The University of Rhode Island is mourning the loss of a longtime staff member who has died almost 10 days after she was struck by a car on campus.
URI officials said in a letter to the school community that Maureen McDermott, the director of student involvement and the Memorial Union, succumbed to injuries Friday that she had sustained in a vehicle-pedestrian crash on the Kingston Campus earlier this month.
NBC10 Boston affiliate WJAR reports that McDermott was hit by a car driven by a student on Lower College Road at about 5 p.m. on Nov. 6. A university spokesperson previously said the student involved in the incident was cooperating with police and receiving help from student support services.
The university said it has been in close contact with McDermott's family, and conveyed their heartfelt condolences to them and to McDermott's many friends, colleagues and students.
Having joined URI in 1981, McDermott worked at the university for more than four decades and will leave a "lasting and meaningful legacy, according to the letter from Ellen Reynolds, the Vice President for Student Affairs.
She was an important part of the fabric of the school community, Reynolds wrote, serving as a compassionate advisor to students and an advocate for all of the school's more than 100 campus organizations.
"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," Reynolds said. "Maureen’s radiant smile, unwavering dedication to URI, and 43 years of service to the students and staff she lovingly called her Rhody Family have left an indelible mark. Her legacy and impact will be cherished forever."
According to Reynolds, McDermott was also a proud URI parent. She and her husband, Paul, regularly attended URI sporting events to cheer on the Rams, and their three sons, Ryan, Kevin, and Michael -- all graduated from the university.
The university has shared the following resources for anyone struggling with news of McDermott's death:
Counseling Center
217 Roosevelt Hall; 401-874-2288
24/7 virtual, text, or chat with a counselor via TELUS Health
Dean of Students Office – Student Support and Advocacy Services
302 Memorial Union; 401-874-2098
Health Services
Potter Building; 401-874-2246 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.)
Psychological Consultation Center
Chafee Social Science Center, Suite 100; 401-874-4264
Couples and Family Therapy Clinic
Transition Center, 2 Lower College Rd.; 401-874-5956
Employee Assistance Program
Click here for more information
Campus Chaplains
URI Chaplains Association; 401-874-2740
