May 4, 2022

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May 3, 2022

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

THE COLLEGIATE TIMES COMMENCEMENT ISSUE

STEPPIN’ INTO THE FUTURE

PAGE 2 May 3, 2022

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Corps of Cadets Change of Command Ceremony honors cadet class of 2022 The ceremony recognized the Corps’ outgoing class of 2022 and celebrated the class of 2023 as its incoming command.

ALLY HESSENIUS news writer

On Saturday, April 30, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets held their Change of Command Ceremony. The ceremony celebrated the Corps of Cadets’ class of 2022 and introduced the class of 2023 as the regiment’s new leaders.

During the ceremony, Cadet Austin Askew, a senior and the outgoing regimental commander, passed command of the regiment to Cadet Brooke Johnson.

Johnson is a junior and now holds the highest rank a student in the Corps can achieve.

“All I really can say is I am honored to be the incoming fall ’22 regimental commander,” Johnson said. “The fact that I can take command of the regiment for the fall ’22 semester means a lot to me because it’s been a long road since freshman year for me, and to be able to represent the Corps in this fashion digs deep.”

Johnson and Askew worked closely

together for a smooth transition into the role.

“He (Askew) honestly is one of the best mentors I’ve had in my life,” Johnson said.

“I’ve had a lot of great mentors, I really have, but he is one that is rare to find.”

Johnson continued to praise Askew’s character and leadership.

“He tries to make me better than I was yesterday, and he’s someone that you can look up to in terms of always doing the right thing, always, you know, just trying to make sure that someone feels comfortable even when they are doubting themselves,” Johnson said.

When recalling Askew’s advice, words of encouragement that Johnson will “never forget him saying is, ‘You’ll do great.’”

Something Askew wished he knew before becoming regimental commander was how important communication would be.

“A lot of my job is communicating with different groups of people,” Askew said.

“I wish I had more skills, more practice in

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NAYHA POCHIRAJU / COLLEGIATE TIMES Corps of Cadets Change of Command Ceremony, April 30, 2022.

those areas.”

Askew will be getting married and joining the Army after he graduates.

Askew reminisced on his time in the Corps as “lots and lots of really cool memories, lots of really cool traditions we have that we’ve been doing for 150 years, and so it’s really cool to share those same experiences over a four-year time with the

same people.”

The ceremony also included appearances from the Corps’ cannon, Skipper, and the Highty-Tighties.

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Virginia Tech suffers key losses to the transfer portal and pro draft Men’s basketball loses Keve Aluma and Justyn Mutts as they declare for the draft.

ETHAN OWENS sports staff writer

Just under two months ago, the Virginia Tech Hokies basketball team won the ACC Championship. Between transfers and declaring for the NBA draft, however, this team already looks very different from how it looked back in March.

On April 25, Keve Aluma announced on his social media that he is signing with an agent and entering his name into the 2022 NBA draft,

joining Hokie teammate Justyn Mutts in the draft pool. This past season, Aluma averaged 15.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Aluma was also named second-team All-ACC this past regular season. He was also a pivotal part of the Hokies’ first ACC tournament championship.

As for the transfer portal, Nahiem Alleyne is transferring from Virginia Tech to UConn.

Alleyne averaged 9.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in the 2021-22 season for the Hokies. However, Alleyne will be most

remembered at Virginia Tech for his 28 point game against Florida in the 2021 NCAA March Madness tournament.

Jalen Haynes is another Hokie who has transferred away from Virginia Tech to East Tennessee State University. Haynes is going into his sophomore year and only played in nine games for the Hokies, averaging 2.8 minutes in those games.

David N’Guessan is the most recent former Hokie to enter the transfer portal, putting his name in on April 28. N’Guessan averaged 3.7

points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.7 assists last season for the Hokies. But the Hokies have gained a player from the transfer portal as well. On April 26, forward John Camden announced that he will be transferring to Virginia Tech from Memphis. Camden played in a single game for the Tigers last season. He was a four-star recruit out of high school, and still has four years of eligibility remaining. @CTSportsTalk

Goodbye Grads: Claire Castagno, sports editor “What started as just a way to write about college basketball became the highlight of my college career.”

CLAIRE CASTAGNO former sports editor

If you would have told 18-year-old me that in college, I would get to interview Michael Vick, cover the longest football game in ACC history or be in Brooklyn, New York, while the Hokies won their first-ever ACC Championship on the hardwood, I probably would not have missed the Collegiate Times interest meeting my freshman year.

Once I realized that the Collegiate Times was my in to talk about college basketball, my favorite sport, I made sure to show up to just about every sports section meeting freshman year. What I did not realize, though, was that my interest in sports would quickly turn into an interest in journalism as well. I found myself pitching stories in my head while watching other colleges, or even pro teams, play.

I covered my first game in September of my freshman year: men’s soccer versus Longwood (the Hokies got the win 5–1). The night before, I stopped by my friend’s dorm so he could get me more familiar with the rules of soccer. I wanted to write a really good article.

Postgame, I went down to Thompson Field with now-Tech Sideline managing editor David Cunningham to interview coach Mike Brizendine; I was super nervous, but David was excited for me. I made sure to follow his lead and asked Coach Brizendine a few questions about the game. After leaving the field, I was on top of the world. I texted a few of my friends that I felt like I was living my dream just a few weeks into my freshman year. I knew I’d be sticking around the CT for a while.

It wasn’t until my sophomore year, when I

became a sports editor, that I really got the hang of things, though. There is so much more to sports journalism than writing game recaps, and working alongside former sports editors Robby Fletcher and Davis Carbaugh helped me learn that. Those two were so passionate about their writing and the sports section that it inspired me to be the best editor possible when I took over the section my junior year.

Becoming a sports editor for the CT has helped me grow up. I’ve had to speak up in press conferences, confront writers and call Sports Information Directors for last-minute press passes. It put me in situations where what I did and said did not only matter to me and my family anymore; I was representing an organization I am proud of.

I couldn’t have done it alone, though. I am so thankful for the cast and characters along the way that made my job so enjoyable. I will miss seeing my fellow editors in the newsroom, running into other Blacksburg journalists at games and catching SIDs on their off days.

The improvement of my writing skills is the last thing I think of when reflecting on my time with the CT. When I joined freshman year, I thought it would just give me skills to find a job, but it became the highlight of my college career, and I can’t wait to see what it becomes as we pass the torch to the younger students.

