• Roger Williams University is an independent, coeducational liberal arts university accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Located about 30 minutes south of Providence, R.I., the school occupies a scenic 150-acre waterfront campus in the historic seaport of Bristol, Rhode Island. 
  
  
• The University celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006. Read the Roger Williams University history.
  
  
• Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., became the eighth president of Roger Williams University in August 2001. President Nirschel ushered in a period of enormous growth and transformation for the University:
  - Undergraduate applications have increased from 4,575 to 6,997
  - Mean combined SAT score has increased from 1065 to 1086
  - The University's endowment has doubled; it now stands at more than $100 million
  
  
• The University's motto, “Learning to Bridge the World,” is an expression of its core values: 
  - Love of learning as an intrinsic value
  -  Preparation for careers and future study
  - Collaboration of students and faculty in research
  - Commitment to community service
  - Appreciation of global perspectives
  
  
• Flowing out of its global perspective, Roger Williams has a presence in Vietnam, Iraq, Italy, Turkey, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Middle East.
  
  
• Roger Williams was the first American university to provide full scholarships for Afghan women in response to requests by the nonprofit Initiative to Educate Afghan Women, which was founded by President Nirschel's wife, Paula Nirschel.
  
  
• Roger Williams also is home to Rhode Island's only law school, the Roger Williams School of Law. 
  
  
• The University is named for Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island who is remembered as an advocate of religious freedom and the first proponent of the separation of church and state in the colonies.
  
  
• Roger Williams in accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

The Roger Williams Student Body

• 3,775 full-time undergraduates 
• 230 graduate students
• 568 continuing studies students 
• 2.6% of full-time undergraduate students are international 
• Full-time undergraduate male:female ratio is 50:50 
• 192 full-time faculty members
• Undergraduate student:faculty ratio is 15:1
• Mean class size is 21

The Roger Williams 2006 Incoming Class

• 1,088 new students 
• 3.1 average GPA 
• Incoming class male:female ratio is 50:50
• Students come from 27 states and 16 countries
• 25% of new students live outside of New England 
• 3% of new students are international 
• 38% of students have traveled abroad

Majors and Degree Programs

39 undergraduate majors, six master's degree programs through its:

• Feinstein College of Arts and Sciences 
• School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation 
• Gabelli School of Business
• School of Education 
• School of Engineering, Computing and Construction Management 
• School of Justice Studies 
• School of Continuing Studies

Costs, 2006-2007

• Tuition: $23,040
• School of Architecture Tuition: $26,400

Fees, 2006-2007

• Commuter: $1,140
• Resident: $1,510
• Room: $5,542
• Board: $4,880

Affordability

• 83 percent of undergraduate students receive financial aid
• Median financial aid package is $18,000
• Average debt of graduation class is $33,700

Athletics

• Eighteen NCAA Division III athletics teams
• Teams are called the Hawks, and Swoop is the University's mascot
• The Department of Athletics also offers a wide variety of club, intramural and recreational programs

Student Life

• 79 percent of students live on campus
• More than 90 clubs and organizations supported by the Office of Student Programs and Leadership