‘The degree is not the finish line.’ Question 1 bond would prepare RIC students for what comes next

I am a Rhode Island College (RIC) alumnus, adjunct professor in the School of Business, and chair of the Rhode Island College Alumni and Foundation Board. I have experienced RIC as a student, an educator, and a leader. And each perspective has reinforced my belief that a college education should do more than prepare students to graduate. It should prepare them to succeed in life. 

That is why I support Question 1 on the Nov. 3 ballot, the higher education bond, which includes $50 million for the modernization of Adams Library by creating a new Student Success and Career Readiness Center at RIC. 

For me, this is about much more than renovating a building. It is about what we make possible for the students who will walk through its doors. 

As a business professor, I want my students to leave the classroom with more than a degree. They need to apply what they have learned, communicate their value to employers, build professional relationships and navigate the transition into their careers. Academic preparation is essential, but graduates are being asked to display much more than comprehension of their subject matter. Secondly, higher education has an obligation to also connect their education to opportunity – prepare them with these skills and connect them to employers and a network.

About 70% of RIC graduates stay right here in Rhode Island to build their lives and careers. That retention rate is a massive asset for our state. It means the talent we cultivate today directly strengthens our local communities tomorrow. But to keep that momentum going, we have to bridge the gap between graduation day and the local workforce. A dedicated Student Success and Career Readiness Center would bring together vital student services like career guidance and resume and interview training, while also giving students access to professional networks and employer connections. Because so many of our students have jobs or families, we should make it as easy as possible for them to access the services they need to pass their courses, graduate on time, be prepared for the workforce and secure internships and jobs. 

Our graduates become the nurses who care for us when we are sick, the social workers who support individuals and families in need, the educators who prepare our children for the future, and the business leaders and entrepreneurs who create jobs and drive our economy. 

I’ve witnessed firsthand how Rhode Island College can change a student’s life. 

I’ll never forget watching one of my students, who was a mother and a student-athlete, work her way through college while her husband lived overseas. College is challenging enough on its own without such family obligations. I’ll never understand how she made it all work. When someone works that hard to accomplish a goal, we have to do our part to support them and give them every chance to succeed.

I’ve seen first-generation students and working parents navigate incredible challenges to earn a college degree. But the degree is not the finish line. The Student Success and Career Readiness Center would give these remarkable high-achievers the resources and support to turn their degree into a career that will benefit their community and the entire Rhode Island economy. 

No building can guarantee success. That takes dedicated faculty and staff, hardworking students, and support from families, employers, alumni, and the broader community. But the right spaces and resources can connect these efforts and give students the support they need and the best possible chance to succeed. 

Question 1 is an investment in the people who will serve our neighbors, support our families, lead our organizations and help shape Rhode Island’s future. Investing in RIC students means investing in the people who will keep our state moving for years to come.