KINGSTON, R.I. – September 13, 2006 – The University of Rhode Island Alumni Association will host the first Alumni Professionals of Color Forum Series of the academic year. The program will be held Thursday, Sept. 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the first floor lounge of the URI Alumni Center, 73 Upper College Road.

The event is designed to help URI students of color network with University alumni. Each semester, the Alumni Association invites up to six panelists with different jobs to speak about the challenges they face as professionals of color in today’s society.

The fall 2006 panelists are University of Rhode Island graduates from the last 15 years: Andrea Astrachan, director of community affairs for Stop and Shop; Sixcia Devine, regional director of the Providence area for the Rhode Island Small Business Development Center at Johnson & Wales University, Providence; Rich Gedeon, associate of the Carney & Bassil Law Firm; Preston Murphy, assistant men’s basketball coach at Boston College; and Linda Robinson, academic development/retention specialist at Johnson & Wales University.

The Alumni Professionals of Color fall 2006 Forum Series is sponsored by the URI Alumni Association and Stop and Shop. Food and soft drinks will be provided at the event. For more information, please contact Jessie Kenyon at 401-874-4853 or email: jkenyon@advance.uri.edu.