Although I will no longer be a journalist after graduation, I know while watching sports in the future I will always be thinking from a journalistic perspective thanks to my time with the CT. @CollegiateTimes

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Sports editors Claire Castagno and Devin Shepard at the Men’s Basketball ACC Tournament in Brooklyn, New York, in March 2022.

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May 3, 2022 PAGE 5

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Goodbye Grads: Devin Shepard, sports editor “I stepped out of my comfort zone and found my passion.”

DEVIN SHEPARD former sports editor

Throughout high school, English was by far my least favorite subject. I’d read books and analyze passages and just couldn’t enjoy it. I hated writing, trying to bring words together to describe something I couldn’t care less about.

Whether it was poetry or a novel, I always felt as though I was overanalyzing simple things and wasting time. Writing was not something I was passionate about.

Then I came to Virginia Tech’s campus in 2018. All my professors told me to take advantage of as many opportunities as I could as a student journalist, and the first one I heard about was the Collegiate Times. I didn’t have any experience writing about sports, but I thought it couldn’t hurt for someone pursuing sports broadcasting. So, I went to the first meeting, picked a story and started to write, and something changed. It was enjoyable; I liked it. Maybe it was because I was writing about something I cared deeply about, maybe it was because I no longer felt the constraints of a high school English class, but it was different.

After that, I continued to write for the CT, eventually becoming one of the sports editors after my sophomore year. Through everything I’ve learned over the past four years, I see the lessons I have learned at the Collegiate Times as the most valuable. I’ve grown a skillset I didn’t know I had. I’ve been able to travel to places I have never been before. I’ve learned how to lead, and I’ve learned how to take and receive feedback. I don’t think I’d be nearly as confident going into the next stages of life without what I’ve learned at the Collegiate Times.

For anyone coming to Virginia Tech, even if you’re not a journalist or don’t see yourself as a writer, I’d recommend taking a chance at the CT. Learning to express yourself, your ideas and what you care about is key in all aspects of life, not just journalism, and the Collegiate Times allows Hokies to do that. And who knows: You may write an article or two and find a career.

@CollegiateTimes Devin Shepard, former sports editor, Oct. 5, 2021.

COURTESY OF DEVIN SHEPARD

Goodbye grads: Molly Dye, lifestyles editor “I can’t say enough about how being a writer and editor at the CT has been such a fun and enriching experience.”

MOLLY DYE former lifestyles editor

You know that feeling when you’re riding a fancy brand-new rollercoaster and you’re literally being smashed and banged around from side to side and never know what to expect next? Well, as cheesy as it sounds, I can think of no better analogy to describe my college experience — a rollercoaster. After all of its ups and downs, all of the moments of pure joy, fear and excitement, you come out of it feeling like a new person who just went through the experience of a lifetime.

I arrived at college knowing nothing about Virginia Tech and not knowing a single soul.

The way I felt as an incoming freshman was pretty similar to that feeling when you’re nervously waiting in line for the coaster and have knots in your stomach. I went to middle school and high school abroad, so I didn’t come in with those “home friends” who you could lean on until you meet new people. Going in head-first was scary, but certainly rewarding.

I was so charmed by how friendly and open

everyone was — I never thought that someone I met at a random club meeting or the person sitting next to me in a large lecture class could end up being a best friend. Even beyond those little connections, I felt such a warm sense of camaraderie and understanding at Tech that has always reminded me why I love it here.

I didn’t have the easiest time, though. Going into my second semester, I started feeling like I didn’t really fit in with Tech’s culture, and I struggled to make close friends. I didn’t know how to get more involved and I didn’t feel very connected to the things I was involved in. This is kind of like the part on the rollercoaster when there are too many loops and you start getting queasy. Thankfully, I got through this bump in the road and had a great time sophomore year — that is, until COVID hit.

The best thing I could compare COVID to is the rollercoaster literally crashing. I was completely uninvolved at school and had other issues going on which COVID only exacerbated. Looking back on it, even though I struggled with isolation and the shock and fear of a global pandemic, I think it served

as a wake-up call for the rest of my college experience.

I convinced myself junior year that it’s never too late to get involved — and I’m so glad I did that. This is where the rollercoaster starts smoothing out. I have always loved writing, and I thought that getting involved at the Collegiate Times was the perfect opportunity not only to explore my writing interests but also to participate in something fulfilling that would allow me to get to know my school better. I can’t say enough about how being a writer and editor at the CT has been such a fun and enriching experience — whether it comes from all the incredible, talented and driven people I met, all the silly meetings with the lifestyles staff and even me getting over my ridiculous fear of Zoom interviews. I’m so grateful to have had an opportunity to work with the CT and break out of my comfort zone while also encouraging other new writers to do the same.

Beyond the CT, branching out of my comfort zone and getting to know people from new circles was the highlight of my senior year.

Studying abroad in the fall semester felt like

going down the steepest and most exciting drop of the rollercoaster; I was basically screaming in my head the entire time. Traveling across Europe and spending a month in Rwanda with people you met weeks earlier is pretty chaotic, but the chaos is so worth it — I’m happy to know that I’m leaving college with great friends who I also traveled every weekend with.

After reflecting on the crazy ride that my college experience has been, the things that my mind drifts to the most are all the inspiring, diverse people I met and all the funny, ridiculous and awkward moments that end up being the stories you tell when someone asks you about college. I’m so thankful for my experiences at the CT and everything I learned from the staff who I believe are some of the most hardworking, creative and funny people. I loved working with my co-editors and I’m so happy I got to know them, even if we’ve only known each other for a short time. I can’t wait to see where everyone ends up, and I know that continued on page 6

PAGE 6 May 3, 2022

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Goodbye Grads Lexi Solomon

National Security & Foreign Affairs, Russian

Ethan Detweiler Aerospace Engineering

Congratulations Ethan!!!

We are so very proud of you. Continue reaching for the stars.

Love, Mom and Dad

Congratulations on surpassing our every expectation in your four years at Virginia Tech, Lexi Solomon! We are so proud of you for all of your academic and extracurricular accomplishments, but we are especially delighted by the woman you have become and the loyalty you show to those in your orbit. And thank you for finding a job right away! Looking forward to some amazing bylines coming in June! Love, Mom and Dad

Zach Dickerson History

Congratulations Zach!

We are so proud of how you have defined “Hokie”: H - Humility O - Openness K - Kindness I - Integrity E - Excellence Good luck in Charlotte!

With love and pride, Mom, Dad, & Sam

Congratulations 2022 VT Grads!!! continued from page 5

you’ll all do amazing things, whether it’s in college or post-grad.

