Celebrating Salve Regina's expansion into Warwick

Earlier this month, I was delighted to join Salve Regina University president Jane Gerety, R.S.M., board of trustees chairwoman Janet Robinson and faculty, staff and students as we celebrated the university's expansion into Warwick. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1947, the university's main campus is set on more than 80 acres comprised of seven contiguous estates in Newport and includes nearly two dozen historically significant buildings that have been adapted for reuse by the school. Salve's Warwick location is a 12,000 s/f facility at 144 Metro Center Boulevard that houses its Center for Adult Education, where classes will be offered year round in traditional and hybrid programs. Their continuing education programs are meant to meet a critical need in the state by giving students the skills and education that are currently in demand by employers and helping them to advance in their careers. Many of those who are enrolled at the Center for Adult Education are also currently employed and appreciate the advantage that the university's master's degree and continuing education programs will give them in the workforce. There are many exciting possibilities for job creation and growth here in our city. The development of the Warwick Station District, for example, will offer numerous opportunities for a skilled, talented workforce that will help our state to recover from the recession and hopefully will position Rhode Island as an economic development force. The university has also established a "Kick-Start RI" program, which offers up to 25 randomly-selected, first-time applicants to one of their undergraduate continuing education programs to take one course tuition-free. We are delighted to welcome Salve to our community as they join our existing educational partners, the Community College of Rhode Island, the New England Institute of Technology and Johnson & Wales University. We look forward to the success of their graduates and look forward to their contributions to our local workforce. Scott Avedisian is the mayor of Warwick and the chairman of the RIPTA board of directors.