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Bliss Hall, Discovery Center, Kirk Building

College of Engineering (COE)
-Diversity-

Minority Student Recruitment and Retention Office (MSRRO)

The College of Engineering Minority Student Recruitment and Retention Office (MSRRO) is located in the COE Dean's Office, 102 Bliss Hall.  The COE is strongly committed to recruitment, retention, and diversity of our student population, and actively engages in creative initiatives that support these activities.

Under the direction of Dean Wright, Mr. Charles "Chuck" Watson, the COE Minority Student Recruitment and Retention Coordinator, provides the focal point within the College for diversity and for working with underrepresented student groups at various levels. In addition, Mr. Watson is also actively involved in recruitment activities with local area high schools and middle schools throughout Rhode Island.

Chuck Watson

We encourage you to stop by and visit with Chuck at any time. He is here to help and he is ready to answer your questions....he will always warmly greet you with a handshake and a smile!!!

The goal of the COE MSRRO is to attract, retain, and graduate the very best in African American, Native American, Hispanic, and women engineering talent from around the state of Rhode Island, the New England Region, and from all across the USA. Our program has the distinction of being one of the first of its kind here at the University, actively providing a vital, networked support structure for the student chapters of the following national organizations: Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and Society of Women Engineers (SWE). The COE takes great pride in our continuing proactive commitment to excellence in diversity and minority student recruitment and retention.

As these underrepresented minority and women students matriculate through their respective engineering programs, these promising young scholars rise up to successfully meet the challenges of our rigorous engineering curricula. Clearly these motivated, talented individuals add a new and vibrant dimension to our engineering family here at URI. 

The COE actively searches for innovative ways to improve retention, provide a strong, vibrant support structure, and to continually motivate and inspire each student to reach their full potential.  We provide opportunities for each student to grow both personally and professionally and in leadership abilities as they prepare for an exciting career in:

engineering - the most rewarding of professions - the career of a lifetime!

Diversity Programs in the College of Engineering

  • College of Engineering Scholarships: COE 500 Club
  • COE/LSAMP Program Partnerships / Recruitment (Middle / High School)
  • Undergraduate Engineering: Internship Opportunities
  • Undergraduate Engineering: Research Opportunities
  • Graduate Engineering: Research Opportunities / Graduate Placement Assistance 
  • Graduate Engineering: Program Placement Assistance 
  • COE Student Organizations: Support and Financial Assistance
  • Scholar Mentor Program: Saturday Academy
  • K-12 Students: Outreach and Recruitment Activities
  • Minority Alumni: Networking
  • Proposal Development Participation: Broader Impact- Minority Recruitment and Retention

Links to Student Chapters in the URI College of Engineering