The following is a partial list of notable University of Rhode Island people. It includes alumni, professors, and others associated with the University of Rhode Island.
Notable alumni
Politics and government
Lincoln Almond (B.Sc. 1959) – governor of Rhode Island 1995–2003 Sandra Cano (M.P.A. 2012) – member of the Rhode Island Senate from the 8th district Peter Courtney (B.A. 1965) – 55th president of the Oregon State Senate (2003–present), member of the Oregon Senate (1991–present) Frank Edelblut (B.Sc. 1983) – commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Education Jorge Elorza (B.Sc. 1998) – 38th mayor of Providence, Rhode Island Charles J. Fogarty (M.P.A. 1980) – lieutenant governor of Rhode Island 1999–2006 J. Joseph Garrahy (1953) – governor of Rhode Island 1977–1985 William B. Gould IV (B.A. 1958) – chairman of the National Labor Relations Board 1994–1998 Candace Owens - attended, did not graduate Edwin R. Pacheco (B.A. 2005) – chairman of Rhode Island Democratic Party 2010–2013 Donna M. Walsh – former Rhode Island state representative Robert Weygand (B.Sc., B.F.A., M.A, M.P.A.) – lieutenant governor of RI 1993–1997, U.S. representative from RI 1997–2001 George Wiley (1953) – civil rights leader and chemist
Arts, broadcast and entertainment Masta Ace (1988) – rapper Stevie Aiello – songwriter and musician Kim Alexis – model Christiane Amanpour (B.A. 1983) – journalist and CNN correspondent Mark Atkinson (B.A.) – actor Andrew Burnap (B.F.A. 2013) – actor Steve Cascione (B.A. 1977) – television news anchor Angelo Cataldi (B.A. 1972) – sports radio personality Amanda Clayton – actress Vladimir Duthiers (B.A. 1991) – journalist Benjamin Fine (B.Sc. 1928) – journalist Mat Franco (2010) – magician Sage Francis (1999) – rapper Peter Frechette (B.F.A.) – actor Matt Gallant (B.A. 1987) – television host John M. Geddes (B.A. 1974) – journalist and managing editor of The New York Times 2003–2013 Leila Goldkuhl – model Jose B. Gonzalez (Ph.D. 1998) – poet Donald M. Grant (1949) – publisher Ann Hood (B.A. 1978) – novelist John King (B.A. 1985) – television journalist Kevin Kelly – magazine editor J. Michael Lennon (M.A. 1969, Ph.D. 1975) – writer and editor Aria Mia Loberti – actress Tony Longo – actor Theo Martins (2009) – singer and rapper Freddie Scott – singer Michael P. Shawver (born 1984/1985) – film editor J. T. Walsh – actor
Sports
Lou Abbruzzi (1941) – former NFL player for the Boston Yanks Pat Abbruzzi (1955) – former CFL player for the Montreal Alouettes Jimmy Baron – played in the NBA Summer League for the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards; and played for Lagun Aro GBC in Spain's ACB League; all-time three-point shooter in the University of Rhode Island and Atlantic 10 history Tavorris Bell (2001) – streetball player featured in the AND1 Mixtape Tour Volume 2 video David Bernsley (born 1969) – American-Israeli basketball player Parfait Bitee – former point guard for URI, also played on the Cameroonian men's national basketball team that won the silver medal at the FIBA Africa Championship 2007 Danleigh Borman (2008) – MLS player for Toronto FC Andy Boss (B.A. 1992) – former professional racing driver in Indy Lights and IMSA Todd Bozeman – head coach, Morgan State University men's basketball Ernie Calverley – former NBA player with the Providence Steamrollers, former URI head coach Geoff Cameron – former MLS player for Houston Dynamo, MLS All-Star in 2009 and 2011, member and starter on the 2014 World Cup US Men's National Soccer Team Derek Cassidy – former Arena Football League player Jim Christian – former head coach of Boston College men's basketball Steve Chubin – former NBA player for the Indiana Pacers Sean Colson – former NBA player for the Atlanta Hawks and the Houston Rockets Tony DeLuca – former NFL player for the Green Bay Packers Shelagh Donohoe – Olympic athlete, current Women's rowing head coach. Mike Dwyer – former NFL player for the Dallas Cowboys Johnny Ezersky – former NBA player for the Providence Steamrollers, Baltimore Bullets, and Boston Celtics Frank Ferrara – former NFL defensive end for New York Giants and Hollywood stunt man Jason Foster – former NFL player Steve Furness – former NFL player for Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions Tom Garrick – former NBA player for the San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Clippers Sasha Gotsmanov – MLS player for the Colorado Rapids Virgil Gray – former Arena Football League player Andy Gresh – sports analyst, Fox Sports, WSKO, ESPN Radio, Patriots Rock Radio Network P. H. Horgan III – PGA Tour golfer Chester Jaworski – basketball player, led the nation in scoring in his senior season, won national player of the year award in his senior season Frank Keaney – former URI men's basketball coach, inventor of URI's team color Keaney Blue, and Basketball Hall of Fame member Cyril Langevine (born 1998) - Guyanese–American basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League Cuttino Mobley – former NBA player for the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, and New York Knicks Rick Moser – former NFL player Xavier Munford (born 1992) – basketball player for Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League