Assistant Dean
Richard Vandeputte retires after 20 years of service at URI
In 1965, Assistant
Dean Richard Vandeputte was an 
undergraduate
student at the University of Rhode Island. Now, almost forty years
later, he is retiring from the position that he has held for the
past 12 years.
Vandeputte graduated from URI in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. After working for eight years he returned to the university in 1977 to receive his masters.
In 1985, he again returned to URI to gain his PhD and was hired as a teaching assistant.
“I really enjoyed the teaching,” Vandeputte said, explaining that he taught statics, dynamics and graphics. While teaching he attempted to work on his thesis but admitted he lost interest in the research he was conducting.
A few years later in 1992, Vandeputte finally found his place in the URI family as an academic advisor and assistant dean.
“I don’t miss the teaching because I still have a lot of interface with the students,” he said.
As part of his assistant dean position, Vandeputte meets with students and faculty and also goes to a lot of high schools to recruit potential engineers, which he said he finds very exciting. After 35 years of a busy career, Vandeputte hopes to travel and cater to his affinity for 60s sports cars.
He also would like to “provide my wine cellar with a good rotation of bottles.”
Vandeputte admits that he does worry about becoming bored in retirement but is anxious to spend more time with his wife Marie and his family. Vandeputte met his wife when she was an undergraduate in the former university pub that was located in the Memorial Union. The couple hope to spend time in southern France where they have relatives. Vandeputte said he appreciates the simple way of life there and said he loved to play bocce ball in the town square, talk about politics and discuss the latest grape harvest.
Although he’s been a part of the university for almost 40 years, Vandeputte hopes to remain closely connected with the French International Engineering Program. He said, “I feel a certain affinity to the IEP project because I was so instrumental in the development.” Vandeputte says his final good byes to the university at the end of June and said, “I appreciate everything the college did for me in life…I still owe the college and all the people in it.”
undergraduate
student at the University of Rhode Island. Now, almost forty years
later, he is retiring from the position that he has held for the
past 12 years.Vandeputte graduated from URI in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. After working for eight years he returned to the university in 1977 to receive his masters.
In 1985, he again returned to URI to gain his PhD and was hired as a teaching assistant.
“I really enjoyed the teaching,” Vandeputte said, explaining that he taught statics, dynamics and graphics. While teaching he attempted to work on his thesis but admitted he lost interest in the research he was conducting.
A few years later in 1992, Vandeputte finally found his place in the URI family as an academic advisor and assistant dean.
“I don’t miss the teaching because I still have a lot of interface with the students,” he said.
As part of his assistant dean position, Vandeputte meets with students and faculty and also goes to a lot of high schools to recruit potential engineers, which he said he finds very exciting. After 35 years of a busy career, Vandeputte hopes to travel and cater to his affinity for 60s sports cars.
He also would like to “provide my wine cellar with a good rotation of bottles.”
Vandeputte admits that he does worry about becoming bored in retirement but is anxious to spend more time with his wife Marie and his family. Vandeputte met his wife when she was an undergraduate in the former university pub that was located in the Memorial Union. The couple hope to spend time in southern France where they have relatives. Vandeputte said he appreciates the simple way of life there and said he loved to play bocce ball in the town square, talk about politics and discuss the latest grape harvest.
Although he’s been a part of the university for almost 40 years, Vandeputte hopes to remain closely connected with the French International Engineering Program. He said, “I feel a certain affinity to the IEP project because I was so instrumental in the development.” Vandeputte says his final good byes to the university at the end of June and said, “I appreciate everything the college did for me in life…I still owe the college and all the people in it.”