Pelzer has enjoyed connecting with others with shared interests through the Gaming Club, University Singers, SABU and the Office of Sustainability.
Journalism and Mass Communications
W&L’s student-run social media team arrived this fall ready to explore multiple social media platforms and showcase the vibrance of the Fall Term.
Veronika Kolosova ’25 has explored the liberal arts experience at W&L through campus involvement and an interdisciplinary approach to her studies.
Marty Baron’s Oct. 1 talk is open to the public.
A philosophy class Leahy’s first semester led to a passion for thinking about different perspectives and relating to others’ experiences.
In Case You Missed It
Eliza Spaht ’26 took a course on the economics of winemaking with the Council on International Educational Exchange’s Business and Culture program in Barcelona, Spain.
The recently retired journalism professor was cited as a preeminent figure in the field of media ethics.
Alex Maragos ’13’s love of journalism started through the profession’s inside access to sports. He brings it full circle in covering the 2024 Paris Olympics for NBC 5 Chicago.
Melos Ambaye ’25 is helping children in Ethiopia as part of her Shepherd summer internship.
Arnold packed his four years at W&L with academic and athletic opportunities, studying abroad and pursuing his interest in broadcasting.
The film claimed silver at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards Festival Gala on April 16.
The reporter and podcast host won a 2023 National Edward R. Murrow Award for her part in BURNED, which investigated failures by the U.S. Forest Service to protect California towns from potential high-risk wildfires.
Baker Amos will discuss the evolutions of ethics in communications in her March 26 lecture.
‘Wes Bound: The Genius of Wes Montgomery’ will begin airing nationwide Feb. 1.
Martin Baron’s talk will be held on Feb. 13 and is open to the public.
The Gilman Scholarship Program offers awards of up to $5,000 to U.S. undergraduate students who are Pell Grant recipients.
Blue Marble published a conversation with Aly Colón about providing balanced coverage of a crisis.
The Bloomberg reporter was recognized for her work on investigative podcast “In Trust.”
Charlotte Dross ’23 is working in public relations as a postgraduate intern at Jackson Spalding.
W&L’s campus culture — from small classes to the Speaking Tradition — gave Lemon the communication skills and confidence to succeed.
Aly Colón created and organized “Covering Faith and the Faithful” seminars for journalists in Los Angeles and New York City.
Young learned the critical skills to excel at her job from the veteran journalists in Reid Hall.
Professor Dayo Abah will dive into leadership programming designed to support a transition into higher education leadership.
Pernell has been awarded a Young Professional Journalist Program Award to conduct research and gain career experience in Germany.
Mott will pursue a master’s degree in digital media and society at Cardiff University.
Nancy Reinhart '00 is a midwife and health care practitioner who empowers women and families during their pregnancy.
Mark Coddington is an associate professor of journalism.
Avalon Pernell ’23 credits the mentorship she received on campus as she launches her career in business journalism.
Writer and director LaKeisha Fleming ’95 is the founder of Vision 2:2 Productions.
Professor Adedayo Abah will travel to Tanzania to help build a master’s degree program in communications at the University of Dar es Salaam.
The New York Times investigative reporters will give a public talk on Jan. 24 at 5 p.m. in Stackhouse Theater, followed by a book signing.
Kevin Finch is nearing completion of his film documentary on celebrated jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery.
Allen will give a public talk on the W&L campus on Oct. 31 at 4 p.m. in Stackhouse Theater.
Despite challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, many students were able to travel this summer for valuable professional experience in other countries.
This fall, Jin Ni ’22 will pursue her master’s degree in human rights at University College London in the United Kingdom.
Lily Mott '23 is interning this summer at News Over Audio in Dublin, Ireland, where she is finding fulfillment at the intersection of politics and journalism.
Bridget Osas ’25 is researching behavioral impacts on the development of metabolic syndromes like obesity.
Spanfeller will be applying her studies in sociology and strategic communication to her new role as an editorial assistant for Women's Health magazine.
Sharman will put his degrees to use in a position on Capitol Hill.
Professor Aly Colón was interviewed in an article titled “As America watched Jan. 6 hearing, Fox viewers heard Tucker Carlson’s alternate reality.”
Fugate will use her graduate research fellowship from the National Science Foundation to study the migration patterns of bison in Yellowstone National Park.
De Maria, a longtime professor and manager of the university’s radio station and television studio, was a beloved mentor to students and a cherished colleague and friend to many in the university community.
