Helmut Augenstein of Warwick and the late Alexander Daunis of Barrington founded and operated the Jewel Case Corp. in Providence, a manufacturer of metal display boxes for jewelry, for 25 years. He introduced Daunis to the rod and reel and soon his business partner became hooked. Most Thursdays the two would go deep sea fishing, combining business with pleasure by taking clients and friends along. Finally, the retired businessman hit upon an idea-an endowed scholarship fund at the University of Rhode Island for students enrolled in URI's fisheries and aquaculture technology program. Augenstein says he chose URI because of its fine reputation in the marine sciences and because his son Helmut T. is a URI alumnus.
Fisheries management is regional as fish are migratory.
It's important to be able to offer scholarships to students from the northeast region. Dealteris says the goal of URI's program is to help develop sustainable fisheries, to avoid boom and bust years. They are collecting data, analyzing samples, studying behavior, or helping to rebuild stocks. Augenstein, the retired businessman, is pleased the Alexander D. Daunis Memorial Scholarship fund will help future fishermen catch some action. All rights reserved.