Published on November 3, 2025 by Gunnar Sadowey  
Laura Hackett
Laura Hackett

Samford University’s Howard College of Arts and Sciences will host the 2025 Timothy Sumner Robinson Forum on Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 5–6 p.m. in the Regions Room of Cooney Hall. The event will feature Laura Hackett, an Edward R. Murrow Award–winning journalist for Blue Ridge Public Radio.

Hackett’s reporting on Hurricane Helene and its aftermath has been recognized by the Online News Association, the Radio Television Digital News Association, and the Society of Professional Journalists. Her work has also been featured on NPR’s Marketplace and All Things Considered.

“Laura and her colleagues at Blue Ridge Public Radio have done amazing reporting that documents the immediate and long-term impacts Hurricane Helene has had in western North Carolina,” said Clay Carey, professor of journalism and mass communication. “I’m thrilled that our students will be able to hear about that work, and to learn more about the ways journalism can help communities recover from crisis and grow stronger.”

The Robinson Forum honors the legacy of its namesake, a distinguished Washington Post journalist and Samford alumnus. Each year, the event brings accomplished media professionals to campus to engage students in discussions about journalism, ethics and the public good.

The forum is free and open to the public, and local community members are encouraged to attend.

GIVE: Support impactful work at Howard College of Arts and Sciences.

 
Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford enrolls 6,324 students from 44 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford is widely recognized as having one of the most beautiful campuses in America, featuring rolling hills, meticulously maintained grounds and Georgian-Colonial architecture. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second-highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.