Turner majored in civil engineering, competed on the college's football and track teams, and received a Bachelor of Science degree.

[9][10] In 1951 the school was given its current title through an act of the General Assembly following the addition of the College of Arts and Sciences and the offering of doctoral degrees.

[13] URI's main campus is located in northern South Kingstown,[14] and most of the university property is in the Kingston census-designated place.

The early buildings of the campus are set around its main quadrangle, and were built out of locally quarried granite.

The central portion of the campus, where most of its pre-1950 buildings are located,[16] was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.

The most popular majors at University of Rhode Island include: Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse; Psychology, General; Speech Communication and Rhetoric; Kinesiology and Exercise Science; and Health-Related Knowledge and Skills, Other.

[35] The university is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference and the Coastal Athletic Association in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.

[36][37] Athletic facilities include the Ryan Center, Keaney Gymnasium, Meade Stadium, Mackal Field House, Tootell Aquatic Center, Bradford R. Boss Arena, URI Soccer Complex, Bill Beck Field, and URI Softball Complex.

While 5600 students live in the 25 on campus residence halls, thousands more opt to commute from the surrounding area.

[38] Narragansett, an abutting town to Kingston, is made up of hundreds of summer vacation homes which are rented to students for the academic year.

Notable University of Rhode Island alumni in politics and government include Lieutenant General (retired) Michael Flynn (B.Sc.

), Amanda Clayton, and Andrew Burnap (recipient of the 2020 Tony Award- Best Actor in a Play, The Inheritance.)