This year’s finalists aim to improve the places that helped them grow and build their leadership to give back
Founded in 1989 in honor of A. Robert Rainville ’64, the University of Rhode Island’s A. Robert Rainville Student Leadership Awards, hosted by the Office of Student Involvement and the Center for Student Leadership Development, are an annual celebration to honor students who are successful in a variety of leadership roles while remaining in good academic standing.
Kingston, R.I. – April 12, 2026 – The Maureen McDermott Student Leadership Award recognizes a student who positively contributes to the community by empowering and inspiring others through outstanding leadership skills. Recipients may or may not hold formal leadership roles, but they always act as inclusive role models and engage in ethical leadership. In 2025, the award was renamed to honor the former director of the Memorial Union and Student Involvement, who enhanced students’ college experiences in her 43 years of service to the URI community. The renaming acknowledges her life, legacy, and dedication to supporting students.
MacKenzie Fitzgerald ’25 was named the recipient at the 2025 Rainville Awards. A dedicated peer leader in the Kappa Delta sorority as well as the Leadership Institute and North Woods Challenge Course, Fitzgerald based her leadership on the creation of connections. She was also an assistant and peer mentor for classes, as well as being a part of the Student Affairs Student Advisory Committee and URI’s Diversity Dialogues.
Ryan Estus ’26
Hometown: South Kingstown, R.I.
Majors: Political science & public relations
Minors: Communications and leadership studies
Ryan Estus’ leadership can be seen and felt in many ways across URI. He has served as a tour guide and orientation leader for the office of New Student Transitions as well as a peer leader and program coordinator for the Leadership Institute within the Center for Student Leadership Development. Estus also founded URI’s 19th club sport with the club pickleball team and serves as a student representative for URI’s Board of Trustees.
Estus notes the importance of those who have helped him get and maintain these opportunities, which have allowed him to expand his skills, creating a willingness to fail and make mistakes and recognizing the importance of building and sustaining relationships. He quickly realized he is not an expert in student leadership, and that is okay; he stopped expecting perfection from himself and adopted a beginner’s mindset – stepping back to listen more than to speak, trying new ideas even though they may not work, and understanding that failure is not the end but an opportunity to change the approach and try again.
In a majority of his roles, Estus works with students who are just beginning their journeys at URI. When he was in those shoes, the support and mentorship from student leaders helped him build a foundation for success, and he wants to be just that for others, helping them thrive. No matter how the students he works with choose to spend their time, he is proud to be a part of the start of their journeys.
Overall, Estus notes that the opportunities he has been given were not a result of his sole efforts. Rather, it is a collaborative effort with others who have allowed him to make the most of his time at URI. When thinking about why he is so involved, he notes that it is because he focuses on how he can give back to the community that ‘gave him so much’.
“While we are only together for a short time, it is incredibly fulfilling to see [new students] become incredible student-leaders on campus, and know that I played even a small part in their college experience.” – Ryan Estus
Molly Fitzgerald ‘27
Hometown: Cranston, R.I.
Major: Elementary education
Minors: Leadership studies and human development and family sciences
No matter the specific role she is in, when acting as a leader, Molly Fitzgerald focuses on understanding different personalities, optimizing their strengths, and leveraging individual weaknesses to ensure everyone feels respected and confident in their roles. Her leadership roles include being the first-year experience and logistics coordinator for the URI 101 Mentor program, a Leadership Institute program coordinator, and a Zumba instructor for Campus Recreation.
Fitzgerald’s leadership philosophy is focused on inclusivity and positivity, which has allowed her to build meaningful connections. She strives to create positive environments built on empowerment and support, aiming to make a lasting impact on her community. Through her leadership, she has strengthened her personal and professional skills, including effective communication, problem-solving skills, and creativity. These skills will aid her as a future elementary teacher.
Specifically, Fitzgerald has found her voice and adapted to diverse situations to better support her community in innovative and meaningful ways. She credits her mentors and peer leaders for giving her the opportunity to grow and supporting her as she continues on her leadership journey, which she hopes to do for others in the future.
Through her involvement, she has learned to leverage her strengths to better inspire and support others. Learning how to best leverage her strengths enables her to encourage others in various leadership roles. Others note Fitzgerald as a leader who leads with “love and compassion, making sure to appreciate people’s different backgrounds,” emphasizing her impact on others.
“I view student leadership as embodying the qualities of a positive, dependable, and considerate role model.” – Molly Fitzgerald
Nicholas O’Connor ‘26
Hometown: Burlington, Conn.
Majors: Marine biology and aquaculture and fisheries science
Nick O’Connor has put leadership into practice in a variety of ways, including peer leadership and being an accomplished researcher. For the College of the Environment and Life Sciences, he has served as a student ambassador, peer support specialist, mentor, and founding member of the CELS Peer Mentor Program. O’Connor does not hesitate to tackle the difficult tasks and is noted for his desire to serve and support others.
Above all, O’Connor notes that he is an inspiring leader. Inspired by the mentors he had from an early age, especially in research, he works to support his college by any means necessary. He approaches leadership by focusing on shared experiences. He has found that connecting with others is paramount to successful leadership. Putting himself out there has been shown to elicit a deeper sense of trust and empathy, strengthening bonds and aiding in the successful accomplishment of tasks.
O’Connor’s biggest takeaway from his leadership experiences is learning how to pivot in a variety of situations. Approaching challenges from different perspectives has helped him learn to think on his feet and solve problems quickly and efficiently, which is crucial in a dynamic field such as environmental science.
The biggest highlight for O’Connor within the CELS Mentor Program has been seeing his mentees flourish. Watching them grow personally and professionally fills him with pride and reminds him of why he was so passionate about creating this program. His ultimate goals are to guide, inspire, and support others in an environment where collaboration thrives and individual ideas can flourish.
“Hearing about [my mentees] lives, accomplishments, and how they are chasing their dreams inspires me to be the best leader I can be. While there might not be enough of them to take over the world, I know that they’ll certainly change it for the better.” – Nick O’Connor
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Lyla Kiloski, intern for the URI Division of Student Affairs, wrote this news release.