Emily Bernstein was inspired by recent research she had done about the Octopus, a sea creature with fascinating features. There are 300 species of Octopus living in all the oceans of the world. They have a variety of physical and behavioral characteristics and have a high degree of intelligence, possessing 3 brains. There is a wonderful Netflix documentary “My Octopus Teacher” giving many insights into the uniqueness of this creature.
Announcements
President Pete Brock advised that things are proceeding well for The Legends For Literacy Gala with about $50,000 in sponsorships being secured. Fifteen Legend attendees have been confirmed, including Malcom Mitchell. Liz Messier requested that sponsors advise the identity of guests at their tables to expedite the registration process at The Gala.
Induction of New Members
President Pete inducted 3 new Providence Rotary Club Members - Paul Pimentel, Gregory Lemoi & Armen Janigian, all of whom are executives with The Washington Trust Co.
Happy Bucks
Pete Brock was $ 10 happy for attending The University Of Colorado Living Legends celebration to which he was inducted last year.
Jonathan Kaufman was $37 happy as he and his partner have recently adopted baby Sophie.
Cap Wiley was $2 happy for attending a meeting of 100 RI business people in Washington DC sponsored by Senator Jack Reed, at the meeting he asked Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin if we should worry about the National Debt and she said don’t worry.
Art Norwalk gave a happy buck for the arrival of The Owl technology which will enhance our Zoom capability.
Speaker
The Club was addressed by Greg Bowman, Dean of Roger Williams University Law School. Dean Bowman received his JD degree from Northwestern University Law School and prior to his educational career he practiced international trade law in Chicago and Washington DC. He has a Rotary connection in that his parents were Rotarians, and he was a Rotary Exchange student studying in Denmark. His experience in Denmark and Europe led him to aspire to a career in International Law.
The Roger Williams Law School has 480 students and 80 faculty and staff functioning in campuses in Bristol and Providence. The school has 2 Institutes - The Marine Affairs Institute and The Institute For Race And The Law. The school is the only law school in Rhode Island and one of 2 privately run law schools in New England. As a private institution they can make innovations more quickly and smoothly than state run schools. This feature is particularly important now as law schools are going through a "Renaissance" period along with society in which rapid technological change requires the ability to rapidly innovate way things are done without changing the core mission of the school to produce ethical, innovative and effective advocates for clients.
In carrying out this mission the school has developed hybrid programs like flexible online study opportunities and has increased its focus on clinics. The school is unique in that all students participate either in an internship or a clinic in which students led by a professor provide legal services to those unable to afford it. Dean Bowman described these clinics as "the largest and most impactful law firm in Rhode Island" in providing legal services to those unable to afford them.
The Roger Williams Law School has 480 students and 80 faculty and staff functioning in campuses in Bristol and Providence. The school has 2 Institutes - The Marine Affairs Institute and The Institute For Race And The Law. The school is the only law school in Rhode Island and one of 2 privately run law schools in New England. As a private institution they can make innovations more quickly and smoothly than state run schools. This feature is particularly important now as law schools are going through a "Renaissance" period along with society in which rapid technological change requires the ability to rapidly innovate way things are done without changing the core mission of the school to produce ethical, innovative and effective advocates for clients. 
