KINGSTON – Students at the University of Rhode Island are closer to getting a state-of-the-art workout facility, thanks in large part to a generous alumnus.
Michael Fascitelli, a 1978 URI grad, has donated $1 million to the university’s Making A Difference campaign to help create a student wellness center on campus.
The former two-story Roger Williams Dining Hall will undergo a $5.5 million renovation. The building is located near several residence halls and the new Hope Commons Dining Hall.
Cardiovascular equipment, aerobics and dance studio space are planned. An addition to the west entrance will accommodate an elevator.
Fascitelli grew up in North Providence, the son of a tailor and a seamstress. After graduating from URI with a degree in industrial engineering, he worked two years before being admitted to Harvard Business School. Fascitelli graduated from Harvard in 1982. In 1996, he joined Vornado Realty Trust as president. Today the company owns and manages more than 60 million square feet of office space nationwide, most notably in New York City and Washington, D.C.
Fascitelli said he made the donation in part to honor his mother, Anna Fascitelli.
The University of Rhode Island’s Making a Difference Campaign is a drive to raise $100 million to help URI provide student scholarships, enhance the campus experience, recruit and retain outstanding faculty, and fund cutting-edge academic and research initiatives. To learn more about the campaign, visit www.advance.uri.edu.
