University of Rhode Island receives $65 million gift—the largest in its history—to support scholarships

November 15, 2024 – KINGSTON, RI – The University of Rhode Island today unveiled a $65 million gift that will support scholarships for high-achieving students. The philanthropic gift—the largest in the University’s history—is the result of an estate gift from the late Helen Izzi Schilling, a 1954 graduate of the University.

Based on a commitment made with her late husband to include the University in their will, the gift establishes the Helen Izzi Schilling ’54 and Francis Schilling Scholars Program. The endowed scholarship will provide up to $20,000 per year for four years to high-achieving undergraduate students majoring in a science, technology, engineering, or math field.

“This transformational gift shows that alumni believe in our University and in our students,” said URI President Marc B. Parlange. “We are incredibly grateful for the Schillings’ support of our mission and our students. URI has never been in a better place, due, in no small measure, to our remarkable community—the students, faculty, and staff across our campuses and the extraordinary alumni who carry their URI experience with them wherever they go.”

The support adds to the momentum generated by URI’s recently completed comprehensive campaign, which exceeded its goal of $300 million for priorities across the University and raised over $73 million for financial aid.

“With her forward-thinking generosity, Helen Schilling leaves a permanent legacy at the University, and her name will be remembered by students and their families for generations to come,” said Lil Breul O’Rourke, president of the URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement. “An estate gift is really an investment in the future, and we remain deeply grateful to the Schillings for seeing URI as a worthy investment.”

The Schilling Scholarship joins other merit scholarships at URI, providing four-year support along with leadership development and career guidance to students.

“The inaugural Schilling Scholarship will be awarded to undergraduates applying to URI for the Fall ’25 admission cycle,” said Dean Libutti, associate vice president for enrollment management and student success. “It will provide exceptional students with critical financial scholarship support and with leadership training and mentoring to help them achieve their most ambitious goals.”

“My mother’s education in the sciences formed the foundation of a career that was dedicated to helping people, and that started at the University of Rhode Island,” said Paul J. Schilling, M.D. “She wanted to make a difference for her alma mater, but most importantly for the students going forward. I am glad that my parents will be remembered for giving students a head start to achieve their goals.”

Helen Izzi Schilling graduated from URI with honors in 1954 with a degree in nutrition. Her family immigrated to the United States and settled in Rhode Island in the early 1900s and still maintains a significant presence in the state. She met her husband, Francis (Frank) Joseph Schilling, a native of Ohio, when they both enrolled in graduate programs at Ohio State University.

While at URI, Schilling was president of Kappa Omicron Nu and a member of Phi Kappa Phi, both national honor societies. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority and worked at Butterfield dining hall. After completing the highly competitive and rigorous combined Master of Science/Dietetic Internship Certification program at Ohio State University, she worked for five decades as a registered dietitian in various hospitals, taught at the university level, and developed her own consulting business. Frank Schilling, after completing his M.B.A., went on to a career at GE where he became a vice president and was head of GE Medical Systems, introducing CT and MRI scanners to doctors and hospitals in the 1970s.

“Helen Schilling was a highly accomplished alumna who found an extraordinary way to leave her mark on her university,” said Margo Cook, chair of the URI Board of Trustees. “We are honored to carry on her memory at URI and excited to see this scholarship change the lives of our students.”