This year’s URI Honors Colloquium, The Power of Humor, is coordinated by Associate Professor of Communication Studies Rachel DiCioccio and Pharmacy Professor Brian Quilliam. “Brian and I love humor,’’ says DiCioccio. “We can’t wait to show others how fulfilling humor can be—and how it can change people in a positive way.’’ The Colloquium series runs from Sept. 22–Dec.8.

Fne arts alumna Georgia Dunn is making news with her successful online comic strip Breaking Cat News, which has been picked up by GoComics, the largest online home of comic strips and the owner of the online rights to Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, Garfield, Dilbert, and 250 more properties

The doors to Cuba will open to URI students next spring with a new study abroad program at the Institute of Philosophy in Havana, thanks to two professors from the College of Arts and Sciences.

For the third year in a row, the 2015 Newport Jazz Festival included a performance by the University of Rhode Island’s 17-member Big Band.

Two URI sophomores in the Honors Program gained early contingent admission to the Warren Alpert Medical School through the URI-Brown University Early Identification Program, which targets sophomores from Rhode Island.

At the annual History Awards ceremony, 17 new members were initiated into Phi Alpha Theta, The National History Honor Society, and nine history majors were then presented with excellence awards.

Robert G. Weisbord, professor emeritus of history at the University of Rhode Island, explores racial issues involving the Olympics through the years in his latest book, “Racism and the Olympics.’’

English professor Mary Cappello is the first ever recipient from URI of the highly competitive Berlin Prize from the American Academy in Berlin, Germany.

Thomas Zorabedian, assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, received the Producer’s Circle award from the Rhode Island International Film Festival during a red-carpet gala in Providence.