Hailer will give a public lecture on March 31 at 6 p.m. in Northen Auditorium inside Leyburn Library.
Bonnie Davis is a visiting professor of journalism at Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee’s Aly Colón will host a conversation with Krissah Thompson from The Washington Post via Zoom on Nov. 9.
Cox is an award-winning historian and a distinguished lecturer for the Organization of American Historians.
Professor Aly Colón was interviewed in an article titled “Suspended from social media, Donald Trump has found a new, old way to spread falsehoods.”
Professor Aly Colón published an article describing the best practices for consuming news in The Conversation.
In a shifting media landscape, Ted Williams ’07 and Mike Allen ’86 are focused on reigniting local journalism through a new business venture.
The Feb. 24 talk, which is free and open to the public to view online, is titled “A Conversation with David Fahrenthold of the Washington Post: Unraveling the Troubled, Secretive Trump Empire.”
Students in Professor Dayo Abah’s Principles of Public Relations class worked with a Lexington nonprofit to make a life skills book for clients who are trying to get back on their feet.
Journalism Professor Toni Locy appears in multiple episodes of the new docuseries "Trial 4."
Elizabeth Kolbert, a staff writer for The New Yorker, will give a virtual lecture on Oct. 29 at 5 p.m.
The book provides media professionals with the savvy they need to navigate the world of finance and money.
Fifteen W&L faculty members and two alumnae have signed on to help teach a Fall Term course that will cover multiple aspects of the COVID-19 crisis.
W&L journalism professor Aly Colón is quoted in a piece about a recent decision by the AP Stylebook and other journalism institutions to begin capitalizing the B in Black in articles about people and culture.
In a piece published in The Nation, Locy asserts that General Robert E. Lee does not deserve to be associated with W&L.
Avalon Pernell, a rising sophomore from Alabama, appeared on a “College Roundtable” segment that featured college journalists interviewing the mayor of Pittsburgh.
The recent graduate of Washington and Lee University won a combined scholarship of $8,500 for her second-place win and article of the year award in the 60th Annual Hearst National Writing Championship.
Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, some Washington and Lee University journalism students learned that the news stops for nothing — not even a global pandemic.
When Kara Lough '20 found W&L, she found a supportive environment that allowed her to lead a magazine, study in Italy, work as a photographer and plan a career.
As city manager of New Rochelle, New York, Chuck Strome ’80 is at the center of New York's pandemic.
Kaylee Hartung '07, a graduate of the W&L journalism program, contracted the virus that causes COVID-19 while covering the outbreak in Washington State
Her talk, which is free and open to the public, is titled "Barely Legal: Political Ads, Social Media and #sponcon."
A panel discussion will feature six leading business journalists who cover big financial and economic stories.
As director of communications for Mock Con 2020, Annie Lentz '20 applies her love of mass communications and politics to promote and protect a 112-year-old legacy.
“Running Home” tells the story of humanitarian, accomplished middle-distance runner and coach Tony Ruiz.
An all-student team has created a versatile app for Mock Con 2020, bringing ticketing, program information and image sharing onto attendees’ phones and eliminating thousands of pages of printed material.
Coddington’s book is titled “Aggregating the News: Secondhand Knowledge and the Erosion of Journalistic Authority.”
Hannah Denham ’20 won first place in a prestigious feature writing competition for a piece she wrote during an internship at The Washington Post.
Senior Laura Calhoun looks back at her W&L experience and celebrates the community she's built here.
The conversation will address how the news media grapples with ethics in confrontational times.
Pulitzer Prize winners Susanne Craig and Rachel Abrams to visit W&L Sept. 19
Maya Lora has always wanted to be a storyteller for public good. This summer, she did just that as a reporting intern for her hometown paper, the Miami Herald.
The screening, which is free and open to the public, will advance the Lexington conference of the South Sudanese Diaspora Network for Reconciliation and Peace (SSDNRP).
As the only intern for the Arena Football League's communications coordinator, journalism major Jimmie Johnson '20 has been able to pitch and create his own multimedia content.
Hannah Denham '20 and Maya Lora '20 earned awards for their reporting and writing.
Students took first place in three categories in the Society of Professional Journalists’ regional college journalism competition.
Baron became executive editor of the Post in 2013. There, he oversees print and digital news operations and a staff of more than 800 journalists.
