Remembering VCU alumna among slain Capital Gazette journalists

Wendi Winters, a Capital Gazette news reporter and VCU alumna, was among those killed in the Capital Gazette newsroom shooting in Annapolis, Md. June 28.

Winters, a 65-year-old mother of 4, was described by her daughter Winters Geimer as “a wonderful woman and a fantastic reporter.”

After graduating from VCU’s School of the Arts in 1975, Winters went on to run a fashion boutique for seven years before changing her career to journalism. She became a freelance reporter, finally joining the staff of the Capital Gazette in 2013 with an extensive portfolio.

“She really loved storytelling, she loved working with people,” said Kathryn Flynn, a Capital Gazette editor according to a Baltimore Sun article published the day after the shooting.

The Robertson School of Media and Culture at VCU issued a statement condemning the attack and extending condolences to the families of the victims.

“Journalists speak truth to power, they shine a light on information the public needs to know,” said associate professor Peyton Rowe. “At the Robertson School, we are appalled by today’s climate of hostility towards journalists.”

Anya Scerzenie, Contributing Writer