KINGSTON, R.I.—May 15, 2025—In the fall of 2024, the Donald P. and Elaine M. Hayden Foundation established a $750,000 scholarship, and in the spring, they came to URI to meet the students they helped. Representatives from the Hayden Foundation had the opportunity to hear from students about their personal experiences, and University leaders joined the event to share words of gratitude and congratulations.

“We are thrilled to announce that this funding helped 197 URI students this year and that 17 of these students are graduating in May,” said President Marc Parlange. “It is important to note that 71 percent of the scholarship recipients are first-generation college students. We know that a college degree offers people greater economic opportunities, and the student recipients who are here can attest to how this scholarship benefited them.”

The Hayden Student Success Scholarship will be distributed evenly over three years to help students who are Rhode Island residents and are facing financial, family, or health challenges that disrupt their lives and their education. The University agreed to match that commitment.

“My parents and I were talking about how to pay for the spring semester at URI,” said Inaya Arroyo ’26, a human development and family science major who aspires to be a clinical social worker. “This scholarship allowed me to enroll this spring. We were so relieved!”

As a public university, URI maintains a commitment to student access as a top priority. This means both giving a variety of students the opportunity of higher education as well as keeping students enrolled and on track to graduate in the event of unexpected hardship.

“URI has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as the number one public university in New England for how well we prepare students for career and financial success, as well as our overall student satisfaction,” said Dean Libutti, associate vice president for enrollment management and student success. “This scholarship helps ensure that more Rhode Islanders can complete their education at URI.” 

The Hayden Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to providing financial assistance via scholarships and grants to educational and animal welfare organizations.

“We are excited to see the impact that the Hayden Student Success Scholarship has had,” said George Panichas, executive director of the Hayden Foundation. “When we first met with URI administrators and heard about the need, we recognized that this was exactly the type of initiative that the Haydens want to support with their Foundation.”

The Hayden Foundation’s scholarship adds to a long history of foundations and corporations helping students and supporting research at URI. Such contributions can change lives, forge meaningful connections, and drive new discoveries, while also helping outside organizations fulfill their mission.