Meet Lauren Rodgers, summer photojournalist for RealWV

By RealWV Staff

LEWISBURG, WV — Lauren Rodgers is a senior at Bard College, where she studies photography and anthropology. This summer, she will be writing and shooting photography for RealWV.

Born and raised in Greenbrier County, Lauren is passionate about Appalachian culture, history, and politics. Her upbringing in West Virginia is a huge source of inspiration for her creative work, both written and visual.

In addition to photography, Lauren enjoys both reading and writing creative nonfiction. Her love for the written arts began with the Battle of the Books at Lewisburg Elementary, acting at the Greenbrier Valley Theater, winning the Greenbrier County Young Writers Contest, and finishing as a state finalist in Poetry Out Loud.

The foundation she built in Greenbrier County has now evolved into a multidisciplinary education with writers for The New Yorker, The New York Times, Harper’s Magazine, and The Guardian.

This summer, Lauren intends to investigate the question: Can West Virginia be a viable place for Appalachian youth to flourish and remain?

She is thrilled to have the opportunity to write for RealWV and highlight GenZ stories, as well as photograph the region she calls home.

In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing guitar, traveling, and being outdoors.