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SMITHFIELD, R.I. — Bryant University’s Confucius Institute is offering to the public two courses in Chinese language - one for youngsters in grades K-12, the other for adults.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (Dec. 4, 2008) – Bryant University faculty and the University’s growing number of science majors got an early gift from Santa – nearly 10,000 square feet of new laboratories stocked with more than half a million dollars worth of analytical equipment.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (Dec. 5, 2008) – Bryant University President Ronald K. Machtley will be the keynote speaker at the opening ceremony of the third annual international conference of Confucius Institutes in Beijing Tuesday, Dec. 9. More than 2,000 international delegates are gathering for the three-day conference, which will examine global education and building relationships with China.

By Richard C. Dujardin
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE — It didn’t take long at all for the word to get out.

Five months after closing its doors for want of a new leader, the soup kitchen at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John has reopened, offering up the same kind of full-course meal that had long made it one of the city’s most popular meal sites among the destitute and the hungry.

The food program closed in May when Tom Veronneau, the executive consultant who was the volunteer director, moved on after 10 years of volunteering, and no one could be found at the time to replace him. But now a new cadre of volunteers and organizers has come forward to reopen the meal site. Veronneau, who said he would remain on board as executive director for another month or so, is helping them get started.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (October 22, 2008) – The Providence Business News has named Bryant University President Ronald K. Machtley the winner of the publication’s Business Excellence Awards in the category of Business Leadership.

President Machtley, who became Bryant’s seventh president in June 1996, was singled out for his leadership in transforming the school from a business college to a university comprising both a College of Business and a College of Arts and Sciences, with about 3,750 undergraduate and graduate students. Among President Machtley’s accomplishments cited by the Providence Business News:

• - The institution’s revenue more than doubled from $49.1 million to $110.1 million;
• - Annual surpluses, which are reinvested in educational programs, facilities, and scholarships, have exceeded $2 million a year since 1999;
• - The University’s endowment has grown from $96.4 million in 1998 to more than $170 million in 2008.

In addition, under President Machtley’s tenure:

• - Bryant is consistently ranked among the nation’s leading universities: U.S. News & World Report ranks Bryant No. 16 in the master’s north category; for the past eight years, the University has been included in The Princeton Review’s “Best 368 Colleges and Universities”; and, for the second year in a row, the Graduate School’s MBA program has been included in “Best 296 Business Schools,” also published by The Princeton Review.
• - The number of students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences has quadrupled from 133 in 1996 to 538.
• - The University has added 144,000 square feet of new facilities.

“The vision for Bryant is not mine alone,” President Machtley said. “I am fortunate to be working with an excellent team of faculty, staff, and administrators. The award really is a reflection of the hard work of so many dedicated and distinguished people at Bryant who collectively are preparing our next generation of leaders through a superb education.”

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (Oct. 7, 2008) - For the second year in a row, Bryant University’s MBA program has been named one of the best in the country, according to the 2009 edition of “Best 296 Business Schools,” released today by The Princeton Review.

“We select schools for this book based on our high regard for their academic programs and offerings, institutional data we collect from the schools, and the candid opinions of students attending them who rate and report on their campus experiences at the schools,” said Robert Franek, vice president of publishing at Princeton Review.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (September 25, 2008) – On Monday, Oct. 6, Bryant University will host a special discussion for the public that will explore the subprime mortgage crisis that has sent 2 million American homeowners into foreclosure, prompted the government takeover of the country’s two biggest mortgage companies, and sparked the collapse of the nation’s fourth-largest investment bank.

The symposium, “Financial Markets in Crisis: What It Means for You,” begins at 7 p.m. in Janikies Auditorium. It will explore what led to the growth and collapse of the subprime lending market; what policy steps have been taken; and next steps to take to create a more stable and resilient financial market. The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Will any of the 920 members of Bryant University’s Class of 2012 gain the notorious “Freshman 15”? Not if they take part in The Balanced Way, launched this month in the University’s recently renovated Salmanson Dining Hall.

The Balanced Way is a new nutrition program that makes it easy for students to get pre-plated balanced meals. Imagine that your plate is divided into quadrants. Half is filled with vegetables or fruit. A quarter features a protein dish, and another quarter is a whole-grain carbohydrate. Each balanced meal totals approximately 600 calories. Bryant students have the option to select a Balanced Way meal or any of the entrée choices from among Salmanson’s “all you care to eat” options.

Bryant is one of 30 campuses across the nation that is rolling out the new nutrition program offered by Sodexho, the national company that manages Bryant’s food services. Sodexho tested the program for two years and found that 50 percent of cafeteria diners regularly selected The Balanced Way meal.

The healthy eating option is the newest addition to Healthy YOU at Bryant U., an integrated approach to wellness launched by Bryant’s Healthy Campus Coalition last fall. The initiative aims to provide a supportive environment for making healthy, well-informed choices regarding such things as exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress management.

Individuals who are committed to adopting a healthier lifestyle can start by taking small steps, like having breakfast every day or selecting The Balanced Way plate for each meal, said Jennifer DiPrete, Bryant University’s health and wellness coordinator and a member of the coalition.

“Exercise and eating right improves your overall health, decreases your level of stress, and keeps you more organized and focused,” says Maria Musarskaya ’09 (Moscow, Russia), another member of the coalition.

EDITORS and REPORTERS: Photo opportunities and interviews are available. For details, please contact Tracie Sweeney at 401-232-6391 or send e-mail to tsweeney@bryant.edu.