Most things that have happened in my Kenyon life happened because of a field hockey article. I took the assignment on the advice of Jackson Wald ’22, whose email I had followed to the Alumni Dining Room a few days after the Involvement Fair. I didn’t know much about the Collegian, and I knew even less about field hockey, but I knew I liked sports journalism, so it felt natural to start writing and never really stop. Well, until now.

At the “Writers’ College,” the place where I have done the most writing is a little white house with four blue Adirondack chairs on the porch, not a classroom in the English Quad or Ascension Hall. If I got paid per word, I’m sure that I would be doing pretty well for myself. Unfortunately, the Collegian doesn’t have that kind of cash. And, while that sort of money would be nice, I’ve still been the beneficiary of this newspaper in uncountable ways.

Writing for the Collegian has made me a better writer and a more confident person. The thought of complete strangers reading my writing used to petrify me, but I’ve moved past that fear (because I know that a lot of people just don’t read all the way to the sports section). Years of cold-emailing student athletes to ask them about exhilarating victories and crushing defeats means that I have no excuse for timidity. In one way or another, the Collegian has led me to most of my friends here on campus. And the community that I found while sitting in the office on Wednesday nights is the reason that I could never imagine actually leaving Kenyon, even on my hardest days. 

The community that the Collegian has brought me both is and isn’t unique to the paper. There aren’t any other groups on campus that spend as much time as we do arguing about Oxford commas and pitching pithy ledes. But, as I say farewell to the Collegian, I look back on my four years and know that there is a niche for everyone on the Hill. I hope you find your Collegian. It may not literally be Gambier’s only newspaper (since 1856), but if it is, you won’t regret it.

As Kenyon keeps changing and the world around the Hill keeps growing more hostile toward marginalized people and the free press, the community at the Collegian will continue to be an integral part of life in Gambier. If you’ve ever skimmed an article or wondered why we didn’t cover this event or that issue, I hope you’ll consider finding the Collegian’s table at the Involvement Fair and putting your name down.

There’s not enough room for all the gratitude I have, but I’ll try. Thank you to Jordy Fee-Platt ’22, Linnea Mumma ’22, Amanda Pyne ’22 and Joe Wint ’22 for making the Collegian my home. Thank you to Amelia Carnell ’23, Salvatore Macchione ’23 and Reid Stautberg ’23 for showing us the ropes and buying us some Red Bull before you left. Thank you to Molly Vogel ’00 for all of the advice and Village Inn lunches.

Thank you to Jackson, Caleb Newman ’24, Jordy and Joe for teaching me the joys of sports writing. Thank you to Micah Arenstein ’26, Charlotte Walker ’24, Henry Brandt ’26, Olivia Braun ’27, Casey Master ’27 and all of our sportswriters for making sports my favorite section. Thank you to every athlete who has ever answered an email from me — my articles were nothing without you.

Thank you (and I’m sorry) to my friends who always asked how the Collegian was going. Thank you to Liz DeProspo ’25 for never following through on your threats to quit. Thank you to my parents for everything you’ve given me and for always calling out embarrassing Class Clash performances. And, finally, thank you to Audrey Baker ’25 and Annalia Fiore ’25. I would’ve drowned a long time ago if it weren’t for you, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to say “thank you” enough times.  

To Sacha Franjola ’26, Dorothy Yaqub ’26 and Micah: It is my dearest hope that we have left the Collegian in a place that will allow it to grow, but it is my deepest belief that you three will carry it even further than we could. Just remember, when it’s 2 a.m. and you still haven’t finished reading news: It’ll get better one of these days. If you ever need anything, I’m only a phone call away.