From Nadya Ellerhorst, Executive Editor
If you had told first-year Nadya that, on the eve of her senior year, amid the semiannual mayhem of finals season, she’d be typing away at her first Letter from the Executive Editor at a cozy table in the Scrounge, valiantly endeavoring to stitch together an eloquent tapestry of welcoming wisdom to her cherished audience, she’d probably have given you a polite smile and returned to her homework. Yet here we are.
The last few years have admittedly been pretty wacky for both myself and Editor-in-Chief Konner Metz. We joined The Review as reporters when the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing. Campus was pretty much empty, creating breakout rooms was still a complex art and the paper’s operations were entirely virtual. I wrote articles about this Mid-Atlantic university from Ohio, for crying out loud. I still have yet to meet most of my first editors in-person!
All things considered, the staff still managed to work together to create and publish high-quality content in an (often frightening) context of total unknowns, lots of baking and those early rushes to buy toilet paper.
Paper. Ay, there’s the rub!
Once Konner and I finally made our merry way to campus in our sophomore year, The Review resumed semesterly print issues under the editorship of Kelsey Wagner and Simon Stewart, an initiative that was bolstered to a near monthly basis by outgoing leadership, Tara Lennon and Mia Gallo. The Review even made a (super glossy) magazine this semester!
Throughout this journalistic rollercoaster of a time, I’ve heard time and again that print is dying – that digital is where it’s all at. But if you couldn’t tell by the object you’re currently holding in your hands, we’re still kicking.
I’d even go so far as to say that The Review offers the best of both worlds. Konner and I’s experiences with the fast-paced nature of print production as well as our extensive knowledge of virtual-only operations inform our desire to continue consistent print issues alongside a constantly updated website complete with breaking news and multimedia content.
Whether you relish that je ne sais quoi of a physical newspaper that I’ll be the first to admit is a bit awkward to flip through or you much prefer to click away at links, we’re striving for well-rounded output this academic year. You can also keep up with us on social media!
I think it’s safe to say that all of us — the community, the university and our staff — are still shimmying out of the constraints and flat-out weirdness imposed on us by the COVID-19 pandemic. But, goodness, am I oh-so excited. Because no matter what life throws at The Review next, we’ll do all we can to be there, getting the facts, stories and voices to you.
With that said, we also encourage community contributions to our Mosaic and Opinion sections. And if you’re really adamant about working for us, keep your eyes peeled for fall semester applications in the near future!
I can’t put into words how thrilled and honored I am to be working with such a dedicated, brilliant staff. Thanks to them, I think that The Review’s finally begun to lead in a years-long dance with uncertainty – whatever the next few semesters hold, I know we’ll be ready.
Respectfully yours,
Nadya Ellerhorst
From Konner Metz, Editor-in-Chief
My first week of the college experience has stuck with me over the past couple years, for all the wrong reasons.
I sat at home, staring at a laptop screen, wondering how I could occupy myself outside of class obligations with the hundreds of student groups listed on the university’s StUDent Central website. Which one to choose, which ones would actually be active during the virtual Fall 2020 semester and which ones would I actually come to enjoy?
For some reason, I had an urge to write for a newspaper, and lo and behold, I found The Review. I still don’t quite remember the driving force, but there was something that drew me to the student-run newspaper.
Suffice to say, I am really thankful for that unexpected impetus.
Before I could blink, we were holding in-person meetings during my sophomore year, abiding by social distancing and masks amidst the pandemic. I finally felt a portion of the magic come alive in the office..
The senior reporters and editors were inquisitive and critical, and always kept their ears and eyes open. I felt like I was watching professional skeptics at work. But they also had the best ways of telling the most heartfelt or gut-wrenching stories.
I have begun to learn not just the process of being a journalist but also the importance that the work holds for the community. And looking around at print issues of The Review, be they 50 years or two months old, has made me realize the depth of the important topics that make the paper what it is.
Between the pertinence of the stories and the camaraderie between the entire staff, I was locked into making The Review an integral part of my college experience. My first week of college I may have had the expectation of at least enjoying it, but never to the extent I do now.
Over the past two years in-person, that magic in the office has seemingly increased month by month. As the staff has grown in the last 24 months, I have seen friendships blossom, witnessed firsthand the dedication to each and every story and project and grown to be honored to be a part of such a committed staff.
As the new Editor-in-Chief, I definitely have the responsibility to carry the magic of the newsroom forward. Nadya and I have been through an unusual three years at the paper, and we have learned from some of the best before us.
Kelsey Wagner and Simon Stewart brought The Review back to in-person operations and worked overtime to ensure the paper’s success. This past year, Tara Lennon and Mia Gallo increased our print presence and spearheaded a year full of growth and amazing content, along with being the best mentors to prepare us for the future.
Both Nadya and I have similar visions for the next year, hoping to deliver breaking news to students, faculty and the community in a timely manner, along with increasing our multimedia content. I’m sure there are endless challenges ahead, but with the wonderful staff we have behind us, I know The Review can succeed through thick and thin.
I look forward to The Review serving as the voice of the students and the heartbeat of the community for yet another year and many more years to come.
Best,
Konner Metz
