Michael Paul Williams Named 2021 Recipient of the Pell Center Prize for Story in the Public Square
NEWPORT, R.I.—Michael Paul Williams, a long-time columnist for The Richmond Times Dispatch, has been named the 2021 recipient of the Pell Center Prize for Story in the Public Square. Awarded since 2013, the prize honors storytellers whose work has a meaningful, positive impact on the public dialogue. Williams joined The Times Dispatch in 1982 and covered local government for a decade before becoming a columnist for the paper a decade … Read More
2021 Fall Event Series Announced
We are pleased to announce our 2021 fall event series. Tickets to these events are free and will be available about two weeks prior to the event date. Please RSVP for each event on the Pell Center’s Eventbrite page and call 401-341-2927 or email pellce[email protected] with questions. Scroll to the bottom of this page to sign up for our email list and be notified when tickets become available. While we currently plan … Read More
“Story in the Public Square:” A Look Back at One Year in Virtual Production
Above: Author and comedian Gina Brillon prepares to tape an episode of “Story in the Public Square” virtually with hosts Jim Ludes and G. Wayne Miller in November 2020. Below: Jim Ludes’ home studio. In early 2020, news of the coronavirus’ spread across the globe made headlines. As the first cases emerged in Rhode Island, schools and offices closed; it became clear production of “Story in the Public Square” was … Read More
Fifty-Six Rhode Island Students Awarded Pell Medal for Excellence in U.S. History
Newport, R.I. — Fifty-six students from across Rhode Island have earned the Herbert and Claiborne Pell Medal for U.S. History this year. The award was originally presented by Senator Claiborne Pell and his wife, Mrs. Nuala Pell, recognizes college and high school students in the state who have excelled in U.S. History. Established by the Pell family, the Pell Medal is named for Representative Herbert C. Pell and his son, Senator Claiborne Pell. … Read More
Season Seven of “Story in the Public Square” Set for July Premier
May 17, 2021, NEWPORT, RI – “Story in the Public Square,” the four-time Telly-Award winning series from the Pell Center at Salve Regina University and The Providence Journal, will debut its seventh national season on July 5, 2021. The season will feature 24 new episodes seen nationally on public television and heard nationally on SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s P.O.T.U.S. channel “Story in the Public Square” provides insights and perspectives into culture, politics … Read More
Recap: Reading Across Rhode Island Kick-Off Event: “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You”
On March 11, 2021 Salve Regina University’s Pell Center and the Rhode Island Center for the Book hosted a virtual kick-off event for the 2021 “Reading Across Rhode Island” statewide read, “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You.” The floor was opened to audience members to ask questions for guest speakers Providence Rhode Island Mayor Jorge Elorza, Valerie Tutson, a founding member and executive director of the Rhode Island Black Storytellers, and … Read More
Recap: “The Future of U.S.-India Relations with Ambassador Richard Verma”
The relationship between the United States and India has long been complicated. On March 3, 2020, Salve Regina’s Pell Center Executive Director Dr. Jim Ludes hosted Ambassador Richard Verma, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to India during the Obama administration. Verma addressed the current relationship between the U.S. and India, India’s role in global and regional affairs, and how the Biden administration might approach India on everything from China … Read More
Remembering Vartan Gregorian
In the last quarter of the 20th century, and the first quarter of the 21st, few figures in the worlds of philanthropy and higher education tower as large as Vartan Gregorian. An immigrant who understood the power of America’s role in the world, a champion of peace, international dialogue, and social justice, the institutions Dr. Gregorian led—including the New York Public Library, Brown University, and the Carnegie Corporation of New … Read More
“Recap: COVID-19 Vaccines: Rumors, Disinformation and the Truth with Dr. Megan Ranney”
With the rise of COVID-19, rumors and disinformation about the coronavirus have spread throughout the United States and the world. It seemed as if everyone had different knowledge about the coronavirus, and for many, it was been hard to distinguish between truth and fiction. After the coronavirus vaccines were approved, the confusion and misinformation began to circulate once more. On February 10, at 7:00 p.m., Pell Center Executive Director Dr. … Read More
Recap: “Keeping the Faith: The Past and Future of Civil Rights” with Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr.
On January 20, 2021, Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States of America. Changes are anticipated, and many are anxious about whether President Biden will deliver on the promises he made during his speeches pre-inauguration. One of the biggest and most anticipated topics that everyone has on their minds is racial justice and the future it has. The night after the inauguration, Salve Regina University’s … Read More