If I could share one piece of advice to all the Hokies out there who still don’t know their place in college: No good college experience has to be linear, and it’s never too late to start something that you might have even the slightest interest in. No one really knows what they’re doing, and all it takes is a little bit of confidence to get involved. It’s OK if something doesn’t feel like your thing or if it takes a while to find that one thing that speaks to you; everyone is on their own personal timeline.

Trust your gut, and let the crazy rollercoaster ride of college take you exactly where you need to be.

@CollegiateTimes

Molly Dye, former lifestyles editor, April 2022.

COURTESY OF MOLLY DYE

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May 3, 2022 PAGE 7

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Goodbye Grads: My first, and last, CT article “I feel my acceptance to the CT was the catalyst to my better experiences at Virginia Tech.”

As a copy editor for the Collegiate Times, I aspired to make sure all the articles I reviewed were something writers can reflect on and be proud of. Having the opportunity of advancing others’ written work is an honor to me, even if errors are seemingly minute.

However, I feel this piece would be very boring to read if all I discussed were Associated Press Stylebook guidelines.

Thus, I wanted to document the journey to my first ever in-person production meeting, because it was a doozy.

After leaving my apartment, I felt very overdressed for walking in the August heat, but I thought I would be able to handle it (and I was also trying to go all out with my clothing for the occasion, so I thought a bit of suffering would be OK in the name of fashion). It was a Sunday, so not all the buses were running — which I came to realize a little too late while on my tedious trek to the first operational Blacksburg Transit bus stop I could find.

I had my mask on for the entirety of the journey, but I’m sure passersby could still see the utter pain I was in just from the ocean of sweat on my forehead and my eyes pleading desperately for an end to the sweltering summer temperatures.

I finally found a bus stop with the help of Blacksburg Transit’s app, and a feeling of triumph washed over me faster than the sweat did.

As I finally approached the bus stop, I looked down at my shoes because I noticed my heels were hurting. I was horrified to see that blisters had formed on both my heels and one of them had bled, leaving a small red stain on my white sneaker.

I frantically texted Tori, the editor-in-chief, and was already imagining the tears on my future self’s face after being fired from the newspaper for being late (like the irrational worrywart I am), when I began to ponder the fact that I was so fixated on making it to the meeting that I was no longer focusing on the painful feeling building in my heels or the sweat making my forehead shiny.

I highly recommend not following my experience above, as I’m sure if I tried to walk the rest of the way to the meeting instead of going back to my apartment, I would have passed out from heat exhaustion.

However, I feel my experience helped me fully realize my devotion to the CT, a devotion that offset all other pain and discomfort I was

feeling. That is why I can vividly recall that that it had copy editors, as I deeply love copy moment and be thankful to be a part of the editing. However, I was grossly underprepared newspaper. for such a position, and my application to be a I was so grateful when I joined the CT as copy editor assistant that semester was rejected. a copy editor assistant in the spring of 2021, I would be lying if I said I was not saddened by especially considering my — quite — rough the rejection. Afterward, I reverted to solitude. experiences Close to the semester the middle of before. that semester, After my mental completing health was my associate probably at its degree at a worst ever. community I had essenc ol lege, I tially lost all transferred to motivation to Virginia Tech do work, and in the fall of when I finally 2020. I moved managed to into my first “tough it out” apartment and work, I away from my was scared family, which my work was was already unacceptable. difficult I often left my enough for apartment to me; combine go back home that w it h to my mother, the fact that as I no longer one of my wanted apartment’s to b e i n first-floor Blacksburg. windows I did not c ou ld not feel like I lock, and I “belonged” had a few in Blacksburg sleep-deor at Virginia prived Tech, which nights in the was esp e beginning. cially heartAll my classes breaking to were either me because SEAN LYONS, in online or Virginia Tech FORMER COPY EDITOR hybrid modalwas where ities, but I I wanted to spent most attend ever of my time since my isolated in my childhood. apartment.

I wanted so However, much to come due to my out of my first major in multimedia journalism and prior expe- semester here, and almost none of it came true. rience working with my high school’s yearbook, My second semester was entirely online, so I I tried to get involved in the media organi- stayed at my mother’s house while still having zations here. During GobblerFair, I visited a lease for an apartment I no longer needed to WUVT, VTTV, the Bugle and the Collegiate live in. I was as reinvigorated as I could be after Times. Ultimately, I felt like the CT was what I the break (considering the circumstances) and aligned with the most, especially after hearing continued to trudge through online college life.

“

I WAS SO GRATEFUL WHEN I JOINED THE CT AS A COPY EDITOR ASSISTANT IN THE SPRING OF 2021, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING MY — QUITE — ROUGH EXPERIENCES THE SEMESTER BEFORE.

“

SEAN LYONS former copy editor

That is, until I went to the virtual Gobblerfest.

I visited the Collegiate Times’ Zoom session, and some members remembered me from when I attended GobblerFair. I redid the process of applying, now with more experience than previously, managed to score an interview with the copy editors and finally got accepted to a position I had sought since my matriculation to Virginia Tech.

I feel my acceptance to the CT was the catalyst to my better experiences at Virginia Tech. After a majority of classes at Virginia Tech started opening up to in-person modalities, I was finally talking with people that weren’t just my classmates. I felt like the work I was doing at the newspaper was making a difference, and the joy I felt when I saw my name on the CT’s staff directory was insurmountable.

I have personally enjoyed getting to meet and know every member of the current Collegiate Times, so I want to thank all of them for giving me such beautiful experiences here (and introducing me to Carol Lee Donut Shop — there will forever be a donut-shaped hole in my soul that can’t be satisfied with any other glazed pastry). However, I want to express huge amounts of gratitude to all the editors at the CT who saw my potential and welcomed me as a copy editor assistant, and later as one of the lead copy editors. My college life was forever changed, and I could not be more grateful to them.

If I had to leave any advice for a student, I would just recommend not having a defeatist attitude (except in appropriate circumstances, of course). I used to have that sort of mindset, but if I thought that way when I was first rejected by the Collegiate Times, I would not be writing this article right now or retelling the story of my sweaty forehead and bloody heels.

If I thought with a defeatist mindset when I was waitlisted for Virginia Tech during high school, I would not have even been able to be rejected by the Collegiate Times to begin with.

Even though I feel my time here has been shorter than that of a lot of students, I believe I am graduating while knowing that I made a difference; I have contributed to one portion, however small it may be, to the Collegiate Times’ and Virginia Tech’s histories, my name being immortalized on the newspapers I have worked on as a copy editor. I recognize this, and I feel I have made the most of my time here — so I feel I can leave this university proud of myself.

