This year’s finalists leadership styles are dedicated to serving others first while representing the tenets of the Servant Leadership Model
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 10, 2026 – The final category added to the Rainville Awards was the Robert L. Carothers Servant Leadership Award, presented in 2010 to honor the service and leadership of URI’s 10th president. This award recognizes undergraduate students who support the growth of others and embody the 10 characteristics of a servant leader while encouraging others to serve. Overall, this award recognizes those who lead through the Servant Leadership Model (Greenleaf, 1977) and are committed to making a measurable impact on a specific cause or social issue affecting URI, Rhode Island, and/or the global community.
At the 2025 ceremony, Lauren Peckham ’25 was the recipient of this award. As a student event advisor within the Office of Student Involvement, vice president of P.I.N.K. Women, and speaker of the assembly for the Student Senate, Peckham was heavily involved across campus. She was recognized for her leadership style, which allows new leaders to develop and encourages them to serve others first.
Brigid Locke ’26
Hometown: Wakefield, Mass.
Majors: Sports media & communications and data science
Minor: Business of digital media
Brigid Locke focuses on creating opportunities for others and helping them feel supported. Whether through her roles as vice president of Women in Data Science, social media coordinator for The Good Five Cent Cigar, or founder and president of the Women in Sports club at URI, Locke approaches leadership in a people-first way.
Most recently, Locke has had the opportunity to intern with the Boston Celtics in business intelligence and operations, the first URI student to do so. Given this information, she shares her experiences with others through offering advice, navigating applications, or simply showing that those opportunities are in reach. Her focus on serving others helps her create an inclusive and collaborative environment in all her roles. Through these roles, Locke has grown both personally and professionally by improving her communication and organizational skills.
Locke emphasizes that leadership is less about being “in charge” and more about creating an environment where all feel confident in themselves and their abilities. When founding the women in sports organization, she wanted to create a community where mentorship relationships could form, and people could become more confident in pursuing careers in sports.
A servant leader is exactly the kind of leader Locke strives to be every day. She is passionate about creating spaces where people can feel supported and inspired, and she hopes to apply this to her future career in sports. Locke consistently centers others’ growth in her work while being dedicated to access, equity, and representation.
“I think the most important part [of leadership] is listening and understanding what people actually need, rather than assuming.” – Brigid Locke
Kayla Owens ‘26
Hometown: Seekonk, Mass.
Major: Communication studies
Minors: Education and leadership studies
Kayla Owens focuses on service, community, and helping others grow through her leadership. Owens is the vice president for philanthropy and service on the URI Panhellenic Council and the president of the Best Buddies chapter at URI. Across her work, she prioritizes empathy, collaboration, and long-term impact by ensuring that the communities she serves are stronger than when she joined. She does so by encouraging connections and setting the groups up for continued success.
Within Greek Life, she worked to create meaningful service opportunities and strengthen the Greek Life community’s commitment to giving back. As the president of Best Buddies, she leads the chapter in creating inclusive and meaningful friendships between students and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In both roles, she ensures that everything she does centers on inclusion, kindness, and genuine connections.
Owens works to prioritize relationships and active listening in order to ensure the people around her feel supported and valued. She has learned how to be intentional with her actions and words, as well as the importance of showing up and communicating effectively. She recognized that the way she interacts with students can shape their confidence, sense of belonging, and overall experience. Being aware of this encourages her to lead while serving with others first.
Overall, Owens embodies the Servant Leadership Model by being intentional about putting others first – taking time to check in with members about how they’re doing and what supports they need, rather than solely focusing on their responsibilities. Recognizing the importance of stepping back when needed encourages her to inspire others to want to lead through service. Owens plans to continue serving others by completing her master’s in education at Merrimack College, with the hope of becoming a High School English teacher.
“I don’t believe leadership is about having all the answers, rather showing up and being empathetic in every interaction while working to create a positive environment for people to thrive in.” – Kayla Owens
Meilin Quiroa Reyes ‘26
Hometown: Central Falls, R.I.
Majors: Biological sciences and chinese
Minor: Leadership studies
Meilin Quiroa Reyes is a proud first-generation student who leads with a focus on equity, inclusivity, collaboration, and intentional student-centered solutions. As the current Student Senate president and past Cultural Affairs chairwoman, her work centers around advocating for students, forming cross-campus connections, and creating a space where students can grow and find new opportunities.
Quiroa Reyes strives to foster a diverse community where every student feels heard and valued. To her, leadership is not a one-person job or about knowing it all, but rather about establishing the expectation that all should feel valued and empowered. As Senate president, she drafted legislation encouraging faculty and staff to reduce reliance on third-party websites and instead use free alternatives, with the hope of reducing financial stress and supporting students’ academic success.
Prioritizing listening to others, considering their perspectives, and working together to improve their experience emphasizes Quiroa Reyes’ dedication to serving others. Through her roles, she has developed her facilitation, strategic thinking, and communication skills. These skills have helped prepare her for a career in higher education and student affairs, where student-centered leadership is essential.
Quiroa Reyes embodies the tenets of servant leadership by placing the growth and needs of others above herself. Learning to lead with empathy, considering others’ experiences, being patient with all, and supporting them are ideals she focuses on in her leadership. Overall, she focuses on helping to create a community through teamwork and strength that she can say is better than how she found it.
“I believe that servant leadership is about impact that goes through generations, not because of what you do for yourself, but because of what you do for others.” – Meilin Quiroa Reyes
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Lyla Kiloski, intern for the URI Division of Student Affairs, wrote this news release.