President’s Assistant, Jean More (Rec. Gr. 6)

Historical note

Before being employed in the Communications Department of the University of Rhode Island, Jeanne Moore acquired an impressive educational background. Her degrees included a B.S. in Nursing from The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, a B.S. in Technical Journalism from Oregon State University, and an MBA with a marketing emphasis from The University of Rhode Island. Moore participated in several science writing internships from 1972-1975 and then moved on to become the Director of Public Relations at Butler Hospital, in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1977, she became the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island. In this position she was in charge of all media relations and acted as the hospital's spokesperson. Jeanne Moore was hired by the University of Rhode Island in 1982 to serve as its Director of Communications. She was responsible for four departments: the University News Bureau, Photography, Radio and Television, and Publications. During Moore's tenure the publication, “The University Pacer” was created as an organ of the University to encourage funding and promote the University's research accomplishments. One of Moore's primary functions was to manage the University Relations Program, this included marketing and advertising activities, designing, printing, and distributing of reports and brochures promoting the University. Moore was also instrumental in the planning and coordinating of campaigns for bond issues. She was successful in promoting three such bond initiatives: $4.8 million in 1982, $8.7 million in 1986, and $17.7 million in 1988. In 1992 Moore became the Assistant Vice President of Communications and Information and her work became increasingly focused upon the legislative agenda of the University. Moore became the head of the URI Grassroots Network in 1996. This volunteer program was dedicated to supporting the University’s government relations and legislative agenda at the community, local, and state levels. Moore served as the primary lobbyist and spokesperson for URI, working in both Rhode Island and Washington, DC. Her efforts on behalf of URI contributed to the success of eight higher education bond issues that produced about $150 million for URI. Moore retired in January of 2001 and Andrea Hopkins was named as her successor.