Journalism Panel to Examine Power and Influence Behind Sports and Media The March 13 panel discussion at Leyburn Library will be moderated by John Miller ’77 and feature experienced sports journalists.

By Emily Innes
March 7, 2025

Washington and Lee University’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communications presents “Sports, Media and Power in America,” a panel discussion on March 13 at 6 p.m. in Northen Auditorium in Leyburn Library.

The panel is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the Donald W. Reynolds Chair in Business Journalism.

Moderated by John Miller ’77, W&L’s Glynn Visiting Lecturer of Journalism and Communication, the panel will feature Heather Dinich, ESPN College Football Playoff Reporter, and C. Isaiah Smalls II, the Miami Dolphins beat reporter for the Miami Herald. The journalists will discuss the power and influence behind sports and media in America.

With decades of experience in media, Miller consults with media organizations on leadership and development. He has held both writing and editorial roles for several media outlets, including ESPN, USA Today and the Dallas Morning Star, and has covered all major sports, including the Olympics.

Dinich is ESPN’s foremost College Football Playoff (CFP) insider and a regular contributor across ESPN studio programming, including the CFP Top 25 rankings shows, SportsCenter and Get Up. She has also served as an analyst on Championship Drive: Who’s In for every year of the CFP.

Smalls is a sports and culture writer who covers the Miami Dolphins. He previously worked for ESPN’s “The Undefeated” as part of the inaugural class of Rhoden Fellows. Smalls is a graduate of Morehouse College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.