KINGSTON, R.I. – Aug. 15, 2024 – The University of Rhode Island announced that Cherubina “Ruby” DeChristofaro has pledged $7 million from her and her late husband’s estate to advance research and support students at the University of Rhode Island. In recognition of this significant gift, URI will name its life sciences building the Joseph ’56 and Ruby DeChristofaro Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences.
The gift creates the Joseph ’56 and Ruby DeChristofaro Award for Scholarly Excellence in Neuroscience for undergraduate students, and the Joseph ’56 and Ruby DeChristofaro Distinguished Endowed Faculty Fund in Molecular Life and Neurosciences.
“This is a remarkable gift, for both its vision and its generosity, and we are deeply grateful,” said URI President Marc Parlange. “This will help students and faculty pursue discoveries that will make a difference in people’s lives and build on one of the University’s distinctive strengths.”
The scholarly excellence award will benefit two third-year students in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program. The program incorporates a wide range of disciplines and provides opportunities for undergraduates to be directly involved in brain-related research on campus.
The endowed faculty fund will support faculty at the forefront of molecular life and neuroscience research. More than 30 URI faculty members are focused on understanding the brain’s role in physical and mental health as well as developing technologies for the treatment of various diseases. The DeChristofaros’ gift will provide funds to attract and retain distinguished professors who advance URI’s distinctive contributions in this critical area.
“This is a transformational gift for the College of the Environment and Life Sciences,” said Dean John Kirby. “It is an investment in scientific research and training future generations, which is why we are renaming the Center for Biotechnology and Life Science building. The center is one of URI’s premier scientific research facilities for neuroscience, environmental science, and life and health sciences.”
Joseph DeChristofaro, who passed away in 2019, graduated from URI with a degree in civil and environmental engineering. He served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and spent most of his career in the insurance industry. He retired from Allendale Insurance Company (now FM Global) after 25 years and then began a 20-plus-year career as president of Gallagher International Operations. The DeChristofaros chose to invest in URI to encourage molecular life and neuroscience research as part of their legacy to future generations.
URI’s Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences opened in 2008. The 140,000-square-foot building houses modern teaching laboratories, cutting-edge research laboratories, high-tech facilities for genome characterization and analysis, faculty offices, a 100-seat classroom, and a two-story, 300-seat auditorium.