RIC Alumni Association to Honor Chhay of East Greenwich at Annual Awards Dinner

RIC Alumni Association to Honor Chhay of East Greenwich at Annual Awards Dinner

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 7, 2013) – The Rhode Island College Alumni Association will honor Channavy Chhay ’01 of East Greenwich, R.I. and 21 other alumni and members of the college community at its annual awards dinner.

Chhay, executive director of the Socio-Economic Development Center for Southeast Asians in Providence, R.I., will receive the Alumni Service Award. Her organization provides services to 1,250 clients annually, including youth, family and elderly support; a meal site; health care advocacy; citizenship, ESL and GED classes; volunteer income tax clinics; and the International Language Bank. Chhay lives in East Greenwich, R.I.

 “The alumni association of Rhode Island College is proud of this year’s honorees, who include professors, students and outstanding professionals. Each honoree is unique in his or her personal and professional contributions to Rhode Island and to the state,” said William Fazioli, ’86, president of the Rhode Island College Alumni Association. 

“Our annual awards dinner serves to recognize and thank outstanding members of our community, while also spotlighting some of the many alumni and students who have achieved success as a result of their experiences at Rhode Island College,” Fazioli said.

Other honorees include Anne (Colafrancesco) De Stefano ’66 of Cranston, R.I., winner of the Alumna of the Year award. A board member for the Rhode Island Foundation, she is an active volunteer and philanthropic leader in the community. De Stefano is a founder of the Anne and Bob De Stefano Undergraduate Research Program at Rhode Island College, which provides opportunities for students to work alongside professors on significant projects.

Patricia (Horan) Doyle ’84 of Portsmouth, R.I., a partner and executive vice president with the RDW Group Inc., is receiving a special award for distinguished service to alumni. A recognized leader in the field of public relations and advertising in Rhode Island, Doyle donated her services and expertise to the college in 2012 to help secure passage of the $50 million bond referendum approved by voters in November.

The late Richard J. Walton, a beloved adjunct faculty member and involved member of the Rhode Island advocacy community, who was founder and past president of the Rhode Island College Adjunct Faculty Union, will also be honored with a special award for distinguished service to alumni, in memoriam.

Receiving the Alumni Faculty Award will be Mary M. Sullivan, director of the Rhode Island STEM Center at Rhode Island College, where she also is a professor of mathematics in the mathematics and computer science department and a member of the department of educational studies. Sullivan, who lives in Dedham, Mass., is on the board of directors of the Triangle Coalition for STEM Education and a member of numerous professional associations.

Carol (Benedetti) Peck, clerk secretary at the Rhode Island College School of Nursing, is being awarded the Alumni Staff Award. Peck, who lives in Barrington, R.I., oversees all office duties in the School of Nursing and responds to the needs of faculty, staff, students and parents. She also has helped the School of Nursing raise $150,000 for the Dean’s Development Fund over the past six years.

Michael Montecalvo ’84, who anchors newscasts on WPRI-12 and FOX Providence, will receive the Charles B. Willard Professional Achievement Award. He has earned more than 45 community-service and Associated Press awards, and he has multiple Emmy nominations for his work as a journalist. He also has helped raise millions of dollars for local charities.

This year’s Young Alumni Award will be presented to Dave Cranshaw ’05, senior writer and editor at the University of New Haven in Connecticut.  Cranshaw, who lives in Torrington, Conn., is active with the Rhode Island College Young Alumni Group. He received a Presidential Scholarship while at RIC, and he co-founded the Communications Club on campus. Cranshaw also was active in the American Democracy Project and volunteered on several political campaigns.

Seven people also will be honored with Alumni Honor Roll Awards and seven students will be awarded alumni scholarships. 

The Alumni Honor Roll Award winners are Thomas Barbieri ’91, principal of Cranston High School West; Miriam (White) Bjurman ’90, LICSW, ACSW, an adjunct professor in Rhode Island College’s School of Social Work and a school social worker in North Providence High School; Doris (Arroyo) Blanchard ’97 president and owner of DB Consulting; Deborah (DiCecco) Coppola ’81, ’08 MSN, associate chief nursing officer at Rhode Island Hospital, overseeing inpatient adult services and the operating room; Shawn Cournoyer ’97, the owner of SRS Design Studio in Cranston, R.I.; Regina L. (Ferrucci) McAdam ’95,  ’06 MEd,  has been a music teacher and choral conductor for 17 years at North Smithfield High School, where she has built an award-winning choral program; and Luis San Lucas ’88, ’92 is a lieutenant-district commander with 24 years of experience with the Providence Police Department who also is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserves. 

Alumni Awards 2013 Student Scholarships will be awarded to Rene Breton ’14, Sandra Roy Laverdiere ’13, Andy Montan 14, Zohar Moyal ’14, Ericka Samoorian 14, Nina Silva 14 and Jonathan Suero 14.

The dinner will be held on May 9 in the Donovan Dining Center on the college’s campus. For tickets, contact the Rhode Island College Alumni Association at 401-456-8086 or email alumni@ric.edu.