PAGE 8 May 3, 2022

Sean Lyons poses like a whole king at Moss Arts Center, April 27, 2022.

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COURTESY OF SEAN LYONS

Congratulations

to all of the international Hokies graduating in 2022!

Cranwell International Center wishes you great success in your future endeavors.

editor@collegiatetimes.com

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May 3, 2022 PAGE 9

Goodbye Grads: To the paper that changed my life “I wouldn’t trade my time with this team for anything.”

LEXI SOLOMON former managing editor

As far back as I can remember, my life has revolved around newspapers. My parents met while working in different departments at the Daily Press in Newport News in the early 1990s. I was born in Chicago, where my father helped to jumpstart the Spanish-language paper Hoy while working for the Chicago Tribune, and I vividly remember the 45-minute train ride from the suburbs with my mother to visit my dad in the famous Tribune Tower.

After our 2007 move to Williamsburg, Virginia, I spent many a day off from school wandering the halls of the Daily Press’ drab brick building; we weathered Hurricane Irene from the publisher’s office, and I was tasked with looking through Twitter to see if any of my peers wanted to be interviewed about their

experience with the storm. I even got to go to court a few times to watch my father and his colleagues fight for freedom of the press, a battle that earned my father a Virginia Press Association First Amendment award.

My sister, then a foreign correspondent in the Middle East, would call on weekends every so often to update us on the horrors she witnessed at the height of the Arab Spring. On days I wasn’t seeing the action firsthand with my father or hearing about it directly from my sister, we’d nonetheless discuss journalism and current events at the dinner table.

I still have the page in the Notes app on my phone that lists the 15 traits I would consider in every college I visited. What that page is missing, however, is a 16th trait that I always secretly weighed during each campus tour — the quality of the student newspaper. I knew I wanted to get involved in student journalism

Lexi Solomon, former managing editor, April 2022.

during my college years, and after grabbing a copy of the Collegiate Times at an admitted students event in April of 2018, I was certain that I’d follow through on this interest at Virginia Tech.

At the start of my freshman year, I kept a careful eye on the Collegiate Times’ social media. When interest meeting dates were posted, I immediately put them in my trusty Google Calendar and did my research into who I would be meeting, what sections I might want to join and what writing for the paper could look like. The morning of the meeting, I picked out a special outfit — a cute pair of sandals and a brand-new dress I’d bought with my mom before heading off to college. It was only when I checked my calendar later that morning that I realized the CT’s interest meeting was the following day, and I’d wasted my special outfit.

Truth be told, I don’t remember what I

COURTESY OF LEXI SOLOMON

eventually wore to that first interest meeting.

I do remember running into an acquaintance from high school and instantly feeling better.

I remember seeing the different sections stationed around the room and feeling so excited and intimidated. I remember talking to opinions editors Neha Ogale and Justin Redman and feeling like I was saying all of the wrong things, even though Justin later told me that I definitely hadn’t. Most of all, I remember walking out of that meeting with the biggest smile on my face, knowing that I wanted nothing more than to be a part of the Collegiate Times.

In the three-and-a-half years since that meeting, it hasn’t just been daisies and rainbows. The CT has received its fair share of hate, and my opinions pieces weren’t always popular, so I had to learn to grow a thick skin quickly. I’ve discovered a lot about myself and the world around me that makes me look back on some of my old pieces with more than a little embarrassment, and I sometimes didn’t make the right choices as an opinions editor or a managing editor. I’d butt heads with another staffer or get accosted by an angry reader and be tempted to wonder if the CT was truly the best fit for me. But in actuality, my heart has always been in that sunny Squires newsroom, because when I think about my time at the CT, I don’t think about the hate I received or the tough decisions I had to make.

I think about getting the call from former editor-in-chief, Ashley Long, offering me the position of opinions editor and bursting into happy tears the second I got off the phone. I think about surprising my dad in person with the news that I was going to be a managing editor and getting the best bear hug in the world in return. I think about hours spent laughing in the newsroom with my staff and the countless supportive texts from colleagues. I think about the times I looked around the room at my coworkers and knew that I’d finally found my home away from home.

I struggled a lot with loneliness during my time at Virginia Tech. There were many occasions where I questioned if I had a place anywhere, but when that happened, I would always think of the Collegiate Times and remember that I did. The CT will forever have a piece of my heart for providing me with that safe space to land and reminding me that I mattered and belonged.

To Tori Walker, the best editor-in-chief and friend anyone could ask for: I am so grateful for continued on page 10

PAGE 10 May 3, 2022

editor@collegiatetimes.com

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continued from page 9

been your managing editor. My reputation as a harsh editor was certainly well-earned, but know that all of my tough love and feedback came from a place of true caring and support, and my biggest hope is that all of you continue to grow and succeed as journalists and people.

Thank you for the endless laughter and good conversation in the newsroom, at Gobblerfest booths and at Squires Booth A passing out papers; I wouldn’t trade my time with this team for anything.

To Momiji Barlow, next year’s editor-inchief: You have big shoes to fill, but I have every confidence that you can not only fill them, but exceed all of our expectations. Your role will be challenging, but it will also be incredibly rewarding. You are more than capable, and I am so proud of you. It has been an honor to watch you grow from an ambitious new writer to a level-headed section editor, and I’m so excited to see what you do next. Know that Tori and I will always have faith in you.

To Colleen Henneberry, next year’s managing editor: This job will surprise you, but don’t let that scare you. The best way to tackle this role is to dive in with enthusiasm and heart — the two things I couldn’t teach you but that I’m confident you possess — and the rest

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will come from there. You will make mistakes, to their students but wouldn’t give that feedback just as I did, and you’ll also have huge wins, but to our faces. Send us your criticism directly, but know that I’ll still be around to support you also give us a chance; this world is hard enough through them all. Please don’t ever hesitate on student journalists, and our staffers would to reach out, and be proud of yourself; you’ve cherish your mentorship and support. earned this.

I’m sad to leave the Collegiate Times, but I As with mainstream journalism, student know I’m leaving it in wonderful hands, and I’m journalism is also often under attack, so to our so thrilled to see what the future holds for this Virginia Tech community, I would ask this of paper. My love for journalism has only grown you: Please from my time support us here, and I’m however excited to take you ca n. the next step in Student my career as a journalists public safety are far from reporter for The perfect, Fayetteville and we Obser ver i n will make Fayetteville, mistakes.

