2024
president’s
report
A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT MIAOULIS
Celebrating the momentum of our strategic priorities.
I am pleased to present the inaugural President’s Report, celebrating the momentum of our institutional strategic priorities and achievements during the 2023-24 academic year. As a university, we are at the midpoint of implementing our Strategic Action Plan and beginning to realize the shared vision designed by hundreds of faculty, staff, students, trustees, and boards of advisors to launch the next chapter of Roger Williams University.
This report demonstrates the dynamic, real-world education and opportunity to design powerful combinations of academics, work experience, and experiences that RWU offers our students, preparing them to become the changemakers and leaders the world needs.
It has been a pleasure being president of this great institution. I have always expressed that Roger Williams University has all the right ingredients, and our Strategic Action Plan has helped us build upon our academic excellence, world-class faculty, and caring staff to channel our efforts toward putting our students at the center. With an iterative planning process, continual reflection and assessment, and drive to put plans into action, we are creating an even greater future together in service to our students, our region, and the world.
Sincerely,
President Ioannis N. Miaoulis
Celebrating the Class of 2024 Commencement Video
Our StrategY IN ACTION
Academic Excellence
This past academic year, we have achieved remarkable accomplishments by uniting our schools and fostering collaboration across disciplines. These include prioritizing our programs, creating new interdisciplinary programs and research initiatives, and launching several new academic centers of excellence.
4,068
Undergraduate, Graduate, Law, and Professional students
872
Bachelor’s degrees conferred in 2024
137
Master’s degrees conferred in 2024
161
Law degrees conferred in 2024
64
Associate degrees conferred in 2024
95
UC certifications conferred in 2024
15
Certificates conferred in 2024
“In a world that is constantly changing, a Roger Williams University education has prepared our students with a real-world education.”
—President Ioannis N. Miaoulis
Designing Innovative Academic Programs
RWU launched new interdisciplinary programs from our academic centers of excellence, including a Master of Science in Real Estate and Real Estate Graduate Certificate, as well as an undergraduate Entrepreneurship major and minor.
96%of our graduates find success in employment or graduate school within six months of graduation.
“We are ready for the next big step. We are ready for big hurdles and small hoops – whatever it takes to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves.”
— Samuel Trieber, ’24 Criminal Justice major with Psychology and History minors
Engaged Learning
This past academic year, we provided students with a transformative, experiential, and real-world education centered on research experience, hands-on learning, and community-engaged opportunities.
53%
of 2024 Undergraduates graduated with a double major or minors
#49
Gabelli School of Business ranking for Academic Excellence by Poets & Quants
#22
Ranked most Innovative School by U.S. News & World Report
19,694
Number of hours law students provided pro bono legal services at the School of Law
270
Students attended study abroad programs
850
Students employed on campus
Student Success
As a student-ready institution, we continue to focus on meeting the needs of today’s students and preparing them to become the leaders, creatives, and innovative workforce the world needs.
27.6%
Undergraduate students who are the first in their families to go to college
53
Countries represented in our student communities
51
U.S. states and territories represented in our student communities
$60 Million
in annual financial aid provided to students
20.3%
of students identify as BIPOC
“At Roger Williams, I have had the privilege of being supported by some of the kindest and most determined individuals I have ever learned with.”
— Elizabeth D’Amelio ’24, Dual degree in Juris Doctor and M.A. in Cybersecurity
A Thriving Community
With a commitment to excellence, integrity, equity, collaboration, and belonging for our faculty and staff, we provided opportunities to foster a deeper shared sense of mission and pride.
794
Full & part-time faculty members
830
Full & part-time staff members
202
Employees celebrating 5 years of service or more
14
Faculty achieved tenure with promotion or promotion to professor
11
Faculty received faculty Emeritus status
300
Faculty and staff members participated in RWU Professional Development Workshops
Fostering University Pride
The Human Resources Department organized several ways to unite the university community, from decorating office doors to proudly wearing RWU gear. Popular events included the Door-Decorating Contest, Spirit Week, and the second annual Community Volunteer Day.