Finch will give a public talk on March 20 at 4:30 p.m. on the main floor of Leyburn Library on the W&L campus.
Olubunmi is an entrepreneur and global advocate for migrants, refugees, and internally displaced people. Her talk, free and open to the public, is entitled “When Lions Write: Innovations in Advocacy.”
Washington and Lee will host a public screening of “Triton: America’s Deep Secret” on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. in Stackhouse Theater on the W&L campus.
Hannah Denham, ’20, is one of the top 20 finalists in the Hearst Journalism Awards’ enterprise writing contest.
“An Afternoon with Rebecca Traister,” on Feb. 11 at 5:30 p.m. in Northen Auditorium, is free and open to the public.
Hannah Denham '20 has combined business journalism with women and gender studies at W&L to create a liberal arts education that suits her interests and ambition.
In her speech, which is free and open to the public, Mourao will discuss the role news organizations play, not only in spinning news, but also in legitimizing topics and people.
Women in Technology workshops introduced Ruopeng Zhang '21 and Caroline Blackmon '19 to basic web development in a collaborative and fun environment. They urge other students to take advantage of the next round of workshops.
Alumnae business reporters recently visited W&L to offer advice and invite students to lean in and learn.
The discussion will take place Nov. 9. at 5:30 p.m. in Stackhouse Theater.
In his talk, which is free and open to the public, Barstow will discuss his coverage of the Trump administration and other projects.
In the op-ed, Professor Kevin Finch argues that Virginians should end the debate about debates.
Professor Kevin Finch, who just released a new documentary, loves that W&L faculty have “this wonderful combination of academic credentials and practical experience.”
Catherine Savoca ’19 explored the real estate development industry this summer as a sales and marketing intern in Lisbon, Portugal.
As a Presidential Leadership Scholar, Dana Bolden '89 discussed effective leadership styles with Presidents Bush and Clinton.
Pinho’s award is part of ODK’s 2018 General Russell E. Dougherty National Leader of the Year competition.
Ellen Kanzinger '18 provides a snapshot of the many opportunities she had to hone her photography skills at Washington and Lee.
Journalism professor Aly Colón weighs in on Fox News support of Hannity.
ODK inducted four honorary and seven student initiates
In addition, stories by two students were chosen as finalists in the SPJ Mark of Excellence national competition.
Hannah Falchuk '18 hopes to improve her cultural understanding and language proficiency in the country.
Swasy's piece was published in Splinter News.
From Lexington to London, Faith E. Pinho '18 has had a vast array of experiences.
In a recent visit to campus, Alisha Laventure ’09, a television news anchor in Dallas, told journalism students about how a national story became personal.
Laventure will speak on the ethical journalist’s role in the modern media age.
Journalism professor Aly Colón weighs in on Sam Nunberg interviews.
The title of his talk is “Common Sense in Uncommon Times: Lessons for the Digital and Physical Worlds.”
Majo Bustamante '18 was a marketing and communications intern for NASA Automotriz, the company that owns the rights to sell Ford and Volkswagen in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Dr. Jeffrey Lacker, former CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, will give the H. Parker Willis Lecture in Political Economy.
The three authors of “We Are Charleston” will talk on Feb. 15 at 6:00 p.m. in Stackhouse Theatre, Elrod Commons. It is free and open to the public.
Over the years, her reporting from disadvantaged communities in the United States and abroad has been awarded a Pulitzer Prize, a MacArthur Genius Grant and a National Magazine Award for Feature Writing.
Brett Strohsacker ’06, who played soccer and majored in mass communications at W&L, has worked his way to the top of the Philadelphia Eagles PR team.
The title of Deggans’ talk is: “Building Bridges, Not Walls: Decoding Media's Confusing Coverage of Race and Culture.”
As public information specialist for the airport in Austin, Texas, Kaela Harmon ’05 combines data analysis with creativity for the aviation industry.
Broadcast journalism opportunities have been plentiful at W&L for Ford Carson '18, but the highlight of his college career has been founding a satirical publication, The Radish.
Kathryn E. Young '19 got a Reynolds Business Scholarship that allowed her to intern at her hometown newspaper, the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
As a general assignment intern at The Roanoke Times, Rachel Hicks '19 learned how to be firm with difficult sources.
An internship at Warner Music Group in Nashville allowed Mary-Michael Teel '18 to marry her two loves: music and communications.
