From the President
This past year was one of momentum and incredible growth at the University of Rhode Island, and it is clear that URI is playing a greater role in shaping the future of our state than at perhaps any other time in our history.
Across healthcare, economic development, workforce preparation, research, technology, and the blue economy, the URI community is bringing its expertise to some of Rhode Island’s most pressing challenges and exciting opportunities. The highlights in this report reflect a University with greater reach than ever before. We have an opportunity to use this momentum to build a stronger URI and a stronger Rhode Island—and to show what a great public research university can contribute to the people and communities it serves.
Strategic Priority 1:
Broadening Our Impact
The University of Rhode Island will serve as a national model for the role a flagship public research university can play in driving transformative change for the betterment of its state and the global human condition.
$2 Billion
URI generates $2.0 billion in statewide economic activity annually
$17.39
For every $1 invested by the state, URI returns $17.39 to the state’s economy
17,799
URI supports 17,799 jobs across Rhode Island
1 in 33
1 in every 33 jobs statewide is connected to the University
Findings are from a new economic impact study conducted by Tripp Umbach to assess the University’s total impact in Fiscal Year 2025.
URI’s impact is everywhere. Researchers are advancing a promising new cancer treatment, shedding light on hidden homelessness in America to aid policymakers, and studying how Mars’ gravity could affect the human musculoskeletal system during future missions to the Red Planet. Two new studies will provide the most detailed picture yet of how Block Island’s shoreline and salt marshes have changed over the past century, and a collaborative effort between URI and the Department of Environmental Management will reestablish the W. Alton Jones Campus as a premier natural resource center and environmental education hub.
URI is helping chart Rhode Island’s strategy for artificial intelligence, positioning the state as a national leader in AI while ensuring businesses and communities across the state can benefit from the technology. To help fill Rhode Island’s news gap, URI is bringing media coverage to communities by partnering advanced journalism students with local publications. And in 2026, the state approved an initial $5 million investment to establish a public medical school at URI, building on the institution’s longstanding leadership in advancing health and wellness.
In Action
Strategic Priority 2:
Enhancing Student Achievement
By fostering an active and engaged learning environment, the University of Rhode Island will be a community where students are empowered to lead their own academic journey with access to resources and support that places value on inclusion, well-being, and holistic development.
#1
Public university in New England
#9
Ranked among the nation’s public flagship universities
#34
Ranked among all public universities
#76
Ranked among all universities
Rankings rated by The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S.
URI is exceptional. For the second consecutive year, the University of Rhode Island was named the best public university in New England by The Wall Street Journal, which also ranked URI No. 9 among the nation’s public flagship universities. Fifteen URI students received Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships to study around the world, bringing the total to 177 Gilman Scholars since 2001. And 2026 marks the 18th consecutive year that URI students have earned the highly competitive Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship, with more than 50 URI students selected since its inception in 2005.
URI trustees approved a record financial aid package, increasing the University’s financial aid budget to more than $158 million—the largest in URI’s history. The University also received notable philanthropic support from alumni, totaling in the millions of dollars. The new Kent and Diane Fannon Institute for Student Success reflects URI’s commitment to student achievement, career readiness, and holistic support. And a Blue Fellows initiative was launched, supported by a $954,000 National Science Foundation grant to recruit and support doctoral fellows while strengthening the state’s future ocean workforce.
Rhody pride continued to build this year as teams achieved historic milestones both on the field and in the classroom, including the football program’s first outright Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) championship and women’s basketball winning a program-record 28 games, capturing its second Atlantic 10 regular-season conference title and first A-10 conference tournament title.
In Action
Strategic Priority 3:
Fostering an Inclusive Culture
The University of Rhode Island will be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community—a vibrant, integrated university that celebrates the uniqueness of its members and fosters a culture of valuing people, excellence, and giving back.
Most University of Rhode Island students, faculty, and staff report a strong sense of community, according to the University’s fall 2025 Snap Climate Survey. URI’s Office of Community, Equity and Diversity received the Organizational Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion Award from the Rhode Island nonprofit Diversity and Inclusion Professionals, recognizing its commitment to advancing equity, belonging, and inclusion.
The University also recognized individuals and programs that have made outstanding contributions to building an inclusive campus culture during its annual Inclusive Excellence Awards ceremony in April. And, URI honored 370 faculty and staff members for their dedication and service during the third annual Employee Milestone Celebration, including five who were recognized for 45 years of service.
Funds raised through the 17th annual Be 5K Walk/Run for Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention benefited the Heather Fund, which supports services and outreach programs focused on the prevention and treatment of depression and suicide within the URI community. URI’s College of Engineering hosted the Northeast Regional Higher Education Neurodiversity Coalition Conference, bringing together educators, researchers, and advocates to explore how colleges and universities can better support neurodivergent students. And, URI was ranked No. 17 nationally—out of 357 higher education institutions—in Military Times’ 2025 Best for Vets: Colleges rankings, placing the University among the nation’s top institutions for serving military veterans and military-connected students.
In Action
Strategic Priority 4:
Powering the University of the Future
The University of Rhode Island will invest in and implement administrative and financial practices that position the University for long-term success and that transform the institution into a high-performing, fiscally sound, and agile university with the physical facilities necessary to achieve its strategic vision.
A new comprehensive campus plan will serve as a strategic roadmap for improving the University’s campuses over the next 20 years. Providing a formal blueprint to enhance facilities and the overall campus experience, the plan spans every aspect of University life across all campuses.
URI is building two new residence halls with apartment-style suites and reconstructing the Graduate Village Apartments complex for graduate students — adding more than 1,100 on-campus beds by the fall of 2028. The new track and field complex is part of a broader $65.8 million Rhode Island Capital Plan investment that also includes upgrades for Meade Stadium, Tootell Aquatic Center, Beck Field, the URI Softball Complex, and the URI Soccer Complex. And, URI celebrated a major milestone in revitalization of the Narragansett Bay Campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Ocean Robotics Laboratory. As part of its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions, URI is implementing a new geothermal system on the Narragansett Bay Campus to heat and cool the new Ocean Frontiers Building.
The University’s new Institute for AI and Computational Research, launched in September, positions URI to advance leadership in artificial intelligence, data science, high-performance computing, and quantum computing. And, URI expanded its emergency communication capabilities with the introduction of Alertus, a mass notification system designed to quickly reach community members and visitors during campus emergencies. Following a historic blizzard, the University received StormReady status from the National Weather Service, highlighting URI’s strong weather emergency preparedness.
