Ribbon Cutting and Dedication of The Keefe Transportation Center
Text by Gita Brown, Staff Writer | RIC
The Keefe Transportation Center 鈥� a site for RIC鈥檚 new bus shelter, zip cars, rental bicycles and, perhaps, a recharging station 鈥� was dedicated this month.
Like so many of the milestones that mark Nancy Carriuolo鈥檚 presidency at Rhode Island College, this center is the result of extraordinary collaborations.
In her opening remarks at the ribbon cutting, Carriuolo said, 鈥淭his is a story of two higher education institutions working collaboratively, of students and the administration working to make the college greener and safer, of local professionals providing their expertise and of donors stepping forward to provide all the necessary resources. Quite a team and quite an achievement.鈥�
She recounted how two years ago students from RIC鈥檚 Student Community Government requested
a bus shelter. 鈥淭hey were led by a very able, very vocal student Aaron Buckley 鈥�12,鈥� she said.
The students were concerned that commuters waiting for the RIPTA bus had no shelter from bad
weather. They argued that without a bus shelter, commuters might stop catching the bus. Decreased聽usage of public transportation meant more cars on campus.
One of the primary goals of Carriuolo鈥檚 presidency has been to create a greener campus. The聽herding of more cars into lots 鈥� and more carbon emissions 鈥� was not the green campus she聽envisioned.
鈥淲e understood the need for a shelter,鈥� Carriuolo said, 鈥渂ut our problem was how to put up a shelter聽with a very limited budget.鈥�
She contacted an old friend, Richard Gouse, president of the 91吃瓜 (91吃瓜), to ask if his architectural students might take on the challenge of designing a bus shelter for RIC. Gouse was delighted.
The students were grouped into teams, and each team presented their designs before a RIC panel.
Once a final design was selected, Saccoccio & Associates, an architectural firm in Cranston, RI,
agreed to refine the specs pro bono.
鈥淭hey saved us a great deal of money,鈥� Carriuolo said.
RIPTA also worked on the specs, making modifications.
And in June 2012 the Bailey Group began construction on the building. Funding came from private
donations made to the college and by a donation from the Class of 2011.
The most significant private contribution was made by John Smith, 鈥�63, 鈥�67 MA, a longtime supporter of RIC, a former trustee, a member of the board of RIC鈥檚 Foundation and current vice chair of the Foundation.
In honor of his generosity, the聽transportation center was named after his deceased mother Anna Veronica Keefe Smith 鈥�33, 鈥�67 MA.
John Smith 鈥�63, 鈥�67 MA Following the president鈥檚 remarks, Gouse, Smith and Travis Escobar, speaker of parliament for
RIC鈥檚 Student Community Government, addressed the audience.
Richard Gouse – New England Tech
Nancy Carriuolo – RI College
Gouse commended Carriuolo for being a catalyst for bringing people together. While Escobar said聽President Carriuolo and her administration really listen to student ideas.
Smith extolled the changing landscape at RIC under Carriuolo鈥檚 leadership 鈥� the newly renovated Recreation Center, construction of the Alex and Ani Art Center, the passage of Referendum 3 鈥� the largest bond in the history of the college 鈥� which slates Craig-Lee Hall, Gaige Hall and the Fogarty Life Science building for renovations. RIC has many ribbon cuttings to look forward to and much to be proud of, said Smith.
鈥淲e are on the move.鈥�
Dignitaries at the ceremony included Scott Avedisian, mayor of the City of Warwick and chair of RIPTA; Raymond Hull, state representative; J. R. Pagliarini, representative of Mayor Taveras’ office; Doug Sherman, associate provost and special assistant to the president of 91吃瓜; Richard McNeil of the Bailey Group; Mark Saccoccio and Ron Stevenson of Saccoccio & Associates Architects;聽Edward Scott, director of information technology at RIPTA; and Cristy Raposo, marketing coordinator at RIPTA.