,” she says. “I want to be a role model.”

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Anthropology professor to speak on panel at Princeton about PR/hurricane María

Extreme weather events attributed to climate change are devastating societies whose vulnerability is the product of a harsh social calculus — the poor are left to bear the climatic brunt of the wealthy’s overconsumption of energy and resources. This panel will explore how the recent destruction in Houston, Florida and Puerto Rico partly stemmed from social and economic disparities — and how those inequalities may affect recovery and reconstruction.

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URI welcomes accomplished, collaborative leader for the College of Arts and Sciences

The University of Rhode Island has appointed Dr. Jeannette E. Riley of Providence, to be the dean of its largest academic college, the College of Arts and Sciences. “She is a talented and experienced academic leader and I am confident that her unique strengths and collaborative style will generate a new energy and vitality for the future of the College of Arts and Sciences,” said Provost DeHayes.

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