Technically, we are the leaders of this organization. Our names are at the top of the staff roster, and we find ourselves wrangling section editors to conform to our collective will. Yet, we are lucky to be consistently awed by our staff. It is not just personal bias – we consider this the best group of editors that the Manitou Messenger has ever had. Here, we pay tribute to all we have learned from them.
News Editor and rising Executive Editor Nick Bowlin ’16 has taught us what tenacity looks like. No, we’re not referring to his EPIC BEAST MODE on the intramural soccer court. We mean to say that he has revived the long-lost art of investigative reporting. It takes real gumption to interrogate administrative figures and ask questions there aren’t ready answers for.
Fellow news editor Kassandra DiPietro ’15 shared her positive spunk every time she entered the office.
Let’s not forget Stephen Nolan ’15, editor and usually author of the Sports section – or is it the Sport section, as they say in his native Australia? Even though playing tennis and adapting to our American culture is really a full-time job, Steve manages to create and write his page almost single-handedly each week.
We are also amazed by Becca Carcaterra ’17, who needed to step down from a news editing position this past fall in order to seek treatment for bone cancer. We are excited for her to return next term, and to continue to excel in writing, editing and generating ideas.
Because of some unforseen circumstances that forced some last-minute staff changes, rookies Cathrine Meeder ’17 and Chaz Mayo ’18 a freshman! took over A&E this semester like absolute pros. They reminded us of the importance of jumping into something new with optimism and grace – a lesson with extra relevance to us as we jump into the real world next month.
Benny Pelegrande ’15, King of the Hill and also the variety page, was a new addition to the staff. He came through our doors with nothing but a vision for a new section and a passion for semi-coherent, absurd horoscopes. We cannot imagine this year without the hysterical laughter and occasional discomfort/confusion he provides.
Opinions editors Nina Hagen ’15 and Emily Stets ’15 put up with a lot. Imagine, for instance, repeatedly asking your executive editors to write a farewell letter to readers, while they subsequently put off doing so until approximately 10 p.m. on print night. Or having to formulate coherent opinions on any range of topics week after a week. Let’s say that their tenacity is something we could all work toward.
Louisa Carroll ’15, who never fails to inform us which color combinations are “totally ugly,” brought the visual components of this newspaper to a new level of excellence. Her sharp eye for detail always picks up on what our glazed-over, over-caffeinated eyes miss. She is a wizard with InDesign and Photoshop, and clearly a Gryffindor. We would not survive as editors or humans without her.
Joining Louisa in the artistic genius department is Andrew Wilder ’15, our photo editor. Not only is Andrew wildly talented, but he also provides us with much-needed care and kindness. Once, during a very stressful period of time at the Mess, he drove the executive, managing and visual editors to the Contented Cow so we could have a serious meeting over popcorn and a beer. That made everybody’s week.
Wed also like to recognize our staff writers, copy editors, business manager and online editors for all they do to keep our paper running smoothly.
Thank you, dear editors. And thank you, too, readers. What a year.
– belisle@stolaf.edu and grosse@stolaf.edu
