KINGSTON, R.I. – April 16, 2025 – This year’s end of semester Quad celebration promises to be a swell time. The mechanical surfboard will make sure of that.

All University of Rhode Island students, faculty and staff are invited to set aside their lunchtime on Wednesday, April 23 for some quality community time on the University Quadrangle, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“As we celebrate the last day of classes, let’s also take a moment to celebrate our community — our students, faculty and staff — for the hard work, resilience and kindness they’ve shown throughout the semester,” says URI President Marc Parlange. “Your support for one another and your commitment to our community have not gone unnoticed.”

When Parlange came to URI in 2021, he began hosting periodic events on the Quad to get to know and spend time with URI students, faculty and staff. This year’s End of Semester Celebration is going to be the biggest one yet, according to the University Events department.

Retro fun

Students will get to go back to their early school years with a variety of “Big College Field Day” activities, sponsored by URI Health Services, from outdoor bowling and four square to the classic parachute and tug of war, all organized by senior Leetal Young, who spearheads URI’s Exercise is Medicine on Campus program. A human development and family science major, Young hopes to give URI students the chance to have some fun together before graduation.

“My hope is that the field day gives attendees a much-needed pause from the stress of finals season or even just life,” she says. “There will be something for everyone and it will be a great chance to end the semester on a high note!”

The Quad will also host a basketball contest, a golf putting station, the Kingston Fire Station ladder truck, the Rhode Island National Guard rock climbing wall, and Humvee & The Buzzbox (free haircuts for students). Tunes will be provided by WRIU Radio, with free hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and popcorn from URI Public Safety, plus cookies, fruit, bagels and chocolate milk.

URI Day of Giving

The event on the Quad lines up with the annual URI Day of Giving, during which the URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement welcomes contributions from students, alumni and members of the community to support financial aid and other top priorities.

URI Day of Giving is a 24-hour event for the Rhody community to come together and support what matters most to them. With gift challenges covering colleges, athletics, clubs and more, making a big impact has never been easier for URI community members.

This year’s Day of Giving hopes to raise $1 million from 2,300 donors.

URIFAE will have a gratitude hub with games and information on additional ways to support URI, now and in the future. Seniors are encouraged to stop by and make their Rhody Senior Challenge gift to receive a philanthropy cord to wear at commencement.

Graduating seniors can also bring their cap and gown to have photos taken with Rhody, who will be wearing his regalia, and decorate their graduation caps with supplies provided by the Student Involvement team.

Parlange says he is hoping URI students have some well-deserved fun at the end of this spring semester. “They’ve earned it,” he says.

(The rain date for the celebration is Thursday, April 24.)