AICURI

By Vicki-Ann Downing

Ndaba Mandela, grandson of South African civil rights leader Nelson Mandela and founder of the Africa Rising Foundation, urged students at the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation at Providence College to work for the change they wish to see in the world and to not become discouraged.

Despite the message conveyed by the media, we live in a time of abundance, a decade that could be called “Twenty Plenty,” Mandela told students, faculty, staff, and alumni in Peterson Recreation Center.

“I am trying to encourage young people to dream and to dream big,” Mandela said. “If your dreams do not scare you, you are not dreaming big enough. It is important that we encourage our young people to dream and that we give them the necessary tools and resources.”…Read More

EAST GREENWICH, R.I. (WPRI) — Students at New England Tech could be due some congratulations if their latest invention helps save lives.

In the institute’s program for getting an associate’s degree in Electronics, Robotics, and Drone Technology, students have developed a system that uses both an unmanned aerial vehicle and an unmanned “rover” vehicle — sky and ground drones — to make quick work of seeking out a missing person and getting help to them.

Bob Comerford, a professor in the school’s Drone Engineering program, said the project raised the stakes for students.

“They got so excited about the whole thing because they can see how it gives them an end result, as opposed to just a lab [activity] where a light blinked, or something like that, they were actually able to solve a problem,” he explained…Read More

Jacquelyn Lussier ’20 is a Media & Communications Studies major and recently landed an internship with the Rhode Island International Film Festival. Below, she recounts her experience and how it changed the course of her career and life.

Have you ever watched a documentary that changed your life?

As an intern at the Rhode Island International Film Festival, not only did I consume 100+ hours of content as a part of their official selection process, I was impacted enough by my experience to change the career track I was on.

After viewing “Chasing the Present,” directed by Mark Waters, I immediately told my site advisor, Programming Coordinator Shawn Quirk, that we needed to accept this film. I figured if it moved me to change my daily routine as much as it did, influencing me to practice meditation and yoga on a daily basis, it must have the same impact on others…Read More

SMITHFIELD, RI – The Bryant University Board of Trustees has announced that after an extensive national search it has appointed distinguished economist and economic development expert Dr. Ross Gittell, Chancellor of the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) since 2012, as the university’s next president. Earning unanimous support from Bryant Trustees, Gittell will succeed Ronald K. Machtley, who has served as Bryant’s eighth president since 1996.

“We are thrilled to find a leader like Ross Gittell, who embodies the character and future vision for Bryant University,” said William J. Conaty ’67, Chair of the Bryant University Board of Trustees. “Dr. Gittell’s outstanding academic credentials and experience as the CEO of seven community colleges within a complex organizational setting make him a perfect fit to succeed the legendary Ron Machtley as Bryant’s next president.”…Read More