North Carolina; G ive us if yo u’ve grace enjoye d my and have work at the patience Collegiate with us; I Times, I hope to promise earn your readthat every ership in my staffer’s position there. intention Thank you is solely to for an incredible give readers three-andthe tr uth a-half years. My (and maybe Sunday afterprovide noons will never a few fun be the same. coffee shop reviews in between), but there will be stumbling blocks LEXI SOLOMON, along the FORMER MANAGING EDITOR w a y.

If we are to survive in a world where countless newspapers fold every year, we will need your readership. Let us know what we’re doing wrong, and let us know what we’re doing right, too. Pick up a paper, or several. Share digital issues on your social media, and encourage interested friends to get involved.

To the School of Communication: Keep telling your students about us! We cannot grow if we are not given the opportunity to do so. And have faith in your fellow Hokies — nothing has broken my heart more as a managing editor @CollegiateTimes than to hear of the professors who cut us down

“

MOST OF ALL, I REMEMBER WALKING OUT OF THAT MEETING WITH THE BIGGEST SMILE ON MY FACE, KNOWING THAT I WANTED NOTHING MORE THAN TO BE A PART OF THE COLLEGIATE TIMES.

“

you, and I truly believe the universe couldn’t have gifted me with a better friend at a better time.

Tori, your grace, determination and kindness as editor-in-chief will never cease to amaze me.

If the average person had half of the heart and spirit that you do, our society would be much better off. Our friendship was an amazing surprise, and I’m so glad we were able to grow as close as we did in our last semester together.

We faced more challenges during our tenure as a managing team than most editors deal with in a decade, but I couldn’t be prouder to have had you by my side through it all. Thank you for teaching me so much about what it means to be an understanding leader that people want to work with. The innate good you see in other people and the diplomacy with which you handle every situation brings so much light to this world, so please don’t ever lose it.

I am eternally thankful for your friendship and leadership, and I hope you know how proud we all are of you. You have left a mark on the Collegiate Times that will last for many years to come.

To the rest of our staff, thank you for trusting me and for always showing up. Working with you all has been a gift, and I am proud to have

editor@collegiatetimes.com

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Goodbye Grads: Celina Ng, design editor “No matter where life takes me, I will always be a proud Hokie.”

CELINA NG former design editor

As an in-state student, Virginia Tech was always one of my top choices. Since I knew many alumni who had positive experiences, I decided to tour Virginia Tech in April 2017.

As soon as I saw the campus, I felt right at home. It was a sunny day, and the flowers were blooming. The tour guide was very enthusiastic, and he had contagious school spirit. Compared to my tours at other colleges, his energy and passion were unmatched. Throughout the tour, I noticed that the tour guide was not an outlier. Many students were wearing maroon and orange clothes, and they looked genuinely happy. I watched as students laughed with their friends during their walk to class. As I toured the beautiful campus, I started to envision a life in Blacksburg.

After the tour, my family and I decided to explore different buildings. We actually got lost, but a few students approached us and gave directions. Although this action was minor, the students’ kindness left a lasting impression on me. Consequently, I understood why people were proud to be Hokies. I wanted to be a part of a community where people looked out for each other. After I left, I tried to be openminded about other colleges. However, I kept thinking about Virginia Tech. Ultimately, I applied for early decision as an accounting and information systems major.

In December 2017, Virginia Tech released the early decision results. Many people from my high school applied, so they started posting their acceptances on social media.

Consequently, I rushed to check my account. I let out a sigh of relief once I saw that I had been accepted. I was going to be a Hokie! I called my parents and texted my friends about the good news. After paying the matriculation deposit, I started researching clubs. During high school, I was the co-editor-in-chief of the school newspaper for two years and a copy editor for the yearbook for one year. Consequently, I still wanted to be involved with student journalism during college. Eventually, I found the Collegiate Times’ website and read the stories throughout my last semester of high school.

Also, I heard about Gobblerfest, so I added the Collegiate Times to the list of organizations I was interested in joining.

Finally, it was time for me to move in.

Although I was happy to be in college, the transition was occasionally tough. After all, it was my first time living away from home. I lived in the same house for my entire life, so it

took me a while to adjust to sharing a room and living in a new area. However, I was excited to make new friends and get involved. The day of Gobblerfest finally arrived. However, I had to visit the Math Emporium on a Friday afternoon to study and take a quiz. I had a busy week, so I did not know the material yet. I tried to cram the information as quickly as possible, but I wanted to get a good grade. As I studied, I looked outside and saw the rain. After I took the quiz, I rushed back to campus. It stopped raining, but many clubs were leaving early. I tried to find the Collegiate Times’ booth, but they had already left. Consequently, I emailed the editors and said I wanted to join. They emailed me back and invited me to an interest meeting. After talking to the different editors, I joined the design team and lifestyles section.

About two weeks later, Ashley Long, one of the design editors, was promoted to assistant managing editor. Therefore, the editors needed to hire an assistant design editor. Since I had InDesign experience, I thought I would be a good fit for the role. However, I had only been in college for about a month, so I was unsure if I was qualified. I did not want any regrets, so I applied. I attended production one day, and Ashley and Sajanee Chithranjan (the other design editor) showed me the design process.

I had a great time, so I was more invested in the position. After an interview process and a timed design test, I waited anxiously for the results. Eventually, I received a voicemail from Ashley. I called her back, and she told me that I got the position. I was very excited and accepted it immediately.

In October 2018, I started attending the weekly production meetings. I also wrote lifestyles stories throughout my first semester.

However, I decided to stop writing stories at the end of the semester since I was feeling overwhelmed. As I adjusted to college life, I developed a weekly routine and rarely felt bored. However, this routine was interrupted in March 2020 when Virginia Tech switched to online and remote instruction for the rest of the semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This change made me feel shocked and anxious. I went home, but I missed being in Blacksburg.

During this time, I completed my school work and decided to pursue a second bachelor’s degree in finance.

Although I came back to Blacksburg for my junior year, I felt isolated since I only had online classes, and the editors conducted production remotely. Even though we produced good issues, I missed the camaraderie we used to have during in-person production.

Celina Ng, former design editor, April 2022.

Luckily, I was able to have in-person classes during my senior year. We also started having production in the newsroom again. It has been such a pleasure to watch people improve their skills and increase their confidence as editors.

Although editors come and go, the newsroom has always felt like home to me. Production can be chaotic at times, but I have enjoyed listening to people’s stories and laughing at inside jokes.

