Office of the President

More than 80,000 graduates call the Community College of Rhode Island their alma mater, and I invite you to learn how the largest public institution of higher education in the state can support your postsecondary academic success.

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Message from the President

Welcome to the Community College of Rhode Island!

More than 80,000 graduates call the Community College of Rhode Island their alma mater, and I invite you to learn how the largest public institution of higher education in the state can support your postsecondary academic success.

Whether you plan to transfer to a four-year college or work for one of Rhode Island’s high-wage, high-demand employers after graduation, at CCRI you will find a community of dedicated faculty and staff members working together to support you through graduation.

Here, our Guided Pathways will provide you with clear Academic and Career Paths to graduation in one of our 90-plus programs leading to a seamless transfer to Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island. When you select one of our seven paths, you will become a member of a learning community, form relationships with other students who share your interests, interact with faculty in your area of study and receive guidance geared to your career goals.

Across the college, we are collaborating on initiatives that support our Strategic Plan goals to enhance student success and completion; expand partnerships and programs; and strengthen our institutional effectiveness. We are all working every day to support you from the moment you first arrive on our campus until you cross our graduation stage.

Our CCRI community is inclusive and diverse. We serve first-generation college students, recent high school graduates and working adults. We educate veterans who have returned from deployment and are embarking on their second career. We serve high school seniors enrolled through our Running Start program, eager to get a head start on the college experience, and we welcome adult learners who are setting foot inside an institution of higher learning for the first time after many years. Our diversity is a point of pride for us, and our students inspire us every day.

We know higher education enriches the lives of our students and their families, and we are proud to provide all Rhode Islanders with the opportunity to successfully pursue postsecondary education and high-quality employment.

My team and I look forward to seeing you on campus and supporting your success as a member of our CCRI community.


Sincerely,
Rosemary A. Costigan, Ph.D., RN
President
Community College of Rhode Island

 

Biography: Dr. Rosemary A. Costigan

On June 18, 2025, the Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education voted unanimously to name Rosemary Costigan, Ph.D., RN, as president of Community College of Rhode Island. She is the college’s sixth president and first alumna to serve as the college’s president. A proud graduate of Pawtucket West High School (now Shea High School) and CCRI’s own Nursing Program (then Rhode Island Junior College), Dr. Costigan embodies the full promise and potential of a CCRI education.

A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Costigan is deeply committed to advancing access, equity, and excellence in higher education. Since her appointment as Interim President in September 2023, she has guided the college through a period of bold transformation and growth. Under her leadership, CCRI earned a full 10-year reaccreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), joined the prestigious Achieving the Dream network—affirming a college-wide commitment to data-informed decision-making and equitable student outcomes—and secured the largest private donation in CCRI’s history: a $2 million gift to redesign and strengthen developmental education.

Dr. Costigan began her career in CCRI’s classrooms, where she spent over 15 years teaching and mentoring nursing students as a faculty member and Department Chair. Her passion for academic excellence and student success led her into senior leadership, including roles as Assistant Dean of Nursing Education and then Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA). As VPAA, she launched the college’s first Academic Master Plan, expanded online learning, promoted faculty-led professional development, and implemented Guided Pathways to help students stay on track and graduate.

During the C2025OVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Costigan led CCRI’s rapid pivot to remote instruction—shifting the college’s academic operations online within just two weeks. She also played a key role in strengthening shared governance through the launch of a Faculty Senate.

Since stepping into the presidency, Dr. Costigan has accelerated the college’s momentum, launching accelerated terms, expanding early college access and work-based learning, and creating CCRI Advantage to eliminate barriers in developmental education and improve student outcomes.

Dr. Costigan holds an Associate Degree in Nursing from CCRI (then RI Junior College), a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rhode Island College and both a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing from the University of Rhode Island. She serves on the Board of Trustees for Davies Career & Technical High School and has served as a peer evaluator for both NECHE and ACEN. Among her many honors, she was inducted into the CCRI Society of Knights in 2016, named one of Providence Business News’ Business Women of the Year in 2024, and received both the Rosemary Wood Nursing Leadership Award and the Academic Excellence Award from the Hospital Association of Rhode Island.

A dedicated community leader, mother of five, and grandmother of eight, Dr. Costigan is committed to ensuring CCRI remains a beacon of opportunity, empowerment, and upward mobility for all Rhode Islanders.

 

Contact the President

Rosemary A. Costigan, Ph.D., RN

 

Presidents office hours

Office hours are available by appointment, according to the following schedule:

  • Fourth Tuesday of each month from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
  • Fourth Wednesday of each month from 9 to 10 a.m.
Please email [email protected] to schedule a meeting.

 

Request the President’s Attendance

If you would like to request that the President attend a college-related event or class, please download, fill out, and submit this electronic form.

Request the President’s Attendance

Request to Use the CCRI President’s House

If you would like to request use of the CCRI President’s House, please fill out and submit this electronic form.

Use the CCRI President’s House

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