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Professor to be inducted into RI Heritage Hall of Fame
Greg Gentile
Issue date: 4/22/09 Section: News
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For 11 years prior to teaching labor studies at the University of Rhode Island Molloy worked for the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority.
Out of 40 nominees this year a total of nine Rhode Islanders are to be inducted into the hall of fame. The hall of fame was founded in March of 1965 to honor Rhode Islanders who have added to Rhode Island's heritage and history.
Molloy's father was a police officer and his mother a teacher in Rhode Island. He said he accredits much of his success in life and as a professor to being able to see both sides of the track during his life.
While working at RIPTA, Molloy got involved in union activity and participated in picket lines.
"It makes you tough, sometimes you see the naked power of the other side," Molloy said.
The experience in the workforce, and having to work for everything, Molloy said, gave him more worldly experience and a different approach to teaching.
Molloy worked nights for RIPTA so during the day he would go to the historical society and do research, where he discovered that there was so little information available on labor unions. Experiences during his time with RIPTA are where much of Molloy's passion for labor studies stems from, he said.
After 23 years at URI teaching history and labor studies, having his collection of more than 10,000 documents and artifacts bought by the Smithsonian, having published numerous novels, founding the URI Labor History Society and winning the Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year Award, he still loves his job and everything that comes with it.
"I whistle to work everyday," Molloy said. "And I am excited because I love what I teach."
Professor Emeritus of Labor Relations Studies Charles T. Schmidt, who hired Molloy, said in regards to his future induction, "I can't think of anybody more deserving in the state of Rhode Island."
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