Also, I liked meeting people from different years and majors. I thought it was interesting to learn about non-business majors and listen to people talk about their goals for the future.

As writers and editors, we are responsible for delivering accurate, timely and relevant news to our readers. Consequently, I am honored to have been a part of the Collegiate Times’ history. Even though online news sources have increased in popularity, the experience of flipping through a physical copy of the latest issue is irreplaceable.

Before I graduate, I have some parting words. First, I want to congratulate the other seniors. I am so proud of you. We have worked numerous hours to reach graduation. Also, we had to endure many challenges, such as a global pandemic. Therefore, we became stronger due to our struggles. Everyone is so hardworking, and you all inspire me every day to aim for

COURTESY OF NAIMA SAYANI

success. I will miss everyone, and I am excited to see where life takes us. Although many of us are moving away, we will always remember our time in Blacksburg.

Next, I am so excited to see the future of the Collegiate Times. The returning editors are so talented and dedicated. I know the seniors are leaving the newspaper in good hands, especially with Momiji Barlow and Colleen Henneberry at the helm. Although school and life can be tough at times, remember to relax and have fun.

For example, jump to “Enter Sandman” in Lane Stadium with friends or watch the sunset from the Pylons. Although your future is important, do not forget to cherish the present. You only spend a short period of time in college, so make sure to create lasting memories.

After college, I plan to study for my CPA exams and work as a staff accountant for PBMares in Richmond. Overall, I am so happy that I chose Virginia Tech. I received a great education and had access to numerous opportunities through Pamplin. Also, I made many wonderful friends and memories. No matter where life takes me, I will always be a proud Hokie. @CollegiateTimes

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editor@collegiatetimes.com

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Goodbye Grads: Reflecting back on three short years as a Hokie “No matter where I go or what I do, I’ll think of Blacksburg and remember that this is home.”

LILYA FENJIRO former opinions columnist

I graduated high school with a 2.7 GPA and relied on nothing but my rowing credentials to get me into college. The University of Alabama’s women’s rowing coach offered me an official visit to Tuscaloosa during my senior year and later recruited me to the team — Virginia Tech was simply off the table. Initially, Blacksburg wasn’t in the cards for me, but as I write this last story for the Collegiate Times, I can’t imagine being anywhere else.

Transferring schools took my life on a sharper turn than I’d anticipated; I gave up the sport that was funding my education, I ended up deciding to change my major and met some people that I don’t think I could live without.

In my time at Virginia Tech, I started writing for the CT, which provided me a sense of purpose on campus; I discovered how much I love hiking at places I’d never find up at home

in Northern Virginia; I worked my first ever job at our precious Hokie Grill; and somehow, I even got the opportunity to meet Josh Peck at the Haymarket Theatre in Squires. I graduated high school excited for similar adventures I thought I’d have at Alabama but realized things were going to be different when I first visited the school and hesitated to say the campus “felt like home.”

I discovered more about myself during freshman year than any other year during my time in college. Rowing was my passion, but I grew to hate it in Alabama. I was homesick, slower than most of the team and my roommate, who also happened to be my teammate, once told me to stop making ramen in the dorm because it made the room “smell like Asian food.” Leaving campus during freshman year meant taking the weekly shuttle bus to the grocery store or to my one and only friend Lucy’s dorm. Shoutout to Lucy Stevens, who now rows at Boston University; you were my

rock and forever my favorite Aussie. It still really sucks to reflect back on that year, but if it weren’t for my experience at Alabama, I wouldn’t be a Hokie today.

Freshman year was miserable and, quite honestly, it gave me my first taste of severe anxiety and depression. While I was working on transfer applications that spring semester, I had even told my mom that I would enlist into the military if I didn’t get in anywhere, if it meant I didn’t have to spend another night in Tuscaloosa. The school was beautiful and I’m sure many of its students wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else, but nothing there was making me happy and that is completely OK. Living in Blacksburg started to blur that feeling of unhappiness and, for the first time ever, I started fixating on living at college rather than the idea of being away from home. When I got here for the fall semester of my sophomore year, friends started to come naturally and my new roommates who I found through Facebook

acted like we had been friends for years before we even met. Most of my professors went out of their way to offer support when they saw I was struggling and my advisor, Susan “Scout” Stinson, helped me navigate my graduation plan as soon as classes started my first semester here. Scout, if you read this, I might have lost my marbles and dropped out if it wasn’t for your patience, so thank you. To my favorite professor, Megan Duncan, thank you for the reporter’s notebook with your sweet words after I almost gave up in your class. Professors like yourself help make hard times a little easier to deal with.

As a first-generation college student, I didn’t know what to expect after I left home for school and, as you can assume, the transition didn’t flow as smoothly for me as it did for some. Don’t get me wrong, Virginia Tech continued on page 13

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has been everything I wanted out of my college experience, but there were a few bumps along the way. Many late nights consisted of editing, crying, crying while editing, you get the gist. I still wouldn’t trade it for the world, because I was happy to be there in my little 8-by-9-foot bedroom that faces mountains I still can’t believe exist in the state I grew up in.

I’m really going to miss this mountain town and the ability to walk down the hallway to my best friend’s room. The last four years have been enlightening in more ways than just getting an education; I learned more about who I was outside of my hometown, my sport and my family. I discovered the nightmares that can come with having roommates and how good I am at procrastinating. I turned 21 last year and

experienced nightlife for the first time, something high school me waited a long time for, and it was so worth it. Now I’m writing my very last CT story, studying for my very last finals and applying for big girl jobs.

To all rising student classes, be patient with your new endeavors and don’t expect that you’ll stick with them. Step out of your comfort zones and don’t be afraid of letting things go that

don’t make you happy, I’ll continue to do the same as I move on to this next chapter of my life. After three short years, it’s already time to say goodbye, but I’ll be back because no matter where I go or what I do, I’ll think of Blacksburg and remember that this is home. @CollegiateTimes

Goodbye Grads: Ethan Candelario, photo editor A few of Ethan’s best shots as Collegiate Times’ photo editor, 2018–22.

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editor@collegiatetimes.com

Goodbye Grads: Tori Walker, editor-in-chief “Always go the extra mile ... Make that additional sprint in the relationships you have, the projects you take on, the conversations you make and the rooms you enter.”

TORI WALKER former editor-in-chief

As I sit here on my Blacksburg bed and type away about my past almost-four years in the Collegiate Times, I’m utterly shocked by how quickly time has flown by me. You know when the wind is blowing so violently that tears are pulled out of your eyes and back your hairline?