Pat Narduzzi – head football coach for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers Lamar Odom (1997–98) – 2-time NBA Champion for the Los Angeles Lakers and recipient of the 6th Man of the Year Award. Drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers Josh Oppenheimer – Israeli-American professional basketball coach, and former professional basketball player Tom Penders – former college basketball coach Stephen Peterson – rower on the 1996 U.S. Olympic team and gold medal winner at the 1990 World Rowing Championships Dana Quigley – PGA Tour golfer Dawan Robinson – former NBA player (point guard) for the Los Angeles Clippers Ron Rothstein – former coach in the NBA for the Miami Heat and the Detroit Pistons, first coach of the Miami Heat Kahiem Seawright – former forward for URI, currently playing professional basketball for Valladolid in Spain's ACB League Bob Shea – former NBA player for the Providence Steamrollers Megan Shoniker – college basketball coach Dave Stenhouse – former Major League Baseball pitcher with the Washington Senators 1962–1964; coach of the Brown University baseball team 1981–1990 Stanley Stutz – former NBA player for the New York Knicks Jared Terrell (born 1995) – basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League Tyson Wheeler – former NBA player for the Toronto Raptors Bob White – former NFL player Andy Williams – former MLS player for Real Salt Lake, formerly for Columbus Crew Jeff Williams – former NFL player Sly Williams – former NBA player for New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and Boston Celtics
Business
Robert Crandall (1960) – former president and chairman of the board, American Airlines Michael D. Fascitelli – former president and current Trustee of Vornado Realty Trust Giovanni Feroce (1991) – former CEO of Alex and Ani John Gomes – luxury real estate broker Tony Horton (1980) – fitness guru and developer of P90X Sean Ludwick – real estate developer convicted of vehicular homicide Nancy McKinstry (1980) – chairman and CEO of Wolters Kluwer Olivier Pastré – French economist and banker Thomas Ryan (1975) – former CEO of CVS Corporation
Science and academia
Daniel G. Aldrich (1939) – founding chancellor of University of California, Irvine Kimberly Arcand (1997) – data visualizer and science communicator Robert Ballard (PhD 1975, Hon. 1986) – oceanographer, discoverer of the RMS Titanic, professor and director of URI's Center for Ocean Exploration, part of URI's Graduate School of Oceanography. Martha Banks (M.A. 1978, PhD 1980) – clinical psychologist James W. Carey (B.Sc.) – media theorist Rosemary Costigan (Ph.D. 2013) – president of Community College of Rhode Island Elizabeth A. Craig – professor and chair of biochemistry at University of Wisconsin–Madison and member of the National Academy of Sciences Leon Stanislaw Jablecki (B.Sc. 1938) – rocket scientist Roxanne Johnson (M.S. 1997) – chemist working at the United States Environmental Protection Agency Deneb Karentz (B.Sc. 1973, PhD 1982) – professor and chair of biological sciences at University of San Francisco Cornelius M. Kerwin (M.A. 1973) – president of American University (2007–2017) Frederick G. Keyes (B.Sc. 1906) – professor and lecturer in Physics and Chemistry at MIT George H. M. Lawrence (B.Sc. MSc, 1952) – botanist, author and professor of Botany; established the Hunt Botanical Library and the journal Huntia E. Paul Larrat (B.Sc. 1982, MBA 1984, M.S. 1988) – pharmacist, epidemiologist, researcher, and dean and professor, URI College of Pharmacy Herbert Lovett (P.h.D) – psychologist Jay Maddock (Ph.D. 1999) – Regents Professor at Texas A&M University Catalina Martinez (B.Sc. 1996, MSc. 1999, M.M.A. 2001, M.B.A. 2014) – regional program manager for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research Janice Merrill-Oldham (M.L.S. 1984) – Malloy-Rabinowitz Preservation Librarian at the Harvard Library (1995–2010) Robert B. Rheault, Jr. (Ph.D. 1996) – marine biologist and aquaculture consultant Stuart Vyse (PhD 1987) – psychologist, teacher, speaker and author who specializes in belief in superstitions and critical thinking
Military
Admiral Jeremy M. "Mike" Boorda (B.A. 1971) – 25th chief of Naval Operations General Charles A. Flynn (B.Sc. 1985) Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn (B.Sc. 1981) – director, Defense Intelligence Agency (former), National Security advisor for President Donald Trump (former) General Leon J. LaPorte, United States Army four-star general Rear Admiral Francis D. "Bill" Moran – third director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Rear Admiral Sigmund R. Petersen – fourth director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps
Faculty
Judith A. Boss, writer James Cooley, mathematician Fritz Eichenberg, illustrator Arthur L. Hardge, administrator Peniel E. Joseph, historian Gaurav Khanna, black hole physicist and supercomputing pioneer Robert Leuci, former detective with the New York City Police Department Margaret Mead, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Anthropology Igor Sikorsky, aviation pioneer Bruce Sundlun, 71st governor of Rhode Island William Wallace Wotherspoon, chief of staff of the United States Army
Presidents
References