Spring Break
Carothers receives lifetime achievement award from NEBHE
Andy Blais
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: News
03/28/08 - University of Rhode Island President Robert L. Carothers received a lifetime achievement award from The New England Board for Higher Education just before the Spring Break.
Carothers, the 10th president of URI, received the Eleanor M. McMahon Award for Lifetime Achievement on March 14 in Boston at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel.
"I was surprised, but I was certainly pleased," Carothers said. He said the award is a kind of "going off into the sunset" honor, as it is usually given at the end of a career. Carothers will finish his term as president in June of 2009.
During the summer months, the NEBHE sends more than 3,000 letters to state legislators, governors and school presidents asking for nominations.
Charlotte Stratton, NEBHE director of communications, said that Carothers was nominated for the award, but the NEBHE was unable to release his nominator due to confidentiality issues.
The NEBHE was impressed with Carothers' improvement of URI throughout his tenure as president. NEBHE mentioned his help in linking URI classroom learning to service in the community. For each student at URI, community service is a required part of the URI 101 program. This program helped name URI the "school with a conscience" in the 2005 Princeton Review.
Carothers was also credited for starting the Centennial Scholarship Program, which has given out more than $6 million annually to entering freshmen who rank in the top 25 percent of their class and score a 1200 or higher on the SATs.
The NEHBE also recognized Carothers' accomplishments in gaining alumni and corporate support for the university.
"It's always nice to have your accomplishments recognized," Carothers said. He also added that the accomplishment recognized URI as a whole, saying "It really says what we've done changing the academic quality of URI."
In a press release, NEBHE Interim President and CEO Michael K. Thomas said, "President Carothers is one of New England's most respected higher education leaders. He has overseen the transformation of the University of Rhode Island, expanding the physical infrastructure, re-energizing the curriculum, increasing student and faculty diversity and attracting top students."
The Eleanor M. McMahon Award for Lifetime Achievement is named after a Rhode Island educator and higher education commissioner. Past winners of the award include Sen. Jim Jeffords, (I-VT)) and The Rev. J. Donald Monan of Boston College.
The award is one of the four regional awards that recognize leadership, trusteeship, program achievement, as well as lifetime achievement.
There are also six awards for each of the New England states. Rhode Island's winner was Dorcas Place Adult and Family Learning Center. This program has educated low-income adults in Rhode Island for 27 years.
The NEBHE is a nonprofit organization that is federally authorized to promote education opportunities.
Carothers, the 10th president of URI, received the Eleanor M. McMahon Award for Lifetime Achievement on March 14 in Boston at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel.
"I was surprised, but I was certainly pleased," Carothers said. He said the award is a kind of "going off into the sunset" honor, as it is usually given at the end of a career. Carothers will finish his term as president in June of 2009.
During the summer months, the NEBHE sends more than 3,000 letters to state legislators, governors and school presidents asking for nominations.
Charlotte Stratton, NEBHE director of communications, said that Carothers was nominated for the award, but the NEBHE was unable to release his nominator due to confidentiality issues.
The NEBHE was impressed with Carothers' improvement of URI throughout his tenure as president. NEBHE mentioned his help in linking URI classroom learning to service in the community. For each student at URI, community service is a required part of the URI 101 program. This program helped name URI the "school with a conscience" in the 2005 Princeton Review.
Carothers was also credited for starting the Centennial Scholarship Program, which has given out more than $6 million annually to entering freshmen who rank in the top 25 percent of their class and score a 1200 or higher on the SATs.
The NEHBE also recognized Carothers' accomplishments in gaining alumni and corporate support for the university.
"It's always nice to have your accomplishments recognized," Carothers said. He also added that the accomplishment recognized URI as a whole, saying "It really says what we've done changing the academic quality of URI."
In a press release, NEBHE Interim President and CEO Michael K. Thomas said, "President Carothers is one of New England's most respected higher education leaders. He has overseen the transformation of the University of Rhode Island, expanding the physical infrastructure, re-energizing the curriculum, increasing student and faculty diversity and attracting top students."
The Eleanor M. McMahon Award for Lifetime Achievement is named after a Rhode Island educator and higher education commissioner. Past winners of the award include Sen. Jim Jeffords, (I-VT)) and The Rev. J. Donald Monan of Boston College.
The award is one of the four regional awards that recognize leadership, trusteeship, program achievement, as well as lifetime achievement.
There are also six awards for each of the New England states. Rhode Island's winner was Dorcas Place Adult and Family Learning Center. This program has educated low-income adults in Rhode Island for 27 years.
The NEBHE is a nonprofit organization that is federally authorized to promote education opportunities.
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