KINGSTON, R.I. – Nov. 25, 2025 – The University of Rhode Island 2025 Honors Colloquium series will conclude on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 5:30 p.m. with a panel of education stakeholders who will unpack shifting priorities, policy debates, and systemic challenges. They will also offer insights on guiding schools, communities, and lawmakers forward to improve local education.
The panel will discuss education in Rhode Island at Edwards Hall, 64 Upper College Road, on the Kingston Campus. The upcoming conversation is part of URI’s fall colloquium series, “Education, Behind the Curtains,” which will also be livestreamed.
URI’s final presentation of this year’s colloquium series will welcome:
Elizabeth Bettini, associate professor of special education at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. Her research examines how working conditions influence the special-education teacher workforce. Bettini’s projects focus on developing strategies policymakers and district leaders can use to support and retain special educators. She is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.
Victor Capellán ’92 ’96 ’02, a distinguished education leader and advocate who has served as senior advisor to the Rhode Island Education Commissioner and superintendent of the Central Falls School District. Beyond his work in school systems, Capellán is also a respected community leader and social justice advocate. He is the founder and CEO of the Rhode Island Education Collective.
Michael Hobin serves as director of the Rhode Island Department of Education’s Office of College and Career Readiness, leading efforts to strengthen pathways that support student success in both postsecondary education and the workforce. Hobin previously served as principal of Westerly High School and Coventry High School, where he was recognized as Rhode Island’s High School Principal of the Year in 2013.
Valarie Lawson is a lifelong East Providence resident, educator, and public servant who serves as the Rhode Island Senate president. Elected to represent Senate District 14 in 2019, Lawson has more than three decades of experience as a U.S. history and civics teacher at East Providence High School, where she also served as the East Providence Education Association president. In 2023 she was elected President of the National Education Association Rhode Island. Her unique blend of classroom experience and high-level policy leadership makes her one of the state’s most influential voices on education and workforce development.
Hosted by the University Honors Program, URI’s premier lecture series examined various aspects of public education this fall, including former U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. Recorded lectures by prior colloquium speakers, such as Zack Beauchamp, Daniel Ziblatt, Naomi Oreskes and more, can be found on the Honors Colloquium site.
An education-focused campus art exhibit will remain on display through Dec. 11, showcasing artwork by area educators, including several URI alumni.
Register to get updates for next year’s series here or by emailing urihonors@etal.uri.edu.