Undergraduate Stories

The RWU student experience is packed with hands-on projects, real-world opportunities, unique program offerings, personalized interactions with faculty, and much more. All of it meant to help students discover their passions while preparing for a successful career and a fulfilling life. Our students are independent thinkers, scholars, leaders, scientists, architects, artists, researchers, world travelers, athletes, and more.

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  • Kristen Fissell

    Visual Arts Department Alumni Spotlight

    Kristen Fissell, RWU Class of 2022

    Visual Arts

    Kristen completed many installations and exhibitions during her year with the Visual Arts program, most of her work being displayed at the then Roger That! Gallery. She notes that her favorite class taken during her time with the Visual Arts program was Marking Spaces with Professor Elizabeth Duffy. In this advanced sculpture class, Kristen said she learned how to take up space in a bigger and more impactful way.

  • John Scott standing in front of the Roger Williams University sign after delivering a talk to Criminal Justice students at RWU.

    Impacting the Community Every Step of the Way 

    John Scott, RWU Class of 2001

    Criminal Justice

    With the help of University College’s flexible scheduling, John Scott ’01 was able to climb the ranks at the Rhode Island Training School (RITS) in Cranston, R.I. To reach this place, Scott followed a path that met his individual needs.

  • Anthony Steed

    Finding Answers To Big Issues

    Anthony Steed, RWU Class of 2024

    Anthropology + Sociology

    Anthropology + Sociology gives me answers to questions about society and culture. I am interested in issues like colorism, socio-economic status, and inequality. All of these issues often feel ‘too big’ to answer. Anthropology + Sociology gives me tools and research to help me come up with answers on these big issues on my own. This major helps you break down any part of society to see how things are the way they are, and then work backwards – to help contribute to fixing these bigger issues, like inequality, from the ground up.

  • Alyssa Foerster

    Hands-On Learning

    Alyssa Foerster, RWU Class of 2023

    Construction Management

    "I am a hands-on learner and being able to incorporate that into my education strengthened my ability to understand concepts and ideas."

  • Samantha Gregory

    Making an Impact

    Samantha Gregory, RWU Class of 2023

    Psychology + Educational Studies

    "I transferred to RWU from a large institution after realizing that I was a student who wanted to be more involved and to feel closer to my peers."

  • Jesahias Quiroa

    Carving a Path

    Jesahias Quiroa, RWU Class of 2023

    Legal Studies + Political Science

    "It has been my dream to attend a 4-year university so I can make a difference in my community. Growing up in a first-generation immigrant family, financial aid played a pivotal role in my college

  • Tobias Pydych

    Spotlight on an ANSOC Major

    Tobias Pydych, RWU Class of 2023

    Anthropology + Sociology

    I took a sociology class in high school, and I liked it. I declared ANSOC as a major coming in, but I did not think that I would stick with it. As a freshman I thought college was about majoring in something that had a concrete outcome, like Marketing or Business. But, I stayed in the major and I now I feel more passionate about it. I see that there are career opportunities with it.

  • Lilly Medeiros

    Alum 'Tackles Global Emergency' at Moderna

    Lilly Medeiros, RWU Class of 2014

    Biology + Chemistry

    Relentlessness. Lilly Medeiros, a Roger Williams graduate from the class of 2014, shares that relentlessness is one of the core values her employer, Moderna, emphasizes at their company, and the one that resonates with her most. As an Engineer in Early Development Operations, Lilly has spent the last year and a half directly contributing to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

  • Rebecca O'Rourke

    Biology and Spanish Double Major to Attend PA School

    Rebecca O'Rourke, RWU Class of 2020

    Biology + Modern Languages

    Rebecca O’Rourke ‘20 of Eaton, Mass. will attend Tufts University School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant (PA) program after studying Biology at RWU. O’Rourke was supported by RWU’s Health Professions Advising track, which offers pre-professional preparation for health science fields.  

  • Jillian Hopke holds cupcake

    Bakery Owner Jillian Hopke '02 Appears on The Food Network

    Jillian Hopke, RWU Class of 2002

    Marketing

    From dancing at Walt Disney World, to showing off her baking skills on television’s Food Network, Roger Williams alumna and baker Jillian Hopke lives every day full of excitement and, of course, sugar! Since graduating from the Gabelli School of Business in 2002, thousands have fallen in love with Jillian’s tasty and unique baked goods, leading to business venture, “Jillycakes,” a bakery owned and operated by Jillian herself.