Local News

Longtime URI employee dies after being struck by car on campus

Maureen McDermott worked at the University of Rhode Island for more than 40 years.

The entrance to the University of Rhode Island in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. A URI employee died Friday following a car crash earlier this month. Stew Milne for The Boston Globe

By Lindsay Shachnow

November 18, 2024

1 minute to read

A University of Rhode Island employee died Friday, following a vehicle-pedestrian crash on the university’s campus earlier this month.

Maureen McDermott, who was the director of student involvement and the Memorial Union, worked at the university for 43 years, according to a letter to the URI community sent Sunday.

“For more than four decades, Maureen was an important part of the fabric of our community, serving as a friend and colleague to staff and faculty, and as a compassionate advisor to students,” Ellen Reynolds, vice president for student affairs, wrote in the letter. “Her passion for our students and for their success both here and beyond our campuses provided a foundation for their achievement and served as an inspiration for colleagues.”

A spokesperson for URI told Boston.com that the investigation into the incident is ongoing and the university has “no details to provide at this time.”

McDermott “regularly attended URI sporting events to cheer on the Rams” and was a “proud URI parent,” Reynolds wrote. She had three sons who all graduated from the university.

“Her legacy and impact will be cherished forever,” the letter said.