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Julianna Stephenson

This portfolio features samples of my work that have been published in the Roanoke Times, the Rockbridge Report, the Ring-tum Phi, Washington & Lee University's student newspaper, or were created for JOUR 202: Introduction to Digital Journalism.

Featured Articles

The Roanoke Times •

Shah Development purchases the Claytor Lake Boy Scouts Aquatic Center

The general manager of Shah Development, Christie Weddle, said Thursday the company currently has no plans for the property. The company intends to clean it, make repairs and research and then come up with a plan for the property, she said.

The Blue Ridge Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America began trying to sell the property almost three years ago, said Kenneth Lyons, the council’s chief development officer. Before the sale, the council had more than $2 million in debt but is now debt-free.
The Roanoke Times •

Pulaski County's water park to reopen for summer of 2025 after fire last year

“It was heartbreaking that this carelessness has cost the community so much, but it’s also a teachable moment,” Pulaski County Administrator Jonathan Sweet said. “It teaches us to value and appreciate the things that are important to us that we may take for granted.”

The county plans to build the facility back even better, Sweet said. The shelter will double in size and be extended to the pool deck. Previously, the shelter had been outside of the pool and disconnected from the deck.
The Ring-tum Phi •

Glenn Youngkin encourages Americans to vote to support ‘a nation with no rivals’

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin claimed Democrats’ policies have weakened the country and encouraged Americans to choose differently in the November presidential election when he spoke on Saturday.

President Joe Biden’s leadership has weaponized the government, weakened the military and pursued “equity over excellence,” Youngkin said. The current economy has left many behind and the open border has created chaos, he added.

“When Joe Biden and the progressive left water down and pollute the basic
The Ring-tum Phi •

W&L’s diversity could decline after affirmative action decision, admissions says

Diversity will likely decline at Washington and Lee as the university mulls the unknowns of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action, Vice President of Admissions Sally Richmond said.

“We have some precedent to show that at highly selective schools, when you have to deploy race-neutral processes, your diversity declines,” Richmond said in a phone interview Sunday.

In June, the Supreme Court ruled that colleges and universities can not use race as a factor in admissions de
The Ring-tum Phi •

Female transfer students face social barriers in sorority recruitment

Eugénie Rovegno, ’24, remembers sitting alone in a theme house while all her friends were at a sorority house watching a movie. She wasn’t allowed to join because of Panhellenic recruitment rules.

Rovegno transferred to Washington and Lee as a sophomore. She easily found community as a member of the lacrosse team. But she began to wonder, outside of lacrosse, where she fit in.

“I was socially uncomfortable for a while, but I experienced a lot of personal growth even though, in the moment, it