Continuing Momentum as an Antiracist Community
As part of a National Endowment for the Humanities award, RWU’s Public Humanities and Arts Collaborative (The Co-Lab) offered a four-part Antiracist Community Engagement Speaker Series for administrators, faculty, and staff, as well as a multi-part Public Humanities & Arts Pedagogy and Practice Workshop Series for faculty, that explored developing curriculum, student research, and community partnerships guided by antiracist practices.
A Community of Lifelong Learners
The Human Resources Department offered 15 professional development opportunities this year, including an RWU Managers Training Series that covered things like how to build strong teams and workplace culture and an RWU In-House Training Series that featured sessions on belonging Excel hacks, how to support BIPOC students and RWU’s namesake.
Giving Back to Our Local Community
Each year, RWU students, faculty, and staff donate personally crafted baskets to the annual Turkey Basket Drive, providing the fixings for Thanksgiving meals and personal care needs to our neighbors through the East Bay Food Pantry. Since 2014, the drive has collected food and gift cards totaling over $33,000.
Sustainable Futures
We believe in responsible stewardship that nurtures the human and environmental well-being of our campuses and our community and organizational partners.
50+
Undergraduate students conducted research with a sustainable focus during the 2024 summer
292
Sustainability-related courses offered
32%
of our waste is diverted from the waste stream
7,530 gallons
of waste cooking oil converted to biodiesel
14.4 Megawatts
The equivalent value of solar-generated electricity RWU is financing through long-term agreements supporting the development of new solar fields in Portsmouth, Middletown, and West Greenwich, Rhode Island.
Sustainability-Focused Academics
In addition to the new Real Estate and Entrepreneurship programs, RWU also launched an interdisciplinary bachelor’s in Sustainability Studies that connects across the sciences, business, engineering, architecture, and the humanities, and a sustainability specialization track in the Construction Management major.
RWU Seeks to Improve Bronze Rating in Sustainability
Following RWU’s STARS Bronze rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, the RWU Sustainability Committee is preparing for the university’s next submission to the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) this fall. Thanks to our first-ever rating received in January 2023, we are identifying numerous areas where we can and have made progress on sustainability initiatives over the last two years since the first audit was completed.
Fostering University Pride
Our STARS rating earned RWU a spot on The Princeton Review’s 2023 Guide to Green Schools for the first time. Schools selected for the Guide all have exceptional programs, policies, and practices related to sustainability and the environment.
“With student success and academic excellence at the center of our mission, RWU is committed to continuously investing in our campus facilities so that our learning resources match the quality of our high-caliber teaching and educational experience.”
—President Ioannis N. Miaoulis
1,922,434 kWhReduction in electricity usage, mitigating our CO2 emissions by 1,655,303 kg, over two years through a Strategic Energy Partnership with Rhode Island Energy.
After Roger Williams: Graduates Soar High
As they celebrated earning their degrees at the 2024 Commencement ceremony, our graduates shared the educational experiences that have prepared them to soar higher and what’s next after graduation.
“At RWU, I had the opportunity to participate in different student competitions as well as faculty-led research. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to have professional experience through the competitions while also meeting a lot of different people going to conferences. It helped me learn so much from the many different sides of construction.”
Alivia DeGrotta ’24
Queens, N.Y.
B.S. in Construction Management, minor in Business
Project Engineer at Schimenti Construction Company in New York City
“Joining the Molecular Longevity Laboratory under Dr. Chris Burtner put me in a good spot to succeed. My mentor, Dr. Hum Nath Bhandari in the Mathematics Department, helped set me up to complete a great project. The one-on-one experience I had with them was a unique opportunity. I had the opportunity to work on a project by myself but still had help whenever I needed it – it was fantastic.”
Colton Pelletier ’24
Bristol, Conn.
B.S. in Biology, B.S. in Applied Mathematics, Biotechnology certificate
Candidate for Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience at Rowan University
“The faculty and staff at RWU Law really care about the students and make sure that we have all the resources that we need. I have been able to meet so many attorneys and judges. It’s been easy to make connections that will have a lasting impact on my career.”
Jonté McKenzie L’24
Paterson, N.J.
