Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee delivers remarks Friday morning, Nov. 15, 2024, at the University of Rhode Island University of Rhode Island Higgins Welcome Center during a ceremony celebrating a $65 million gift by the Schilling Family to fund scholarships for students majoring in STEM fields. (Gov. DanMcKee X account)
The University of Rhode Island (URI) will establish a new scholarship program for students pursuing undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math thanks to the largest donation in the school’s 132-year history, university officials announced Friday.
The $65 million donation came from the estate of the late Helen Izzi Schilling, who graduated from URI in 1954, and her husband Frank Schilling. Their names now head the new endowed scholarship that will provide high-achieving STEM undergraduates up to $20,000 per year.
Students applying to URI for fall 2025 admission will be eligible for the first round of scholarships, according to URI’s announcement.
“This transformational gift shows that alumni believe in our University and in our students,” URI President Marc Parlange said in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful for the Schillings’ support of our mission and our students.”
Tuition for undergraduates who live in Rhode Island is roughly $17,000 per year. Students who come from other New England states pay approximately $28,000, while out-of-state and international students have an annual tuition of a little over $31,000.
Food and housing at URI costs $15,607 per year, according to the university’s website.
URI’s largest donation was unveiled Friday morning at the Higgins Welcome Center, where Gov. Dan McKee also spoke on what his office called a “transformational gift.”
“Your investment in Rhode Island’s future and the future of public higher education should serve as an example to your peers,” McKee said to members of the Schilling family in attendance.
Born in Providence in 1932, Helen Izzi Schilling worked as a registered dietitian in various hospitals for five decades after earning her bachelor’s degree in nutrition. While attending URI, she was president of Kappa Omicron Nu and a member of Phi Kappa Phi, both national honor societies. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority and worked at Butterfield dining hall.
She met her husband Frank, when they both enrolled in graduate programs at Ohio State University. Frank had a career at General Electric, where he became a vice president and headed GE Medical Systems, introducing CT and MRI scanners to doctors and hospitals in the 1970s.
Helen died in May 2020 at the age of 87 in Naples, Florida. Frank died in December 2020 at the age of 89.
Their son, Paul Schilling, called the $65 million gift a fitting legacy for his parents — particularly for his mother.
“My mother’s education in the sciences formed the foundation of a career that was dedicated to helping people, and that started at the University of Rhode Island,” he said in a statement. “She wanted to make a difference for her alma mater, but most importantly for the students going forward.”
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by Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current
November 15, 2024
by Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current
November 15, 2024
The University of Rhode Island (URI) will establish a new scholarship program for students pursuing undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math thanks to the largest donation in the school’s 132-year history, university officials announced Friday.
The $65 million donation came from the estate of the late Helen Izzi Schilling, who graduated from URI in 1954, and her husband Frank Schilling. Their names now head the new endowed scholarship that will provide high-achieving STEM undergraduates up to $20,000 per year.
Students applying to URI for fall 2025 admission will be eligible for the first round of scholarships, according to URI’s announcement.
“This transformational gift shows that alumni believe in our University and in our students,” URI President Marc Parlange said in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful for the Schillings’ support of our mission and our students.”
Tuition for undergraduates who live in Rhode Island is roughly $17,000 per year. Students who come from other New England states pay approximately $28,000, while out-of-state and international students have an annual tuition of a little over $31,000.
Food and housing at URI costs $15,607 per year, according to the university’s website.
URI’s largest donation was unveiled Friday morning at the Higgins Welcome Center, where Gov. Dan McKee also spoke on what his office called a “transformational gift.”
“Your investment in Rhode Island’s future and the future of public higher education should serve as an example to your peers,” McKee said to members of the Schilling family in attendance.
Born in Providence in 1932, Helen Izzi Schilling worked as a registered dietitian in various hospitals for five decades after earning her bachelor’s degree in nutrition. While attending URI, she was president of Kappa Omicron Nu and a member of Phi Kappa Phi, both national honor societies. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority and worked at Butterfield dining hall.
She met her husband Frank, when they both enrolled in graduate programs at Ohio State University. Frank had a career at General Electric, where he became a vice president and headed GE Medical Systems, introducing CT and MRI scanners to doctors and hospitals in the 1970s.
Helen died in May 2020 at the age of 87 in Naples, Florida. Frank died in December 2020 at the age of 89.
Their son, Paul Schilling, called the $65 million gift a fitting legacy for his parents — particularly for his mother.
“My mother’s education in the sciences formed the foundation of a career that was dedicated to helping people, and that started at the University of Rhode Island,” he said in a statement. “She wanted to make a difference for her alma mater, but most importantly for the students going forward.”
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
Rhode Island Current is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Rhode Island Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janine L. Weisman for questions: info@rhodeislandcurrent.com. Follow Rhode Island Current on Facebook and X.
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Christopher Shea covers politics, the criminal justice system and transportation for the Rhode Island Current.
Rhode Island Current is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
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The Rhode Island Current is an independent, nonprofit news outlet focused on state government and the impact of public policy decisions in the Ocean State. Readers can expect relentless reporting with the context needed to understand key issues affecting the lives of Rhode Islanders.
We’re part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. (See full republishing guidelines.)
© Rhode Island Current, 2024
