News & Media Fellows

Erik Wells is a sophomore at William & Mary studying in the Film and Media Studies program. Erik graduated from high school in Burke, VA, where he still lives when not on-campus. At William & Mary, Erik is a member of the Sunrise Movement (an environmental activism organization) and Trippin' On Brix (an improv & sketch comedy group). Back home, he writes and produces short films with his friends, all of which are available to watch on YouTube (including a six-part miniseries from 2017). Erik is very excited to sharpen his media literacy by participating in the News and Media program this winter!

Laura Pace is a junior from Charlottesville, VA. She is currently pursuing a double major in English and History and an unofficial minor in Creative Writing. On campus, Laura is a sister of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, the Classroom Assistance School Coordinator for Griffin School Partnerships, and a member of the Spotswood Society. She is fascinated by the ways in which our media shapes public perception of current events, and is excited to delve deeper into this topic while in DC.

Charis is a junior at William & Mary working towards a double major in philosophy and media studies. She is looking forward to a career in film production and journalism and hopes her time at DCWS will provide insight into varied professional spheres having to do with contemporary media in all of its forms. She is particularly interested in media technology, the obsession with viral content, and how the Internet has changed our communication style.

Alexandra Byrne is a sophomore at the College studying International Relations and French & Francophone Studies. She is a proud member of the International Justice Lab at the Global Research Institute, where she studies transitional justice and truth commissions. Byrne is Head Delegate for Crisis Committees for W&M’s Model UN team and Chief Staff Writer for The Flat Hat, W&M’s student newspaper. She also is an Associate Editor for the Monitor Journal of International Studies, a 2020 Freeman Fellow, and an administrative intern for the Project on International Peace and Security (PIPS). In her limited free time, she enjoys art, music, film, and travel.

Gabriel Parker is a sophomore from Richmond, Virginia currently studying both Marketing and Film & Media Studies. At W&M, Gabriel is Assistant Director of Digital Content and Director of Underwriting for WCWM 90.9 FM (the university's radio station). He is a member of the Dad Jeans improv group and plays guitar and synthesizer in Twin Films (an indie rock group in Williamsburg). Gabriel hopes to work in public radio after graduating and is excited to better understand modern media's role in the knowledge ecosystem.