The University of Rhode Island is getting a $35 million gift from former CVS president and CEO Thomas Ryan and his wife, Cathy, the largest private contribution in the school's history.
The gift announced Monday includes $24 million for the George & Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience to expand research and teaching capacity in neuroscience; $10 million to establish the Thomas M. Ryan Scholars program to attract more high-performing students; and $1 million to the men's and women's basketball programs.
The latest contribution brings the Ryans' cumulative giving total to URI to more than $56 million.
URI President David Dooley called it an "extraordinary gift."
Thomas Ryan in a statement said he hopes the money "will allow URI to maintain its trajectory as a top-flight university for teaching and learning."
