Harrington School Alumni

The Harrington School of Communication and Media has cultivated and trained Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, Emmy Award-winning filmmakers, and renowned communicators. Our graduates are prepared to be successful in any field or industry.

Harrington School alums regularly return to share their experiences after graduation. Learn more about their paths to success.

Features

Michele Edelman ’89

Michele Edelman, journalism, looks back fondly on her time at the University of Rhode Island. Edelman has been instrumental in realizing Premiere Digital's vision and strategically positioning it for sustained success in the realm of digital distribution.

Scott Levine ’90

Scott Levine, communication studies, was an active student during his time at URI, being involved in the Student Alumni Association during the 1988 basketball season. Today he is the Director of Human Capital at Parthenon Capital.

Michael Benadon ’93

Michael Benadon, communication studies and public relations, is the Vice President of Talent Acquisition for Capital One. At URI, Benadon took advantage of his courses at URI to become a proficient public speaker.

Jason Askew ’01

Jason Askew, public relations and communication studies, discovered his passion for communication his sophomore year after learning about the opportunities for communication majors. Today, he is a Senior Product Marketing Manager at Cvent.

David Goldman ’98

David Goldman, journalism and Spanish, came to URI to pursue his love of surfing but developed a passion for photojournalism at the Good Five Cent Cigar. Today, Goldman is a photojournalist for the Associated Press.

Aniekan Okon ’23

Aniekan Okon, journalism and sports media & communication, was part of the inaugural class of graduates from the sports media program. Today, he works as a Sports Anchor and Reporter at CBS19 News in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Nikki Noya ’00

Nikki Noya, communication studies, was an A10-winning volleyball player and dedicated student during her time at URI. Today, she is a co-owner of On It Media and a co-host on “The Jet Set.”

Bill Loveless ’73

Bill Loveless, journalism, has been a reporter and correspondent for more than 40 years. During his time at URI, Loveless was one of the founding members and the third editor of the Good Five Cent Cigar.

Aria Mia Loberti ’20

“I’m an academic, so I have to use what I know to prepare. I did a lot of research into what makes a person behave the way they do and what life factors contribute to certain behaviors.”

Alumni-Student Mentoring

Many of our dedicated alums have taken the chance to mentor current Harrington students. Students have had the opportunity to meet with alumni at mentoring events and on trips to Providence and New York City.

Lindsey Potter ’00, public relations and communication studies, met with students at the fall 2023 mentoring event.

Dan Kessler ’08, communication studies and sociology, met with students at the fall 2023 mentoring event.

Meaghan Wims ’02, journalism and political science, met with students at the fall 2023 mentoring event.

Peter Girard ’12, communication studies, met with students at the fall 2023 mentoring event.

Tim Viall ’13, public relations, met with students at the fall 2023 mentoring event.

Courtney Lusignan ’08, communication studies, met with students at the fall 2023 mentoring event.

Sports Media students visited and toured the NBA offices in New Jersey on the NYC trip.

At the CBS News Offices, journalism students had the chance to meet anchors Vladimir Duthiers ’91, Errol Barnett, and Lana Zak.

Communication studies students visit Walmart Connect’s office to learn about retail advertising.

Public relations students visit MikeWorldWide, a public relations firm in New York City.

Harrington students visited IGT in Providence to learn about its global business and the opportunities that IGT offers for students.

Students had the chance to ask Bob Vincent ’75 and other IGT employees about their path to success.

Our Executive Advisory Council of industry leaders and committed supporters provide Harrington School students with the network and resources to succeed in their careers. The council includes founders of the Harrington School, Dick ’73 and Jean Harrington, and alums who work at companies including CBS, Condé Nast, ESPN, and IBM.