The University of Rhode Island Foundation welcomes Taylor Schwalbach as Senior Director of Development for the College of Arts and Sciences. In this role, Taylor will lead, plan, and execute fundraising initiatives for the College of Arts and Sciences, and work closely with the Dean Jennifer Riley and other Foundation staff to support the University’s priorities and strategic initiatives through philanthropic giving. Taylor comes to the Foundation with more than 9 years of higher education development experience from Brown University and James Madison University, his alma mater. An accomplished front-line fundraiser, Taylor has a track-record of successfully partnering with university leadership to build and maintain donor relationships.

Founded in 1892, the University of Rhode Island is the state’s flagship institution of higher education. A Land, Sea, and Urban Grant Institution led by Dr. David M. Dooley, the school offers its undergraduate, graduate, and professional education students the distinctive educational opportunities of a major research university. The University of Rhode Island Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) charged with managing the University’s endowment portfolio, raising all philanthropic support for the University of Rhode Island (URI), and overseeing the University’s charitable giving programs. The Foundation, established in 1957, helps to fund student scholarships, faculty support, and educational initiatives and has an operating budget of approximately $6.5 million, with assets valued at more than $160 million.