Hasbro donates $500,000 for URI international programs

04/18/07 - The Pawtucket-based toy company, Hasbro Inc., has donated $500,000 to the University of Rhode Island to support students enrolled in the international engineering and business programs. The donation will help to establish the Hasbro Scholars Fund, which will benefit students by offering merit-based financial support for undergraduates who plan to study or intern in China as part of their academic program.

"Hasbro is particularly pleased to support students who plan to study and intern in China, whose thriving economy is a driving force behind an increasingly global marketplace," said Hasbro President and CEO Alfred Verrecchia in a press release.

Verrecchia graduated from URI in 1967, received his master's degree in 1972 and an honorary doctorate in 2004.

The gift is part of URI's Making a Difference Campaign, whose goal is to raise $100 million in endowments for the university.

"We are very thrilled," International Engineering Program Executive Director John Grandin said. "This is a huge help at a critical time as we develop our programs with China."

IEP is a five-year program in which students complete a dual major to obtain a bachelor's of science in engineering and a bachelor's of arts in a foreign language.

Grandin said in an IEP student's fourth year, students are required to study and intern abroad with a company specific to their discipline.

The IEP Chinese program is about 1 year old and is just beginning to send students overseas, he added.

"We're sending our first two engineering students to China for the coming academic year to study for one semester and to complete an internship with a company," Grandin said. "At the same time, we are developing our Chinese language program and encouraging students to take advantage of this opportunity."

The university currently does not offer a Chinese major, but does offer course work in the language. Students can take Chinese 101 through 104 for credit.

Hasbro's donation will aid students in the College of Business as well. This fall the College of Business will launch a five-year international business program, similar to IEP.

College of Business Dean Mark Higgins said students who pursue a dual major in business and a language would be guaranteed an internship during their senior year in the country of their language study.

"The dual degree will provide them with an opportunity to learn about the culture of the country they're studying," Higgins said. "And when they come back, in the global economy the likelihood that the individual will do a tour increases dramatically because they have the skills do to that for that background."

Higgins said the donation gives students the opportunity to study abroad in something they wouldn't otherwise be able to.

"China is a country with an enormous population moving toward a capitalist form of economy," he said. "We need to open up the markets in China because it's the next frontier . we're very excited and grateful for Hasbro's support."

Grandin said it is important to support international education and is thrilled with the gracious donation.

"In this age of globalization, students in many subject areas can expect to work internationally often in and with international teams," he said. "URI needs to acknowledge this and prepare its students accordingly. By making this donation Hasbro is sending us all a powerful message about the importance of international education."

With the announcement of URI becoming the 21st Confucius Institute in the country earlier this semester, the hope of obtaining a Chinese major is looking positive. Grandin said Wen Xiong is the first full-time professor of Chinese at URI because of the Hasbro gift and the Chinese government's support.

"We are quite lucky and feel great to bring Chinese in the [university]," Xiong said. "Support from Hasbro gives students more of an opportunity to go abroad and gain international support."

She added the Confucius Institute would serve as a platform to support students' efforts to have a deeper understanding of the Chinese language and culture, as well as prepare them for future careers.

"One of the things we had to do was strengthen the Chinese language department," Grandin said. "Support from the Chinese government and enrollments are good, and hopefully will continue to grow.