It’s like that. This shock then carries to the thought that I am such a different human being today next to the person I was seven semesters ago. I would say the CT is a large contributor to that noticeable juxtaposition –– a contributor to the mental, professional, emotional and intellectual growth I see in myself and take with me as I take my next shaky step into what everyone calls the “real world.”

As grueling as journalistic writing can often be, with all of its twists and turns and locked doors, it’s not nearly as difficult to pin down as creating a personal recount of one’s journey within an integral organization. I’m overwhelmed about where to even begin to tell my story because the box that is labeled “Collegiate Times” in my brain is pretty sizable and bursting at the seams.

However, I have to start somewhere and put words to paper –– it’s my job, after all. First, I’ll reflect on the day I received an email from the College of Liberal Arts about a Collegiate Times interest meeting in the fall semester of 2018, my first semester as an infantile Hokie.

I’m truly perplexed by what drew me to the email and the announcement. I had no prior newspaper experience, and I really didn’t hold a passion for journalism at the time, but I knew I could write and that my words could get me places one day. I called my mom about it, as many of us can say we’ve done, and asked her if I should go check out the organization in case they had any opportunities in writing or editing. She said to go for it, so I walked over to Squires that evening. I had no clue what I was about to sign myself up for –– and I mean that in the best way possible.

I started my CT career as a copy editor because that was my true comfort zone. All throughout my 22 years of life, I have found myself at my most expressive and safe state when I can communicate nonverbally –– whether it was through dance, writing or painting canvases. It’s ironic because I’m a communication major, but a common misconception about the major is that you have to adore public speaking or broadcasting or discourse in general. That’s simply not true. I have crippling

social anxiety and would rather live a year at the top of Slusher Tower than give a TED talk or be a professional broadcast journalist. I thrive as someone who can be behind the scenes editing, creating content, writing or managing small groups of people. Therefore, by being the eyes behind each article that was published under the CT name, I could amply explore my strengths and the group of people I had joined.

Lesson 1 here is that you don’t necessarily have to break your bubble or do something out of character to succeed in college, or any facet of life. Know what you’re good at, start there and then allow yourself to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. Having that initial confidence can give you the internal courage you need to push your own boundaries in the future.

The Collegiate Times was a safe haven for me, especially during the first two years of my college career. Editing articles each day became an exciting pastime that separated me from homework and homesickness, and Sunday production was an escape from feelings of isolation, anxiety and loneliness that burrowed deep into the walls of wherever I resided that year. It was my social and professional outlet in Blacksburg –– the staff introduced me to topics I’d never heard of or contributed to before, they looked out for and supported me and they reassured me that there was a group on campus I could thrive in. People always repeated the narrative to me in high school that college would be the best, most memorable four years of my entire life. I stubbornly disagreed because I was not happy at Virginia Tech for a very long time; however, finding the sweet spots and fully embracing them for what they are worth can help in blurring some of the trials and tribulations of college. The CT was the sweet spot for me.

Toward my later months as a copy editor, I began to notice my attachment and love for the organization swelling –– not only did I want to continue ensuring we were publishing pieces at their best and giving student journalists a voice on campus, but I also wanted to dabble in change-making and administrative duties within the organization. So, I applied for the managing editor position and soon joined Ashley Long and Emily Hannah (former editor-in-chief and managing editor) as a third member of the managing team –– all amid the most challenging months of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the simplest terms, learning how to manage a team of over 50 people, and during one of the most unprecedented global events that my generation has endured, truly helped

me understand the meaning of adaptability.

A tragic part about this stage of my CT career is that it went through some shocking changes.

For months, the staff didn’t see each other face to face, there were very little in-person events for our staff to cover, COVID-19 infected our headlines and we struggled to do our jobs amid health anxieties, heavy online learning curricula and the fear of what could come next out of this virus. Still, to this day, our staff is healing from this time of uncertainty and constant change. Those whose love swelled for the CT as much as mine did are the ones who continued to show up to work wanting to fight the pandemic fatigue and make our newspaper better than it was the week before. If you’re one of those CTers, thank you. Lesson 3 is to keep a firm grasp on that energy and never let it fade, no matter how burnt out you are (I know, I’m a

Tori Walker, former editor-in-chief, April 2022.

workaholic –– self-care is important too, but stay enthusiastic and do your hardest work to make the world a better place, and recharge yourself as needed). While we’re at this stage in my piece, I must thank Ashley and Emily for teaching me all that I know and for being my older sisters that I never had.

I made the decision to apply for editor-inchief November of my junior year. Was I at all ready for that role transition? No, but nobody ever really is. Again, I started at the CT within my comfort zone, but knew I wanted to do more, especially now that the organization was in its midpandemic phase. The last year and five months has been an absolute rollercoaster ride –– it’s had its slow anticipatory ups, its stomach-wrenching downs, a little turbulence continued on page 15

COURTESY OF EMILY DAGES

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here and there that’ll cause an after-shock headache, and moments so blissful you want to hold your arms up and scream. It might sound a bit dramatic, but the CT, as well as all the other student media organizations on campus, has seen first-hand the mid- and “post”-pandemic effects on students, campus engagement, external support, organizational traditions and more. And being the face of the newspaper who must react, adapt, make decisions and balance all our internal and external needs was surely a challenge.

Lesson 4 here would be that if you decide to take on a leadership role at any point in your life, you will encounter some of the most mentally complex and distressing scenarios that will make you choose between professional ethics and your personal code of conduct. I look back at my time as editor-in-chief and wish I had done a few things differently, but I remember I’m only a college student who has taken on the weight of a group in my early 20s. If you are in a leadership role or about to be in one like I was, give yourself some credit, seek advice from people who know what they are doing, offer full transparency with yourself and others about what you want to get out of each obstacle you encounter, and be proud that you’ve grown another layer of thick skin that will help you in your next challenge. Momiji Barlow, remember these words as you near your days as the CT’s next editor-in-chief.

As tough as this role has been, I have several reasons to be eternally grateful for it. Having to lead a group with no excuses to escape my responsibilities has further helped me cope with the anxiety I’ve dueled with since I could remember how to speak. Anything from interest meetings to interviews, to training sessions, to announcements, were never easy for me –– even though they really don’t hold much weight in the grand scheme of things. I was forced out of my bubble numerous times, and will now go into my next life stage with a stable, confident and intentional voice.

