Tonight, we celebrate the best and brightest among us, who prioritize inclusivity and equity in everything they do. Each of our awardees has made an indelible impact on the University and our community and we are so lucky that each of them chose URI.URI President Marc Parlange
Dr. Jacqui Springer was awarded the Staff/Administrative Excellence Award at the University of Rhode Island’s Inclusive Excellence Awards, honoring members of the URI community who were nominated and selected for demonstrating and promoting inclusion in community leadership, academic excellence, and service at the University. The event, held in the Memorial Union Ballroom, was sponsored by URI’s Office of Community, Equity and Diversity and the Office of the President. The program recognized awardees in nine additional categories. The award recipients were selected from dozens of nominations submitted by peers from across the University.
I hope that members of our community will be as inspired as I am by this year’s honorees. Their commitment to making URI a place where everyone feels empowered to work, learn and thrive is something that I hope each of us can learn from and act on in our everyday lives.”Michelle Fontes, assistant vice president for Community, Equity and Diversity
![](https://www.uri.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/news/sites/16/2024/04/Jacqui-Springer.png)
Staff/Administrative Excellence Award: Jacqui Springer
Jacqui Springer joined the University of Rhode Island in 2014 as a coordinator for what was then Disability Support Services. Now an assistant dean of students for Student Support and Advocacy Services, she strives to incorporate inclusion into her teaching and daily practice. A certified Mental Health First Aid instructor since 2007, Springer also teaches for College Unbound, an adult education program in Providence.