Testimonials & Letters of Reference

LETTER OF REFERENCE

Leigh Anne Kelley — Faculty Advisor, Student Media

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I am writing to strongly recommend Dylan Lepore as he begins his job search. I have known Mr. Lepore since his second semester at Radford, when his strong work ethic and entrepreneurial drive earned him the role of editor in chief of The Tartan, Radford’s student newspaper.

Shortly after, I was asked to serve as the paper’s faculty advisor. I have seen Mr. Lepore grow as an editor, a journalist and a student leader. He has a knack for identifying and tackling new challenges. After the paper shifted from a broadsheet to a tabloid format, he taught himself Adobe InDesign and improved the look of the final project. He used his multimedia skills to create, not only an improved digital presence for the newspaper, but an in-depth “intranet” training resource for the staff. Over time he grew the staff and worked with them to plan the content, improve processes, and conduct circulation audits to boost readership.

Having such a complete understanding of the newspaper, both editorially and operationally, was critical. That’s how Mr. Lepore and his circulation manager discovered that roughly half of the newspapers had been removed from campus newsstands around Sept. 18, 2019. He has been advocating for The Tartan in that case since and tackling challenges expected of full-time, professional media managers.

He has pursued the case with Freedom of Information Act requests, opinion columns, investigative reporting, and even consultation with attorneys. The Tartan was well-represented when it went from reporting on the news to becoming a story. Mr. Lepore has been a spokesman in ongoing articles about the newspaper theft reported by, among others, the Student Press Law Center, the Washington Post, The Roanoke Times, The (Charlottesville) Daily Progress, and the Washington Examiner. He is presenting a session on the case at the March 2020 Collegiate Media Conference in New York City.

While such demands could shift the focus from academics, Mr. Lepore regularly makes the Dean’s List for his high GPA. He’s also helping other student media organizations improve their digital footprint. Did I mention that he can write, report, edit and is skilled with digital and social media? In his spare time (!), he is a freelance journalist, web designer and photographer, with a specialization in video games.

I have enjoyed working with him; he would make a great addition to any organization.

LETTER OF REFERENCE

Samuel R. Jennings, Ph.D. — Associate Professor, Media Studies

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I am very happy to be writing this letter of recommendation to endorse Mr. Dylan Lepore.

I have known Dylan for three years and he is, without a doubt, one of the best students that I have taught during my teaching career. He is intelligent, ethical, responsible, talented, mature, reliable, always prepared, and incredibly hard-working. Dylan was a student in my Digital Imaging, Web Production, and Digital Training Tools courses at Radford University. Not only was he an amazing student but he also contributed an incredible amount of support and information to his classmates. Words cannot express how wonderful it is to have had such an excellent student in my classes.

Dylan has also functioned successfully as the Editor in Chief, staff writer, and photographer for The Tartan, which is the premier student newspaper for the student body of Radford University. Not only did he set a wonderful example for incoming students but he also successfully recruited and mentored many other incoming students to work with The Tartan.

Additionally, Dylan has a plethora of rare skills that are in high demand in the current workforce. He has expertise in many technical areas. One of his primary skills that I can attest to is his web development and social media skills. I personally assessed and evaluated many of Dylan’s projects and his skills are some of the best that I have seen. Not only is he a wonderful learner but he is a true professional and a high-level practitioner. I cannot say enough regarding Dylan’s capabilities and character.

Again, it is without hesitation that I give Mr. Dylan Lepore my highest recommendation. I have complete faith in his abilities and potential as an employee, consultant, or manager. I would not hesitate to hire Dylan if I were a potential employer.

LETTER OF REFERENCE

Geoff White — Director of Student Media, Radford University

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I am writing this as a general letter of recommendation for Dylan Lepore. Dylan has served as the Editor in Chief of The Tartan, the student-run newspaper of Radford University since January 2018. He started in that role in the second semester of his freshman year. It was a gamble hiring someone so young, but Dylan has proven himself extremely capable. He has weathered numerous challenges, some of which have been the most difficult I have seen an editor deal with in my 13 years overseeing Student Media at Radford.

Dylan has also recently taken on the role of Lab Tech Manager, managing our audio/visual equipment, computer and printer hardware, and software. Again, we are in very good hands with Dylan’s combination of expertise and his eagerness to learn.

Dylan demands much of himself and those around him. I would rate him as one of the best Editors-in-Chief of The Tartan I have worked with in my 13 years at Radford University.