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URI Young Alumni Network

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49% of Rhode Islanders say the state isn’t spending enough on healthcare. And 62% say healthcare should be a top priority for elected leaders.

Question 1 will expand healthcare education and clinical training at @universityofri, helping build the pipeline of professionals who care for Rhode Islanders and their families.

#YesOn1RI by @uriyoungalum

Rhode Island’s health care workforce depends on preparing students for careers in critical fields.

The @universityofri, @rhodeislandcollege and @ccri1964 are working to expand opportunities for students and meet the state’s growing workforce needs.

Question 1 is an opportunity to invest in the education and training Rhode Island needs to build a stronger health care workforce.

Read more in The Boston Globe (link in bio & story) by @uriyoungalum

Rhode Island’s workforce starts with opportunity.

Question 1 will help students gain the skills and training they need to pursue in-demand careers.

#yeson1ri by @uriyoungalum

Celebrate Homecoming and enter for a chance to win an exclusive URI alumni prize pack!

This year, Homecoming is more than a weekend. It’s a season of celebrating Rhody, wherever you are.

How to enter:
📸 Upload your photos at the link in bio.
🎟️ 1 entry per person
⏰ 2 weeks only

*No purchase or donation is necessary to enter or win. by @uriyoungalum

🐏Wear your Rhody gear and join fellow URI alum for a discounted day at the Roger Williams Zoo.

Use link in bio to purchase your discounted tickets, last day to buy is June 22!

🦒 Pick up your tickets anytime between 9 and 1 on Saturday at the URI Foundation table outside the entrance to the zoo and once you're in, stay as long as you'd like! by @uriyoungalum

Congratulations to Angel Vega '23 and '26 on her new role as a resident hall director at the University of Connecticut - Stamford. Angel has earned multiple degrees from the College of Education, first a B.A. in Secondary Education and English and then an M.S. in College Student Personnel.

Well equipped with her degrees along with experience at URI as a graduate hall director, Angel is looking forward to making "a meaningful impact on students' lives by supporting their academic, personal, and professional growth," she says, "I'm excited to build strong relationships with students and contribute to a campus environment where everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered to succeed. Representation is especially important to me, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as someone students can identify with while helping foster an inclusive community where diverse perspectives are celebrated and every student feels a sense of belonging."

Angel served as the 2026 commencement speaker for the College of Education, an experience she holds as one of her favorites. "Standing in front of my graduating class and addressing the next generation of educators was an experience I'll always cherish," she says, "It was incredibly meaningful to speak to future educators who will play such an important role in shaping the lives of their students and the communities they'll serve.

"What made the day even more special was the overwhelming support and encouragement I received afterward. So many people—friends, faculty, families, and even individuals I had never met—stopped to congratulate me and share how much my speech resonated with them," Angel remembers, "The energy throughout the day was unforgettable, and I left feeling deeply grateful for the love, kindness, and sense of community that surrounded me. It was the perfect way to celebrate my time in the Feinstein College of Education and begin this next chapter."

Best wishes, Angel, as you step into this new role! Your commitment to student success in all areas will make a huge difference in the lives of those you support. by @uriyoungalum

Meet Ryan Light ’15 - 10 Under 10 recipient from the College of Engineering!

Ryan is licensed professional engineer with more than a decade of experience in manufacturing, automation, and controls engineering. As an automotive enthusiast and experienced technician, he decided to return to school at 28 years old to advance his skills, with his growing family supporting him through every homework assignment and final exam.

He is currently the lifecycle/sustaining engineering manager at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, leading the integration of advanced metrology and sensor technologies into aerospace, automotive, and medical manufacturing. As a leader at Hexagon, he has the privilege of working with and mentoring fellow alums from URI’s International Engineering Program, strengthening his connection to the University every day.

Favorite URI memory? Driving the Rhody Racing dune buggy across the Quad after a redesign by fellow engineering students—it was a school project after all! by @uriyoungalum

Meet Brian Martin ’22 - 10 Under 10 recipient from the Feinstein College of Education!

