KINGSTON, R.I. -- February 4, 2003 -- Here’s some news hot off the presses. The University of Rhode Island’s Humanities Endowment Campaign just got a financial boost from the Journal Register Co.

The Trenton, N.J. newspaper company, which owns 23 dailies and 232 non-daily publications, has donated $25,000 to the campaign, which was launched this fall by the University. The four-year $500,000 campaign will fund research fellowships to outstanding humanities faculty members and graduate students as well as support public lectures by distinguished humanities scholars.

Michael O’Sullivan, publisher of Southern Rhode Island Newspapers (SRI), was instrumental in getting the donation for URI. The Journal Register Company owns The Call (Woonsocket), The Times (Pawtucket) and SRI Newspapers which include The Narragansett Times, The Standard Times, The East Greenwich Pendulum, The Coventry Courier, The Chariho Times, and The Kent County Daily Times.

"We wanted to help the University of Rhode Island because it’s right in the middle of our market," explained O’Sullivan. "We feel it’s important that local businesses support the University." O’Sullivan pointed out that this is not the first Journal Register Co. gift. Last year, through his efforts, the newspaper company donated $25,000 to the University’s new Ryan Center.

"We understand that the University is refocusing its fundraising from buildings to endowments and we want to support that effort," the publisher added.

"The Southern Rhode Island Newspapers and Journal Register Company are important to URI, " said Robert Beagle, vice president, University Advancement. "We have a history of working together in many ways that affect the campus and the community. There is nothing more important at URI right now than building support for the humanities, so we are delighted that the Journal Register Company and Michael O’Sullivan want to help us with that effort."

"The humanities form the heart of the University," said Winifred Brownell, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences who is helping to spearhead the effort. "We have several internationally renowned and award-winning scholars in the humanities at URI, and the Humanities Endowment will ensure that these talented individuals and their students have the support they need to sustain their exemplary research and prepare the next generation of scholars.

"We deeply appreciate Michael O'Sullivan's leadership and advocacy as well as the strong support conveyed by the Southern Rhode Island Newspapers in this first year of the campaign to build the Humanities Endowment," continued the dean. "This generous gift recognizes our faculty scholars in journalism who have made significant contributions to the humanities, including Linda Levin, Barbara Luebke, John Pantalone, and many others."

"URI’s Journalism Department is very important to us," O’Sullivan said. "It’s serves as a feeder for our newspapers. Many employees of our Rhode Island newspapers are URI journalism alumni."

For more information about the humanities campaign, contact Tom Zorabedian, senior development officer for the College of Arts and Sciences, 401-874-2853.