PROVIDENCE R.I. – The audience applauded loudly on Mar. 30, 2009 when Brown University’s President Ruth J. Simmons introduced the former Prime Minster of Italy and former president of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, to talk about the state of Europe in today’s world.

As a college student, naturally I am all about pinching pennies. I work two part-time minimum wage jobs and am searching to get a third. Between insurance money, gas, credit card debt and student loans, I can barely find a couple bucks to spend on a fresh Dunkin Donuts’ coffee.

Nestled among the historic winding cobblestone streets of Newport, R.I., is the quaint European- inspired coffee shop, Spring Street Espresso. Noted by the clientele as home to the best quality cup of coffee in town, owner Jack MacDonald has raised the standards for everything from espresso to lattés.

In 1997, Madeline Nugent had an idea for how she could help women in crisis pregnancies. Twelve years, several offices and a couple of states later, what began as a small idea is now helping women in crisis pregnancies on Aquidneck Island in a big way. Nugent, now a prominent member of the Board of Directors at her organization, gave a tour of the deceptively tiny, multi-operational building on Broadway that houses her brainchild.

The crowd piled in and took their seats in the small, but intimate Megley Theatre as they waited for the large production of A Little Night Music. The cast of 20 controlled the stage from beginning to end, and the play was a complete success.

A Little Night Music is based on a book by Hugh Wheeler, and was adapted into musical form by Stephen Sondheim.