Kingston, R.I. – April 10, 2025 – Laurie White ’81 has made a $350,000 gift to expand on the successful Taricani Lecture Series on First Amendment Rights at the Harrington School of Communication and Media. It establishes the Taricani Visiting Journalist Fund, which will bring established journalists to teach at URI for a short-term residency. 

Visiting journalists will co-teach courses, lead workshops, and partner with faculty to conduct research. These individuals will share their expertise with Harrington School students, providing mentorship, guidance, and insights into the world of professional journalism.  

Walter Robinson, editor at large for the Boston Globe, was recently named the first Taricani Visiting Journalist. He has reported for the Globe from 33 countries and 48 states. He led the Spotlight Team’s investigation that uncovered the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal, for which the Globe was awarded several national journalism prizes, including the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.

“We wanted to evolve the lecture series to expand its impact directly with students,” said White. “Through mentorship and guidance, students will engage in a 360-degree experience that goes beyond the surface level and will truly influence them as they enter the workforce after graduation.”

“With this gift, URI will elevate its profile as a destination for informative discussions regarding journalism and the First Amendment,” said Jen Riley, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “The professional expertise that the Taricani Visiting Journalist Fund brings to campus will be key to developing the next generation of journalists.”

Laurie White is president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce — Rhode Island’s largest private-sector business and economic development organization. She is also chief executive of the Greater Providence Chamber Foundation, which serves the private sector by generating new business investments in Rhode Island. 

The Taricani Lecture Series on First Amendment Rights was established in 2019 in memory of James Taricani Hon. ’18 to carry on his legacy of championing First Amendment rights as an award-winning investigative journalist. The series has provided students, faculty, and the broader URI community an opportunity to engage with these issues through an annual public lecture featuring courageous journalists with powerful stories to share. 

The Taricani Visiting Journalist Fund will build on the series’ success to train the next generation of responsible journalists with the same steadfast values, ethics, and purpose that were hallmarks of Jim Taricani’s career. Taricani was the recipient of numerous national journalism honors during his career at WJAR-TV NBC-10 in Rhode Island, including the prestigious Freedom of the Press Award from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.