Authors 2017

JESS DANKENBRING is a senior majoring in Journalism with minors in Visual Media Arts Practice and Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies.  She was born and raised in Aurora, Colorado before moving to Richmond, Virginia. She spends weekends taking on new adventures, whether a new backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail or a visit to the newest patisserie in town. Her education has been heavily influenced by UR’s arts programs, which have allowed her to experiment with painting, printmaking, drawing, digital and darkroom photography, and graphic design. T: @jessdanknews I: @jessdankadventure

 

REBECCA FISHER is a junior Journalism student minoring in sociology, politics and the Irish language. She is an exchange student from the National University of Ireland, Galway. Her love for writing and reporting was inspired by her home university’s student newspaper, and she has carried that love with her to UR. She has loved getting to know Richmond through her work on the Out of Eden project, and hopes to one day return to the city to further that understanding through her work. T: @rebeccafisher I: beccalouisefisher

 

KEVIN JOHNSON is a junior majoring in Journalism at the University of Richmond. He splits his time evenly between editing the on-campus Forum Magazine, spinning records and reviewing music for the campus radio station WDCE, and publishing work in Richmond Magazine downtown. He still manages to find time to spend with the Out Of Eden project, and has enjoyed practicing slow journalism. Diving deep into Highland Park has been a rewarding, if challenging, experience. T: @kevinwjohns

 

MAGGIE LATIMER is a junior majoring in Geography and double minoring in Environmental Studies and Religious Studies.  She is involved on campus as a Student Ambassador in the Office of Admissions, a Cultural Advisor in the Office of Common Ground, and serves as Co-President of the UR Geographic Society.  After graduation, she hopes to travel the world and do nonprofit work with humanitarian aid and development organizations.  As a Richmond native, she enjoys exploring the city, especially its many parks, museums, and restaurant scene.

SUNNY LIM is a junior from California, majoring in Journalism with a minor in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Stories have always been her passion: When her four-year-old self started reading, she grabbed onto books and has never let them go. Her classes, personal learning, and the Out of Eden project have reminded her again why she loves writing and reading. 

 

THESS PFFERR, who hails from Madrid, Spain, is a junior pursuing a bilingual major in Journalism with an additional focus on law, politics, and languages. Her year at UR follows her graduation from high school in Washington State and a summer of study in the Netherlands. At 16, she began writing for a political magazine in Madrid. Thess is passionate about reading and writing, but photojournalism is her second love. Her coverage of Jeff Davis Corridor gave her a richer understanding of Richmond. T: @thesspfferr

 

CONOR TENBUS Conor is a junior majoring in Geography with a minor in Economics. In his three years at UR, he has changed majors four times, from Economics to Computer Science to Film Studies to Geography. With so many rapidly changing academic interests, Conor often finds himself wondering what’s next. When his ankle isn’t broken, he spends his free time playing for UR’s ultimate frisbee team. Originally from rural Missouri, Conor enjoyed experiencing inner-city Richmond slowly and completely through the Out of Eden project. I: @conortenbus

KAY TRULASKE is a junior at the University of Richmond, double majoring in Journalism and French, with an Environmental Studies minor. Originally from St. Louis, Kay traveled to Richmond, Virginia, excited for the life-changing opportunity to study abroad during her junior year, as many UR students do. After studying for a semester in Paris, Kay returned to the U.S. more aware of the world and its people. With a passion for travel and discovery, Kay has loved exploring Church Hill and learning more about Richmond. T: @kaytrulaske @ I: @kaytrulaske

JASON VILLAFRANCA is a former U.S. Army Senior Intelligence Sergeant and Operation Enduring Freedom combat veteran currently majoring in Geography with a focus in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).  Jason’s plan is to utilize skills learned in the military intelligence field and adapt them into the private sector of the emerging field of GIS technologies.  Outside of academia, Jason is a husband to his wonderful wife Hartley and father to his ten-year-old daughter, Taylor. T: @jasonv2017

 

BROOKE WARNER is a sophomore double majoring in Journalism and Political Science with a minor in Spanish. Currently the editor-in-chief of UR’s Forum Magazine, she hopes to continue working in journalism after college. Brooke is passionate about Spanish language and culture and was excited to immerse herself in the Hispanic community in Jeff Davis for this project. She is from Georgia, so she enjoyed getting off campus and into the heart of Richmond, with the opportunity to tell the stories of the fascinating people she met. I: @b.warned