Through leading my staff, I’ve also been given the space to be observant of the diverse people that make a collective group, and to learn how to navigate differences. Being EIC, my goal was always to practice active listening, tailored mentorship, empathy and strategic communication so that people’s unique needs and the organization’s mission were equally taken into account in decision-making processes. I will live by this way of leading, as it’s given me the appropriate tools to communicate with others and move through the world with more compassion than I ever had before.

I cannot go through the roses of the past year and a half without talking about a few people who made it more than just a leadership role for me. First of all, I have had the opportunity

collegiatetimes.com to work with an outstanding editorial staff that has devoted time and energy toward making the Collegiate Times a living, breathing and (not always, but often) thriving organization. Being full-time journalists on top of being students is not an effortless task. You all should be proud of yourselves for sticking through it and taking advantage of the platform we have been given.

You absolutely lived up to those expectations through your passion for student media organizations and the kids who were running them. I appreciate you for all that you do as our “media mom,” and I will not be a stranger after I move out of Blacksburg. You will still be receiving frantic texts from me when I need a Kiley perspective.

“

AS I GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO WALKING ACROSS LANE STADIUM TO TAKE MY HARD-EARNED DIPLOMA INTO THE ‘REAL WORLD,’ I BLAME NOTHING MORE FOR MY THICK SKIN, WORKAHOLIC TENDENCIES, GROWING EMPATHY, PRIDE AND EXCITEMENT FOR THE FUTURE THAN THE COLLEGIATE TIMES AND THE PEOPLE WHO SHAPE IT.

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editor@collegiatetimes.com

TORI WALKER, FORMER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Whether or not you continue as writers or editors in the future, you’ve picked up the vital skills to collaborate, lead and cultivate highquality work that will take you to higher places in the future.

I must thank our adviser and Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech (EMCVT) General Manager Kiley Thompson for being my source of calm and patience during this role.

When Ashley was editor-in-chief, she always spoke so highly of you and your mentorship.

Lexi Solomon –– my managing editor, teammate, friend, “bad cop” and confidante, thank you for being the person I needed the most in my Collegiate Times experience. You have taught me more than you know about journalism, friendship, collaboration, dedication and the meaning of home at Virginia Tech since we started to work together in January of 2021. I will be forever grateful that you considered me someone you could open up to and find comfort

May 3, 2022 PAGE 15

with, and I couldn’t have made it through every Sunday without you. Thank you for the moments you spoke your mind, led others to greatness and pushed me to be a better editorin-chief. Be proud of who you have become and who you strive to be because the world will go down in flames without people like you. I cannot wait to see you thrive as a crime reporter and professional journalist –– Fayetteville, North Carolina, get ready: Lexi is a force to be reckoned with.

Momiji Barlow and Colleen Henneberry, I wish you both the best of luck as you approach the next year as CT’s next managing team. I am extremely proud of you for stepping up and continuing the legacy and hard work that make our group so unique on campus. I look forward to returning to Blacksburg and visiting Squires 365 to witness you all putting together a print medium that deserves creators like you. Please never hesitate to reach out –– Lexi and I are so attached to this organization that we’d be enthusiastic to offer our help or advice post-graduation.

To the Virginia Tech community, especially those who support the CT through and through, thank you for accepting us and embracing student journalism for what it is.

We’re not perfect, and we will continue to make mistakes. As I walk away from the newspaper and Blacksburg campus, I truly hope that the university will show more support for us. Many of the student journalists here have a common goal, despite our differing favorite mediums, and that is to share stories that are truthful, accurate and ethically curated. Let’s encourage Hokie writers, editors, reporters and media heads to raise each other up and preach our common goal collectively. And as a side note, while we’re thanking Virginia Tech –– thank you to the campus security team for not questioning the 2006 green Subaru Outback whipping around on late Monday nights or early Tuesday mornings delivering Collegiate Times newspapers. It was a blast driving around our empty campus sidewalks and adorning our streets with print media. If you pick up a copy of the CT at one of our notorious red or black boxes on campus, you’ll always be on my good side.

One of my core memories from the Collegiate Times actually goes back to my copy editor interview when Jess Brady, former editor-in-chief, asked me if I had to be a punctuation mark, what that would be. I told her that I thought the em dash best represented me as a person, as silly as it sounds. I explained that the em dash indicates that there is a pause in a sentence, a segue into a reflection, followed by further explanation or clarification of the continued on page 16

editor@collegiatetimes.com

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written narrative. It’s less formal than a colon, and you can use one or two depending on the point you want to make. An em dash indicates there is more to the story than the reader knows. I believe my connection to this punctuation mark still holds true to this day, whether it means that there is more to me than people know, or that there is more to life and the individuals that decide to pop in and out of it or stay

a while. To me, an em dash means to take everything with a grain of salt, give the benefit of the doubt, inquire for more information if you need it and know that your immediate assumptions about something or someone do not always signify the absolute truth. As I move forward with my life and career, I will hold these values close to my heart and continue to use em dashes excessively –– sorry.

Lesson 5, as I sign off from my last article I will ever write for the Collegiate Times, is to

always go the extra mile, whether you have the energy for it or you’re panting from exhaustion, because it will never go unnoticed. Make that additional sprint in the relationships you have, the projects you take on, the conversations you make and the rooms you enter. You never know who is watching or who yearns for a presence like yours. The extra miles you run, I assure you, will give you the leverage you need for future success. As I get closer and closer to walking across Lane Stadium to take my hard-earned

diploma into the “real world,” I blame nothing more for my thick skin, workaholic tendencies, growing empathy, pride and excitement for the future than the Collegiate Times and the people who shape it. Congratulations to all of our shining seniors, and cheers to a bright future ahead of us.

@CollegiateTimes

CT STAFF 2022–23

MOMIJI BARLOW editor-in-chief

COLLEEN HENNEBERRY managing editor

EMILY BURCH copy editor

KENDRA SOLLARS copy editor

OLIVIA NELSON opinions editor

SYDNEY JOHNSON design editor

NANAMI NISHIMOTO assistant design editor

MARIA MARTINEZ assistant design editor

EMILY LOGUE social media editor

DEANNA DRIVER social media editor

VICTORIA WEBER news editor

OLIVIA FERRARE lifestyles editor

EMANDA SEIFU assistant lifestyles editor

CHARLIE SETASH business manager

RAGEN RENNER events coordinator

JAVERIA ZULFQAR multimedia editor

MARGARET ALLOCCA sports editor

AMBER WILLIAMS sports editor

COLBY TALLEY sports editor