Brian is a dedicated educator currently serving as an advisor and teacher at the Met School in Newport, RI, helping his students prepare for life after high school. Since graduating from URI in 2022, he has been working to earn his master’s degree in urban education policy from Brown University. Alongside work in the classroom, Brian continues to foster his passion for education while working as an intern for Big Picture Learning, supporting research and program development focused on work-based learning and equity-driven school design.

He is proud to live and work in Rhode Island while contributing to local and national initiatives that reinforce his dream of making education better for every student in the United States.

Favorite URI memory? Giving the commencement speech at graduation! A dream since freshman year. by @uriyoungalum

Meet Anna Mercer, Ph.D. ’15 - 10 Under 10 honoree from the Graduate School of Oceanography!

Anna earned her Ph.D. in fisheries oceanography from the URI Graduate School of Oceanography. Her career has focused on expanding fishermen’s involvement with scientific data collection and application, and she continues this charge in her position as the chief of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center Cooperative Research Branch and the director of the NEFSC Narragansett Laboratory.

As part of her research programs, Anna has spent hundreds of days on fishing vessels collecting data and learning from the men and women who harvest seafood. Mercer’s work and research have been at the forefront of applying collaboratively collected data to the assessment and management of fisheries resources.

Favorite URI memory? A URI wedding day! Anna and her husband (a fellow URI GSO graduate) got married surrounded by friends and family on URI’s Alton Jones campus. by @uriyoungalum

Meet Anthony Colonna ’17, M.B.A. ’19 - 10 Under 10 recipient from the URI College of Business!

He is a proud two-time graduate, earning his bachelor’s degree in 2017 and returning to URI to earn his M.B.A. in 2019. Going back to URI proved to be a stepping stone that provided incredible connection and opened various opportunities for the future of his career in the medical device manufacturing industry. Now a senior buyer and planner at Abbott Laboratories, he has never forgotten his Rhody roots. Always making time to volunteer as a member of the Supply Chain Advisory Board and as vice president of the URI Supply Chain Young Alumni Group—Anthony continues to show up as an enthusiastic alum who proudly supports new generations of students.

Favorite URI memory? Meeting his future wife during senior year! by @uriyoungalum

Meet Lincoln Dark ’21, M.E.S.M ’22 - 10 Under 10 recipient from the College of the Environment and Life Sciences!

Lincoln Dark ’21, M.E.S.M ’22 is a geographic information system specialist for the great city of Providence, Rhode Island. He is a two-time graduate of URI, earning a bachelor’s degree in wildlife and conservation biology in 2021 and his master’s in environmental science and management in 2022. While in school, he enjoyed working as a bird bander at the Kingston Wildlife Research Station, where he assisted with tagging migratory birds as part of a decades-long university research program.

Since graduating, he has taken the skills and values he gained from URI into the community, serving two AmeriCorps service terms and dedicating time to volunteering for the Rhode Island Osprey Nest Monitoring Program with The Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Looking forward to the next 10 years, Lincoln is excited to continue proudly serving the Providence community.

Favorite URI memory? Four best friends moving into Eddy Hall sophomore year—finally everyone got a single room! by @uriyoungalum

Meet Patrick Dumas ’16 - 10 Under 10 recipient from the College of Pharmacy!

He began his career as a research scientist in the pharmaceutical industry conducting early-stage drug discovery and metabolism projects at Pfizer’s research headquarters and later joining Sanofi-Genzyme to analyze animal studies and human clinical trial samples.

Patrick learned firsthand the long and expensive process it takes to bring a drug from the bench to ultimately benefit patients. Seeking to bridge that gap, he moved to Washington, D.C. to influence health care policy and help patients gain access to innovative and cost-effective treatments. He has since consulted for PhRMA, the drug industry’s major trade organization, and holds multiple positions as a health policy advisor to elected members of Congress.

Favorite URI memory? Watching the Rams beat top 25 ranked Nebraska basketball at the Ryan Center during sophomore year. An overtime thriller all the way to the end! by @uriyoungalum