PROVIDENCE – The Howard R. Swearer Center for Public Service at Brown University celebrated its 25th anniversary Sept. 24 at the Steel Yard in Providence to commemorate its work in fostering collaborations among students, faculty and community partners. more

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island College ranked 20th among the top 25 public institutions of higher education in raising graduation rates of Hispanic students, according to an Education Trust study released last month. more

BOSTON – The University of Massachusetts board of trustees has approved a plan to spend $3.1 billion on new construction, renovations and other upgrades over the next five years that would help in part to fund a new academic building and repairs to four residence halls on the school’s Dartmouth campus. more

PROVIDENCE – Brown University will begin offering free online, noncredit courses beginning next summer in a partnership with Coursera, Stanford University’s faculty-founded platform. The latter launched last summer and now has 32 participating domestic and international universities. more

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s high school students are mirroring a national trend when it comes to standardized testing, increasing their participation in the College Board SAT and Advanced Placement exams but exhibiting declining SAT scores, the R.I. Department of Education reports. more

PROVIDENCE – Providence College has instituted an early-decision deadline to offer prospective students the chance to commit to the school and receive financial aid and merit awards by January of their high school senior year. more

Keith Vadas has seen both sides of the trade versus office job-skill debate that often surrounds arguments on available jobs and work force development these days. more

When voters head to the polls in November to decide whether the state will borrow $50 million to renovate three Rhode Island College buildings, some may suspect it means the end of plans for a shared nursing center with the University of Rhode Island. more

Having established a career as a consultant for Fleet Bank, Brendan McNally was hired in 2009 for his knowledge and contacts in the business community as the first director of the Rhode Island Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Until closed earlier this year, it was a collaborative effort supported primarily by Brown University, as well as the R.I. Economic Development Corporation, the R.I. Science and Technology Advisory Council and the Slater Technology Fund. more

Crossing guards at Woonsocket’s Kevin Coleman Elementary School celebrate International Walk to School Day Oct. 3. Thirty-six schools across the state joined in recognizing the importance of exercise for mental and physical health. In Woonsocket, Mayor Leo Fontaine, rear center, Coleman Principal Lisa Jacques, upper right, and Miss Rhode Island Kelsey Fournier, far left, joined the celebration. Students, parents and teachers also walked and biked to school together. more