Jeremy Franklin has spent his life after college invested in his passion for music as the general manager of WLUR, W&L’s campus radio station.
Katrina Lewis' business reporting internship took her to the Boston Business Journal, where she covered real estate news and development.
Working for the documentary filmmaking company Ark Media allowed Claire Hoffert '18 to exercise her research muscles and learn new skills.
Caroline Blackmon interned this summer with The Dunwoody Crier in Georgia.
Abigail Summerville '19, a business journalism major, interned on the CNBC.com breaking news desk.
Professors share the inspiration for their first-year seminars, and what they hope students will take away.
Sandberg’s adaptation follows one character as he grapples with the unnerving grip Big Brother, the overpowering political party, has on Oceania.
Steele will speak on “Reflecting Before Reacting: Why Ethics Matters.”
The Journalism Department will host a conversation between Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Eric Eyre and First Amendment attorney Patrick McGinley.
Journalism professor Aly Colón shared his expertise with PolitiFact's Truth-O-Meter
Sutton Travis '19 gained a wide breadth of journalism experience as a summer intern at Texas Monthly magazine.
Farrell will speak on “Richard Nixon and Donald Trump: Two American Presidents and the Politics of Grievance.”
Elora Fucigna '19 completed an internship in social media and marketing for Ground Floor Farm, an urban farm in her hometown of Stuart, Florida.
Laura Wang '19 interned for the Shell company in Shanghai, putting her communications skills to the test and making new friends along the way.
Elly Cosgrove '19 stayed busy this summer with internships at the Greater Wilmington Business Journal and WECT (Channel 6).
Fahrenthold’s talk, titled "Journalism in the Time of Trump,” is free and open to the public.
Klinenberg's talk, “The Sociology of Connection: From Going Solo to Modern Romance,” is open to the public.
Matt Kaminer '18 stepped outside his comfort zone to work on some big stories during an internship with the Charlotte Observer.
Daisy Norwood-Kelly '18 worked in marketing research for Paramount Pictures over the summer.
Ellen Kanzinger's summer internship allowed her to work on films for the nonprofit GroundTruth Project in Boston, Massachusetts.
Kaela Harmon ’05 makes the case for airports to by combining data analysis with creativity
Journalism professor Aly Colón talks about the spread of fake news on The Academic Minute.
Helping the Charlotte Observer figure out what, where, when and how millennials consume news.
Michael Hudson '85 (pictured) and Scott Bronstein '93 both worked on the Pulitzer-winning Panama Papers investigation, which relied on the collaboration of some 400 journalists around the world.
Register now for the LACOL Popup Discussion, You Are the New Gatekeeper of the News, led by W&L's Aly Colón
Whether they were doing service work in Birmingham, touring firms in NYC, or climbing an ice-encrusted mountain in New Hampshire, Washington and Lee students made the most of Washington Break.
Alecia Swasy, Donald W. Reynolds Chair in Business Journalism, writes about the journalists' use of Twitter.
Marquita Robinson ’10 loves the uncertainty of life as a sitcom writer for “New Girl.”
Hannah Falchuk's passion for journalism has her reporting both in New York City and local Rockbridge.
Alecia Swasy, the Reynolds Professor of Business Journalism at W&L, will discuss her book, “How Journalists Use Twitter: The Changing Landscape of U.S. Newsrooms.”
Meet Ashley Faulkner ‘18, a University Ambassador with a passion for showing others why she loves W&L
Three nationally acclaimed journalists will participate in a discussion of the challenges facing the news media in covering the Trump administration.
Jill Geisler, the Bill Plante Chair in Leadership and Media Integrity at Loyola University Chicago, will deliver the keynote address at Washington and Lee University’s 63rd Institute in Media Ethics.
W&L's Colón's piece, "You are the new gatekeeper of the news," was recently published on The Conversation.
Marketing maven Tina Tison ’95 is inspired by tradition and innovation.
Sandra Reiter, associate professor of business administration at Washington and Lee University, will give a talk on Feb. 15 as part of W&L’s Roger Mudd Center for Ethics Markets and Morals series.
University of Maryland professor Jennifer Golbeck will speak on “Footprints in the Digital Dust: How Your Online Behavior Says More Than You Think.”
In an interview with the Christian Science Monitor, Colón points to the key questions that must be asked when determining if the graphic nature of a photograph outweighs its journalistic importance.
