The University of Rhode Island unveiled the largest gift in university history Friday morning, $65 million that will support scholarships for high-achieving students, the university said.
The donation was made from the estate of the late Helen Izzi Schilling, a 1954 graduate, and establishes the Helen Izzi Schilling and Francis Schilling Scholars Program.
The endowed scholarship will provide up to $20,000 per year for four years to high-achieving undergraduate students majoring in a science, technology, engineering, or math field, URI said.
“This transformational gift shows that alumni believe in our university and in our students,” URI President Marc B. Parlange said.
“We are incredibly grateful for the Schillings’ support of our mission and our students. URI has never been in a better place, due, in no small measure, to our remarkable community—the students, faculty, and staff across our campuses and the extraordinary alumni who carry their URI experience with them wherever they go.”
Students applying to URI for fall 2025 admission will be eligible for the scholarship.
“It will provide exceptional students with critical financial scholarship support and with leadership training and mentoring to help them achieve their most ambitious goals,” Dean Libutti, associate vice president for enrollment management and student success, said.
The cost of annual tuition and fees at URI is $16,858 for Rhode Island residents, $27,916 for students from other New England states in a select group of majors and $36,846 for students from outside of New England, including international students. The average cost for food and housing adds $14,638.
URI has 14,500 undergraduate students and has more than 40 academic programs in science, technology, engineering, or math.
Helen Izzi Schilling graduated from URI with honors in 1954 with a degree in nutrition. She met her husband, Francis “Frank” Joseph Schilling, a native of Ohio, when they both enrolled in graduate programs at The Ohio State University.
At URI, Schilling was president of Kappa Omicron Nu and a member of Phi Kappa Phi, both national honor societies. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority and worked at Butterfield dining hall.
She worked for five decades as a registered dietitian in various hospitals, taught at the university level, and developed her own consulting business, according to URI. Frank Schilling had a career at GE, where he became a vice president and was head of GE Medical Systems, introducing CT and MRI scanners to doctors and hospitals in the 1970s.
The gift was a commitment Schilling made with her late husband to include the university in their will.
“Helen Schilling was a highly accomplished alumna who found an extraordinary way to leave her mark on her university,” Margo Cook, chair of the URI Board of Trustees, said. “We are honored to carry on her memory at URI and excited to see this scholarship change the lives of our students.”
Dr. Paul J. Schilling, M.D. their son stated: “My mother’s education in the sciences formed the foundation of a career that was dedicated to helping people, and that started at the University of Rhode Island. She wanted to make a difference for her alma mater, but most importantly for the students going forward. I am glad that my parents will be remembered for giving students a head start to achieve their goals.”
URI said the Schillings’ gift “adds to the momentum generated by URI’s recently completed comprehensive campaign, which exceeded its goal of $300 million for priorities across the university and raised over $73 million for financial aid.”
Dr. Paul J. Schilling is the son of Francis “Frank” Joseph Schilling and Helen Izzi Schilling.
Helen Izzi Schilling was an alumna of URI, graduating in 1954 with a degree in nutrition. She went on to have a 50-year career as a dietician. Francis Joseph Schilling, also known as Frank, worked for General Electric Company, which led the couple to live in various parts of the country throughout their 64-year marriage.
Helen passed away on May 11, 2020, at the age of 87 in Naples, Florida4. Frank also passed away in Naples, Florida, later that year3.
In February 2011, Helen Izzi Schilling made an estate gift of $6 million to URI.
Dr. Paul J. Schilling, an oncologist, has been actively involved in carrying forward his parents’ legacy:
He has been vocal about the importance of STEM education, emphasizing the need for more professionals in various fields, including engineers, scientists, and doctors.
Paul expressed that his parents would be thrilled to see their scholarship initiative come to fruition, stating, “They would be very happy to participate in the education of more people in the STEM fields.”
He intends to oversee the scholarship program and monitor the progress of its recipients throughout their academic journeys.
The $65 million donation will fund the newly established Schilling Scholars Program at URI:
It will provide scholarships for top-performing students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).
Approximately 100 students are expected to qualify for this new scholarship program.
Through this generous donation and the establishment of the Schilling Scholars Program, Dr. Paul J. Schilling is ensuring that his parents’ commitment to education and STEM fields continues to benefit future generations of students at the University of Rhode Island.