Judicial Law Clerk at Rhode Island Superior Court
“I was a member of the Women’s Volleyball team for four years and captain during my senior year. It can be difficult to manage academics and athletics, but my coaches and professors were very understanding of the student-athlete experience. Playing a sport is really fun, and it’s a great way to get out of the classroom and represent your school.”
Rachel Borzone ’24
Syosset, N.Y.
B.S. in Architecture, minor in Sustainability Studies
Candidate for M.Arch
“I had a fantastic experience at RWU. One of the selling points of the MBA program was an opportunity to go abroad to Greece for 10 days where we engaged in a crisis management course with Greek Organizations. The entire MBA program was great, and I knew when applying for jobs that having the MBA next to my name would be a big plus.”
Ari Dinerman ’23, M’24
Ashland, Mass.
B.S. in Marketing and B.S. in Management; MBA
Marketing Coordinator at The Belfort Group in Boston
“My advice to incoming students is to explore and try everything that you can, especially your first year. The most impactful part of my RWU experience was being involved, which allowed me to go to conferences and do research. I also did an internship in the Dominican Republic. All of my experiences shaped the person I am today.”
Viannely Francisco ’24
North Providence, R.I.
B.S. in Engineering, minor in Mathematics
Candidate for Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University
“The real-world learning and research at the heart of an RWU education leads to real-world impact. We are developing the next generations of scientists, engineers and workforce professionals who will become the leaders and changemakers that Rhode Island and the world needs next.”
— RWU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Margaret Everett
Faculty & Staff Champions
Gabelli School of Business Endowed Faculty Professorships
The first recipient of an endowed professorship in the Mario J. Gabelli School of Business Michael Melton was named the Yeaton Professor of Finance, Director, Center for Advanced Financial Education, funded through a matching gift challenge from Trustee Mario J. Gabelli and a matching gift from the family of Timothy B. Yeaton ’80, chair of the RWU Board of Trustees and Gabelli School alumnus, and his wife, Susan Yeaton.
NAACP Recognizes Law School Associate Dean
In December 2023, Lorraine Lalli, Associate Dean of Student Life and Operations at RWU Law, received the NAACP Providence branch’s 2024 Rosa Parks Courageous Leaders Award for her service to the law school and the greater community. Over her 16 years, the RWU Law first-year class grew from 9 percent of students of color to 28 percent of students of color making up the law school’s first-year class.
Professor Awarded Fulbright Scholarship and DEI & Justice Award
Kamille Gentles-Peart, Professor of Communication Studies, was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to continue research on the lives and experiences of Black women in postcolonial Caribbean countries in 2023. This year, she also received the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Award from the American Council on Education Women’s Network Massachusetts, honoring her work as founding Co-Director of the North Star Collective.
Coach Inducted into the Rhode Island Aquatic Hall of Fame
In May, Men’s and Women’s Swimming Head Coach Matt Emmert was inducted into the Rhode Island Aquatic Hall of Fame for his coaching leadership at RWU and across Rhode Island swim academies.
Professor Awarded North Star Collective Faculty Fellowship
Jimoh Fatoki, Assistant Professor of Business Management-Operations/ Analytics, was awarded a North Star Collective Faculty Fellowship in January.
2024 Roger Williams Honorary Hawk Award
Ray Cordeiro received the 2024 Roger Williams Honorary Hawk Award from the Alumni Association for his over 30 years of dedication to the university and impact as a coach, administrator, and ambassador for RWU Athletics.
“The knowledge and support I received in the classroom and athletics laid the groundwork for me to enter the workforce with the resources, mindset, and confidence necessary to pursue my goals.”
— Katie Delehanty ’07, Bachelor of Science in Business Management
Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Customer First Corporation
Incredible Year of Fundraising and Major Gifts
Thanks to our generous donors, alumni, parents, and employees, RWU has had an amazing year of philanthropy that will allow us to keep moving our strategic priorities forward in service to our students.
$10,582,220
Individual, corporate,
and foundation giving for 2023-24
$16,891,259
All philanthropy for 2023-24
4,192
Number of donors
Day of Giving Soars Past Goal
$486,015
Raised on RWU’s Day of Giving
on Oct. 18, 2023
324%
By how much our fundraising
goal was exceeded
2,238
Total gifts made
35%
Increase in giving from
students and alumni
