1 Tell our readers a little bit about the Harrington School’s new “media hub.”
The Harrington Hub for Global Leadership in Communication and Media is a state-of-the-art facility in the beautifully restored Ranger Hall, smack in the middle of the University of Rhode Island’s quadrangle. It offers modern, active-learning classrooms, video and audio editing suites, a film-screening room, digital-innovation lab, living and learning room, on-site advising, and media-equipment center where students borrow and learn how to use a range of technology, from high-end cameras to virtual-reality headsets. All computers in the hub are loaded with Adobe Creative Cloud and design and editing software.
2 Where did the funding come from to pay for this project?
State, university and private money funded this project, including gifts from members of our executive advisory board – representing IBM, CNN, NBCUniversal, HBO, Alex and Ani, CBS, Warner Bros., Fidelity, and dozens of other corporate partners.
3 How do you expect the new facility to impact the school and its students?
Our new facility will ensure we continue to graduate the leaders of tomorrow by using cutting-edge learning spaces, technology and software. We expect this $6.5 million expansion will also increase enrollment, since many students make decisions on where to attend college based on the availability of what we now offer – a communication and media hub that rivals any in the country.
4 How will the school maintain ‘state-of-the-art’ quality with the fast-evolving nature of media technology?
We planned this facility with the appropriate wiring in the walls to make it flexible. We can swap in new technology as it becomes available. Our greatest resource, however, is our faculty. They keep an eye on industry trends, and some work in the industry at the same time as they teach.
5 What’s the school’s most popular major and how is that reflective of the communications industry at-large?
We’ve noticed a surge of interest in film and media and public relations, but communication studies remains our largest program. Enrollment in our library and information studies and journalism programs is also up, particularly due to their focus on multimedia. Most of our 1,600 students double major in our programs, all of them take courses in more than one. •
