Never Say Never

First-generation graduate defies his own expectations

Inever even thought I could make it into college,” says Dario Castillo.

He made it, in part, thanks to a high school guidance counselor who pointed him toward the URI Talent Development (TD) table during a college recruitment event. Until that moment, Castillo hadn’t considered college a viable option, financially or academically.

“I went to Cranston High School West, a predominantly white high school, and kids with 4.0 GPAs were thinking about college,” he says. But after that nudge from the guidance counselor, he found himself applying to URI and being accepted through the Talent Development program. TD provides students from underrepresented backgrounds with comprehensive support, from financial aid to academic counseling. Established in 1968, it now has more than 4,000 alumni and welcomes 350 students per year.

Castillo’s path to a Bachelor of Science in marine biology was an uneven one, until he caught the attention of Professor Bradley Wetherbee during a class about the biology of sharks. Castillo laughs as he tells the story: “He was like, ‘You, in the back seat, are you on your phone?’” After that, Wetherbee continued to call on Castillo in class, and Castillo thrived.

“I started really focusing with my studies, and he just brought me under his wing. Honestly, he’s helped me through everything.” Everything includes being one of the first students in the country to be selected for a National Geographic fieldwork program, as well as receiving a URI Science and Engineering Fellowship.

Castillo graduated in December 2021, after spending months conducting research on sharks and stingrays. After graduation, he began an internship at the Narragansett Bay Campus for the USDA, researching oysters to see which kinds are most resilient and disease resistant. He loves his work, and he loves wearing his lab coat, something he dreamed about when he was a kid.

Meanwhile, his parents love telling anyone they meet that their son, the first person in their family to get a college degree, is a marine biologist. This part Castillo doesn’t love so much: “Every time we go out to eat, they mention it. I just sit there and try to be humble.”

“I started really focusing with my studies, and he just brought me under his wing. Honestly, he’s helped me through everything.”

–DARIO CASTILLO ’21

Asst. Dean of Students Jacqui Springer Ensuring Student Success

In the last academic year, 430 students needed critical assistance to secure food, housing, physical and mental health care, academic support, and more.

The office of Student Support and Advocacy Services, led by Assistant Dean of Students Jacqui Springer, collaborates with University departments and outside agencies to make sure that undergraduates and graduate students have what they need to succeed, whether that means pursuing a big opportunity or simply finding a way to stay enrolled. Currentuse gifts, including $180,000 to the Students First Fund, help with that.

“Our goal is to enable students to complete their degrees,” said Springer. “Having money to pay an outstanding balance and eat, cover the unexpected cost of course materials, or address an urgent need through the Students First Fund has a huge impact on hundreds of students each year. The generosity of URI alumni and friends is deeply appreciated across the University.”