2023 -- H 6363

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

THANKING MEGHAN HUGHES, PH. D., FOR HER DEDICATED LEADERSHIP AS THE

FIFTH PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Representatives Noret, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Ajello,
McGaw, Fellela, Tanzi, and Cortvriend

     Date Introduced: May 04, 2023

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, On February 1st of 2016, Meghan Hughes, Ph. D., a Class B Director,

became the first female and fifth President of Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI); and

     WHEREAS, Founded in 1964, Community College of Rhode Island is the largest

community college in New England, educating 22,000 students annually and dedicated to its

mission “to offer recent high school graduates and returning adults the opportunity to acquire the

knowledge and skills necessary for intellectual, professional and personal growth through an

array of academic, career and lifelong learning programs”; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Hughes graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and holds a

Doctorate from New York University. Previous to her appointment as President, she had attained

thirty years of experience in higher education and the nonprofit sector including leading Year Up

Providence and as an art history teacher; and

     WHEREAS, During her tenure at CCRI, Dr. Hughes successfully championed a strategic

plan that focused on student success and closing equity performance gaps, with “strong learning

outcomes, successful degree attainment, and robust labor market outcomes”; and

     WHEREAS, In 2022, Dr. Hughes achieved many of her goals when CCRI achieved its

highest graduation rate in eighteen years and continues to aggressively pursue meaningful

retention, completion, transfer and employment gains for its students; and

     WHEREAS, Recognized for her achievements, Dr. Hughes has been honored with the

“Trailblazer in Education” award in 2018, the “Foundation Builder Award” by the Latino Public

Radio Foundation in 2016, the “Community Leader” award by the Rhode Island Foundation in

2015, and was named “Outstanding Woman of the Year” by United States Representative David

Cicilline in 2014; and

     WHEREAS, In addition, Dr. Hughes serves on myriad Boards and Commissions

including, the Rhode Island Foundation, Greater Providence Chamber, Year Up Rhode Island,

Congressman Cicilline’s Women’s Advisory Council, the Rhode Island Commodores, the

Governor’s Commission on Higher Education and Employability, and the Governor’s Skills

Cabinet; and

     WHEREAS, Extraordinary people never retire, they just begin a new chapter of their

lives. Such is the case with Dr. Meghan Hughes who, by virtue of her numerous

accomplishments, serves as a model for all our educational leaders; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

honors and commends Meghan Hughes on her retirement after seven and a half years of devoted

service to the students at Community College of Rhode Island. We thank her for all her efforts

and wish her good health, fulfillment and much success in all her future endeavors; and be it

further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Meghan Hughes, Ph. D.

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