November 15, 2024 – Kingston, R.I. – The University of Rhode Island today announced a $65 million gift to support scholarships for high-achieving students. This philanthropic gift, the largest in the university’s history, is the result of a bequest gift from the late Helen Izzy Schilling, a 1954 graduate of the university.
Based on a promise she made to her late husband to include the university in her will, this gift established the Helen Izzy Schilling ’54 and Frances Schilling Scholars Program. This endowed scholarship provides up to $20,000 annually over four years to high-achieving undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics fields.
“This transformative gift shows that our alumni believe in our university and our students,” said URI President Mark B. Parlanger. “We are extremely grateful for the Schillings’ support of our mission and our students. URI is in a better place than ever, in no small part because of our wonderful community: students, faculty and staff across campus, and Thanks to our amazing alumni who take their URI experience home with them wherever they go.”
This support builds on the momentum generated by URI’s recently completed comprehensive campaign, which exceeded its $300 million goal and raised more than $73 million in financial aid for university-wide priorities.
“Helen Schilling left a lasting legacy on the University with her forward-thinking generosity, and her name will be remembered by students and their families for generations to come,” said URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement Chair. said Lil Brule O’Rourke. . “A gift of real estate is truly an investment in the future, and we remain deeply grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Schilling for viewing URI as a valuable investment.”
The Schilling Scholarship joins URI’s other merit scholarships and provides students with four years of support along with leadership development and career guidance.
“The first Schilling Scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate student applying to URI in the fall 25 admissions cycle,” said Dean Libutti, vice president for enrollment management and student success. “We provide our talented students with significant financial scholarship support, as well as leadership training and mentorship to help them achieve their most ambitious goals.”
“My mother’s science education formed the foundation for a career dedicated to helping people that began at the University of Rhode Island,” says Paul J. Schilling, MD. However, the most important thing is for the students who are going forward. We are happy that parents will be remembered for giving their students a good start in achieving their goals. ”
Helen Izzy Schilling graduated magna cum laude from URI in 1954 with a degree in nutrition. Her family immigrated to the United States and settled in Rhode Island in the early 1900s, where they still maintain a significant presence in the state. She met her husband, Francis (Frank) Joseph Schilling, an Ohio native, when they both enrolled in graduate programs at Ohio State University.
During his time at URI, Schilling served as president of Kappa Omicron Nu, a national honor society, and as a member of Phi Kappa Phi. She was a member of the Alpha Zai Delta sorority and worked in the Butterfield cafeteria. After completing the competitive and rigorous Master of Science/Dietitian Internship Certification Program at The Ohio State University, she worked as a registered dietitian for 50 years in various hospitals, taught at the university level, and developed her own consulting business. After earning his MBA, Frank Schilling began his career at GE, becoming vice president and head of GE Medical Systems, where he introduced CT and MRI scanners to doctors and hospitals in the 1970s.
“Helen Schilling is an exceptional alumnus who has found a special way to leave her mark on the university,” said Margo Cook, chair of the URI Board of Directors. “We are honored to carry on her memory at URI and look forward to watching this scholarship change the lives of our students.”
