Longtime fundraiser leaves URI

Robert Beagle, a key figure in fundraising and marketing at the University of Rhode Island, has announced plans to retire in June. After more than two decades at URI, Beagle says he wants to spend more time with his family and plans to teach at the University’s Department of Communication and Media, which he helped establish.

URI officials say Beagle will be sorely missed. They credit him with helping to establish fundraising and alumni relations at the school and with raising URI’s profile in the larger community. Beagle was instrumental in efforts to build the Ryan Center, among other major construction projects. He also oversaw the university’s first capital campaign in 1992, raising more than $60 million.

In recent years, Beagle has served as Vice President for Advancement, focusing on branding initiatives like the “think big we do” campaign. He has also been active in the transition to the university’s new president, David Dooley.