A student interview series opens intimate windows into campus lives.

Inspired by a popular social media series, the Humans of New York, Emma Lamy ’18 and Steven Leone ’18 launched their URI-centric riff on the phenomenon last year.

“Here at URI we have a very large campus, but we can make people feel more connected to each other,” the pair explains. “We also feel that everyone has unique stories, and backgrounds, and things about them that they never get a chance to share, so we’re giving them an opportunity to share that with us.”

The team photographs people they bump into around campus and post a brief interview, in which people simply talk, or answer questions like “What words do you live by?” and “If you were to die today, would you be happy with your life?”

Here’s a sampling from last semester’s posts:

Ian Kanterman ’18

What would force you to not be Ian Kanterman anymore if I took it away?

“When I was younger, I had an experience that impacted the rest of my life. I was 5, and I was diagnosed with lymphoma. Ever since then, my life has been much different. I went to this place, Ronald McDonald’s camp. It’s a sleep-away camp where children and their siblings can go for a week and it’s like a retreat to get away from the hospital, and needles, and medicine. I had that experience for 11–12 years as a camper there. It inspired and motivated me to do things differently and not take things for granted. Without that experience, I think my life would be very different. Yeah, what happened to me was not good. But, the experiences…really taught me about life in general.”

Maura Quigley ’15, M.B.A. ’19

What was your favorite moment, or year, at URI?

“My favorite year was probably junior year. As far as classes, it was my hardest. Just because I was taking business law, and I worked my butt off to get a B. I was so proud of that because I’d get up at 5 in the morning, just to read for that class that day. I’ve also never learned more in a year. I also learned a lot about myself that year. Also,I figured out what I wanted to do, and started looking into grad schools.”

Are you going to grad school?

“I am. I got an assistantship with the College of Business so I’ll be teaching all the URI 101 CSV mentors and I’ll be doing social media for the College of Business and I’ll be expanding that more.”

If you were to give any advice for college students, what would you say?

“Get involved. Find what makes you happy. I’m a tour guide, and that’s the thing that I tell prospective students and families. My mom always told me to ‘bloom where you’re planted.’”

Jaleel Felton ’18

“I’m adopted. When I was 4, I was adopted by my mother now. She’s white. I never really met my birth father. I could walk past him today and I wouldn’t even know it was him. Before I was adopted, I lived in Newark, New Jersey. It’s the ghetto, I guess. I’m thankful for where I am now. I’m a D1 athlete at a great school. I think if my mom didn’t adopt me, I wouldn’t know where I’d be. I could be dead. My family was involved in gang and drug violence. I’m really lucky to be here. I always have a smile on my face; I don’t take life for granted. I always have a positive outlook on life because you don’t know where you could end up.”

Returning this fall, look for more posts on the Rams Emma and Steven encounter.