BRISTOL, R.I., Sept. 30, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When the Roger Williams University community unites to celebrate Inauguration Week 2011 from Monday, Oct. 10, through Friday, Oct. 14, students, faculty and staff hope that residents of Bristol and other local communities will join them. Many of the week's events, including a presentation by former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew J. Young the evening before the University inaugurates its 10th president, Donald J. Farish, will be free and open to the public.

"In celebration of our enduring relationship with the Town of Bristol and each of its residents, we planned the Inauguration Week events with the greater community in mind," says Richard L. Bready, Chairman of the RWU Board of Trustees. "Beyond simply welcoming our new president, we will commemorate the extraordinary accomplishments in teaching and learning at this University and the community support that plays such a key role in the success of our institution."

The presentation by Ambassador Young, part of the President's Distinguished Lecture Series at Roger Williams University, will highlight the public events. An accomplished public servant, civil rights activist and ordained minister, Ambassador Young has served as U.S. Congressman, Mayor of Atlanta and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, among other posts in a distinguished career.

Ambassador Young's presentation will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m. in the RWU Campus Recreation Center. A reception with the ambassador will immediately follow. Both the presentation and reception are free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

Other Inauguration Week 2011 events to which the public is invited include the following:
 

• Film screening and discussion on the documentary "One Water," which focuses on the global water challenge – Monday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 in the School of Law Appellate Courtroom.
   
• Performing Arts Revue in which students and faculty will present a music, theatre and dance production – Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 4 p.m. in the Barn Performing Arts Center Dance Studio.
   
• Academic Roundtable discussion with students, faculty and staff in the spirit of the University's namesake, Roger Williams – Friday, Oct. 14, at 2 p.m. in the University Library.
   
• "Putting Equity into Action," a keynote presentation by renowned educator Pedro Noguera to kick off the Roger Williams University School of Education's two-day Urban Education Conference – Friday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. in the Campus Recreation Center.
   
• Fireworks display over Mount Hope Bay – Friday, Oct. 14, at 7:15 p.m. with public viewing from the North Athletic Field.
   
• Three weeklong exhibits, open all day every day from Monday, Oct. 10, to Friday, Oct. 14: o   Academic Showcase featuring recent student and faculty projects in the Marine and Natural Sciences Lobby; o   Art on Campus displays and installations showcasing student and faculty artwork in common areas across campus; o   Faculty Scholarship and Research Celebration highlighting projects from the University Library Author's Collection (in the University Library).

All of the events listed here are free and open to the public; no tickets are required. At the
few events for which space is limited, seats will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Campus signage will direct community members to the best parking locations.

For more information on Inauguration Week 2011, visit http://inauguration2011.rwu.edu.

Brian E. Clark

Executive Director of Public Affairs

bclark@rwu.edu

 (401) 254-3407

About RWU: Roger Williams University located in Bristol, R.I. is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university with education for the professions, where students learn to be global citizens. With 42 academic programs, an array of co-curricular activities and study abroad opportunities on six continents, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. In the last decade, the University has achieved unprecedented successes including recognition as one of the best colleges in the nation by Forbes, College of Distinction by Student Horizons, Inc. and as both a best college in the Northeast and one of the nation's greenest universities by The Princeton Review.

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