Witt Hawkins ’18, a global politics major and mass communications minor from Memphis, Tennessee, received a William Jefferson Clinton Scholarship to attend the American University in Dubai.
"It's been exciting to serve in this role and see others get interested in the advertising field, as well as having the opportunity to spend time and plan with several fabulous members of the Williams School staff."
"The conference is a great way to meet and network with alumni, and a leadership role with AdLib allows more opportunity to speak with and gain valuable advice from alumni in my interested field."
Alecia Swasy's new book tackles the impact of social media on journalism.
Alecia Swasy, Donald W. Reynolds Chair in Business Journalism, writes about the media's coverage of rural America.
Washington and Lee faculty participated in a panel discussion on Thursday, Nov. 17, discussing the 2016 election from a variety of perspectives.
Harvard Business School professor Nien-hê Hsieh to lecture on “The Role and Responsibilities of Business in Society: Back to Basics.”
Macy, an award-winning journalist and author, spoke as part of the Fishback Visiting Writers program.
Keith Woods, vice president of diversity in news and operations at NPR, will deliver the keynote address for the 62nd Ethics Institute in Journalism.
Taylor Gulotta '17 discusses the challenges and rewards of stage managing the fall 2016 Bentley Musical "The Theory of Relativity."
Peter Wittig, German Ambassador to the U.S., will speak on “German Policy Toward the European Refugee Crisis” at W&L's Institute for Honor Symposium.
Aly Colón, Knight Professor of Ethics in Journalism at Washington and Lee University, recently shared his expertise in an Associate Press story titled, "Experts: No Clear Criminal Case Over Trump Tax Disclosure."
Award-winning financial journalist and author will give a talk at Washington and Lee University on Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Macy will speak on "Reporting From the Margins: 30 Years of Covering Exploitation, Greed and Race." Her talk is free and open to the public and a book signing will follow.
Seth C. Lewis, the Shirley Papé Chair in Electronic Media in the School of Journalism and Communications at the University of Oregon, will give a talk on “Journalists, Audiences…and Bots?! New Ways of Thinking about What’s Happening with News” on Oct. 21 at 4:30 p.m. in Northen Auditorium, Leyburn Library.
Aly Colón, Knight Professor of Ethics in Journalism at Washington and Lee University, recently shared his expertise in an Associate Press story titled, "Experts: No Clear Criminal Case Over Trump Tax Disclosure."
Diana Henriques, an award-winning financial journalist and author, will give a talk at Washington and Lee on Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. in the Stackhouse Theater of Elrod Commons. The title of her speech is “The Timeless Lessons of the Bernie Madoff Scandal.”
The Departments of Journalism and Mass Communications and Politics at Washington and Lee University will host a mayoral debate on Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the Millhiser Moot Court Room of Lewis Hall, W&L’s Law School. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
Janey Fugate is a journalism and Romance languages major from Atlanta, Ga. She spent a summer interning as a reporter for El Nuevo Herald, the Spanish language newspaper in Miami.
Author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Carl Bernstein will deliver the keynote address for the 15th annual Institute for Honor Symposium on Friday at 4:00 p.m. in Lee Chapel.
Professor of Business Journalism .
John X. Miller '77, managing editor of Winston-Salem Journal, adds his name to the city's list of 'firsts.'
Experiential marketing puts Gabrey Means '92 and her clients in unexpected places.
Amber Cooper '12 brings her passion for creativity and communications to her marketing career.
Zillow COO Amy Bohutinsky '97 shares her expertise with students at AdLib 2016.
Through teaching and practice, Cliff Holekamp '96 is reinventing St. Louis with entrepreneurship.
English and journalism major Sara Korash-Schiff '15 interns in book publishing in Nashville.
Mass communication and American history major Will Bartlett '15 interns for CBS News.
"The greatest thing for me about the W&L journalism program is the numerous opportunities you have to succeed and keep learning."
"W&L is more than just a school, and the professors are more than just educators."
Johnson Opportunity Grant winner tries her hand at brand marketing in Charleston, S.C.
"In those newsrooms surrounded by professional journalists, I still emailed my professors when I needed honest advice."
Maggie Voelzke '15 gets her start in television as a news associate in CNN's Washington, D.C. Bureau.
Journalism major Leslie Yevak interns at Fox News Channel.
"One word can sum up my feelings about the last three years: Grateful."
Looking for older stories? See the complete Journalism and Mass Communications archive.