Juliana Leopre ’24, communication studies and journalism with a minor in political science, has been a central member of the Kingston campus community throughout her time at URI. As a member of The Good Five Cent Cigar, Lepore worked her way up from her first week at URI as a contributing reporter to editor-in-chief in 2023. In these roles, Lepore impacted and mentored many students while serving the community. This year, Lepore has also served as a tutor in the Undergraduate Writing Center and as a Harrington ambassador, where she has continued to interact with prospective and current students. After graduating, Lepore will join WTNH-TV in New Haven, CT, as a digital site producer.

Why did you choose URI and the journalism program?

I chose URI because I felt like it had everything that I wanted in a school. I’m from Connecticut, and I knew that I wanted to be far from home without being too far, so the location of RI to CT was a perfect fit. I wanted a school with lots of activities and school spirit, that was a decent size where I could meet new people, and that would help me succeed academically, and URI checked all of those boxes. I chose the journalism program because I loved how it was under the umbrella of the Harrington School. A lot of schools I’d toured didn’t have a specific and prestigious communications school, and I liked how URI prioritized the communications fields. Additionally, they had just opened our state-of-the-art broadcast studio and that was a large appeal for me as well.

What is something special about the Journalism program at URI? 

Something that I love about the journalism program is that we are a small but mighty degree program. The small class sizes made it easy to create relationships with my classmates and professors. You also almost always have classes with the same people semester after semester, so it’s easy to create bonds and friendships with your peers. The journalism program also gives you a chance to learn about a lot of different forms of journalism, like broadcast, print, and digital. 

What do you have planned after graduation?

I don’t have anything specifically lined up as of yet, but I am hoping to work at a news station either in Rhode Island or in my home state of Connecticut as a digital producer or a newscast producer. I know that I will take the skills that I’ve learned through the journalism program here and be able to apply them wherever I go.

What is your favorite memory from URI? 

My favorite memory at URI is definitely being a part of our student newspaper, The Good Five Cent Cigar. I was involved with the organization from the start of my freshman year and had the chance to serve as the editor-in-chief in 2023. I was able to learn so much about journalism and myself through my involvement in the paper. I was surrounded by so many like-minded individuals that I now get to call some of my best friends. We had a lot of laughs in the Cigar office, and being involved in the paper was the best decision I made in college.

What advice would you give to students who are starting college?

I would tell my freshman-year self that there is so much of college that you don’t even know yet. I started my time at URI in 2020 when classes were online, and there was little chance to have social interaction outside of the people living in your dorm. I had a wonderful time my freshman year and was able to meet my best friends, but I had no idea what was to come: the people, the memories, the experiences, the fun that I would have over the next four years. So, I would tell my freshman-year self that there’s a whole world out there that you don’t even know of yet.