At his inauguration on April 8, President Dooley will don a stunning gold chain with a medallion bearing the URI seal. Oval links on the chain show the names of URI’s 11 presidents, with President Dooley’s name the most recent inscription.

The medallion and chain were given to URI in 1992 in celebration of the University’s Centennial by Robert C. Corio ’73, founder and president of Robert Corio Designs, Inc., a jewelry company in Johnston, R.I.

“Actually, I was asked to design the piece around the time President Carothers took office,” Corio emailed from Singapore, where he was on a business trip. “The goal was to include the names of all the University presidents for the past 100 years.

“After some discussion about all the particulars, I decided that I would donate the piece, reason being that since graduation in 1973, I had been successfully employed by the jewelry trade.

“As far back as I could remember, my grandmother was a contractor for volume producers in the Providence area. When I graduated from URI, I thought I would find a job in the financial world. That was a struggle, so in 1974, I started a business in fine jewelry, a logical progression from making costume jewelry like my grandmother.

“About the piece: It was hand carved in wax, cast in 18 karat yellow gold, and weighs over sixounces. Today its value would be around $15,000. Our company also built the case that houses it.”

“Shortly after I got here in 1991, I was able to meet Bob Corio,” remarked Bob Beagle, vice president for University Advancement and chair of the Inauguration Committee. “We talked about the upcoming Centennial celebration. He said he would like to do something to help make the celebration memorable. We agreed on the medallion, which he crafted into a handsome, impressive piece. I’ve always thought the medallion symbolizes two enduring things about URI—the traditions of the University and the nature of our alumni. Bob Corio is clearly one of those alums whose generosity and career successes are what make URI so great.”

On March 3, while this issue of QUAD ANGLES was at the printer, President Dooley toured Robert Corio Designs.

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