2024 -- H 8140

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LC005752

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING APRIL 4TH OF 2024, TO BE "COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF RHODE

ISLAND DAY"

     Introduced By: Representatives Noret, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Bennett,
Cruz, Felix, Shallcross Smith, Voas, and Finkelman

     Date Introduced: April 04, 2024

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS The United States' Community Colleges, often called Junior Colleges, are

usually two-year programs that prepare students to either enter the workforce or continue their

education at a four-year college or university; and

     WHEREAS, The Community College Of Rhode Island (CCRI) was founded in 1964 as

the Rhode Island Junior College. Its first class consisted of 325 students who attended the Henry

Barnard School in Providence. In 1965, a section of the old Brown & Sharpe building was used

for classroom space and as the primary facility until 1972; and

     WHEREAS, In 1972, the Knight Campus in Warwick, donated by the Knight Estate,

became CCRI's flagship campus and first permanent building. In the ensuing years, new

campuses were opened in Lincoln, Providence and Newport; and

     WHEREAS, CCRI is the largest public institution of higher education in Rhode Island,

serving more than 40,000 Rhode Islanders each year and having more than 80,000 alumni; and

     WHEREAS, Thanks to the outstanding leadership provided by Interim President, Dr.

Rosemary Costigan, the first alumna to lead the college, CCRI continues to provide Rhode

Islanders with a high-quality college education that leads to strong learning outcomes, successful

degree attainment and robust labor market outcomes; and

     WHEREAS, With a passionate commitment to student success and closing equity gaps,

CCRI was named two-year college of the year by Education Dive magazine in 2019 and earned a

designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution in 2022; and

     WHEREAS, CCRI has become the leading provider of skilled trades training in the State;

including as the primary training partner of General Dynamics Electric Boat and the home to the

only Global Wind Organization Basic Safety Training Center in Rhode Island, training workers to

build the nation’s first large-scale offshore wind farm; and

     WHEREAS, Due to the College’s close partnership with Electric Boat, CCRI has been

designated as the only U.S. Department of Transportation Center of Excellence for Domestic

Maritime Workforce Training and Education in New England; and

     WHEREAS, CCRI is one of only 17 community colleges nationwide to be designated an

Industrial Assessment Center by the U.S. Department of Energy and is a National Security

Agency-designed National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense; and

     WHEREAS, CCRI is the leading provider of full- and part-time dual enrollment

programs. Enrollment in High School Enrichment, Running Start and Accelerate has increased

100% since 2016 and PTECH, has produced more than 30 students who graduated from the

college before their high school graduation; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Rosemary Costigan came to the role of Interim President after serving in

multiple capacities throughout a distinguished career at CCRI, including faculty chair, dean and

Vice President for Academic Affairs; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Costigan, being the first in her family to attend college, serves as a

mentor and an example of what is possible with a CCRI education for all students, especially

first-generation college students; and

     WHEREAS, In her duties as Interim President, Dr. Costigan is advancing CCRI’s key

initiatives and goals on behalf of students, faculty and staff and has forged close relationships

with all CCRI stakeholders to ensure that the college offers the best possible education and

community support to all of its students; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

proclaims April 4th of 2024, to be “Community College of Rhode Island Day” in the State of

Rhode Island; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Dr. Rosemary Costigan, Interim President,

Community College of Rhode Island.

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LC005752

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