• James Campbell, director of the University of Rhode Island Counseling Center, was elected president-elect of the Rhode Island Psychological Association in early February. The Kingston resident will serve in the post for a year and then will serve as president of the 200-member association for two years. The association was founded in 1955 to represent the interests of psychologists in Rhode Island. Board members and other participants volunteer their time and services. In addition to serving as director of the University’s Counseling Center, Campbell is a member of the graduate faculty and teaches courses on traumatic stress, leadership, human sexuality and counseling. He is the former Rhode Island coordinator for the American Psychological Association/American Red Cross Disaster Response Network and a frequent consultant to corporations regarding crisis response and threat of violence. A licensed psychologist, Campbell earned his doctorate from Syracuse University and is the 2003 recipient of the Rhode Island Psychological Association’s Musiker-Merenda Award for his contributions to mental health in the state.
• Brian Maynard of Peace Dale, professor and chairman of the URI Department of Plant Sciences was presented with the 2007 Award of Merit from the Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association, the organization’s highest award. Maynard was selected for his many years of support for the nursery industry in Rhode Island, from renovating the URI greenhouses and conducting horticultural research to promoting the industry throughout the state and developing the association’s website. “Brian goes well beyond the call of duty in all of the work he does on behalf of RINLA and the industry,” said Ken Lagerquist, executive director of the association. “He has made a tremendous contribution to the green industry in Rhode Island, and he doesn’t get nearly the recognition he deserves.”
• Bernard LaFayette of Warwick, distinguished scholar-in-residence and director of the URI Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies, was awarded the Thurgood Marshall Award by the Black Law Student Association at Quinnipiac University School of Law. The award honors an individual who exemplifies the values that Marshall, a U.S. Supreme Court justice fought for, such as equality and civil rights. LaFayette was selected for his participation in the civil rights movement and for his message of nonviolence and peace. “He’s wonderful, he’s the real thing, he’s been in the front lines all these years and he’s never sought glory or fame, but he’s been steadfast,” prize-winning author David Halberstam was quoted as saying about LaFayette’s award.
• Vanessa Wynder Quainoo of Saunderstown, associate professor of communications studies, was invited to deliver the annual Black History Month lecture at the international law firm, Alston & Bird LLP, at its New York City office. The law firm employs more than 750 attorneys and represents a number of world-class companies. Her talk, “The Future of Black History: We’re Going To Have To Play Better,” was followed by a question-and-answer period. Quainoo’s primary research interests are social rhetoric and race discourse. In addition to her communications degrees, she has a theology degree and a sustained interest in the African-American Church. She is an ordained minister and serves as an international director for a West African women’s empowerment organization.