Board Editorial: Thank You Seniors

There’s no better time and place on campus than the Corr basement on a Tuesday night.

Good times can be had sitting around tables in the Connelly Center. Memories are made in the Wells Fargo parking lots, and many a story has been shared around tables at Pit or Spit. 

There’s simply nothing that beats the magic of The Office at newspaper production.

Some may think that magic comes from InDesigns pages, careful removal of the Oxford comma, marks on paper with blue pens or front page controversy. But no, that magic comes from something much better: the people.

This edition, the last of the semester, is also the last edition in illustrious careers for a huge chunk of our Villanovan family. We have nine, incredible seniors. They’ve put in countless hours to producing a newspaper this community can be proud of, yes, but more importantly, these people have created a family. 

Molly Baker is the foundation of The Villanovan. Our Copy Desk queen, Molly has protected the editorial staff since her freshman year from the dangers of comma splices and using the wrong “their/there/they’re.” Molly’s one of the kindest souls you’ll ever meet, someone who makes your life better just because you know her.

It’s impossible to imagine The Villanovan without AJ Fezza. AJ’s been here for three years, doing a little bit of everything during that time, and his unwavering dedication is unmatched. AJ has a way of lighting up a room and a group chat with a photo or a story.

Cate McCusker is the paper’s beating heart. Another who’s been here since the beginning, Cate was in charge in 2021, helping resurrect the paper’s culture after the end of in-person events due to COVID-19. Cate has welcomed so many with open arms, offering smiles, encouragement, pasta and Lunchables to create the Villanovan family.

Olivia Pasquale may not only be the sweetest person on campus, but possibly in the world. Always smiling and down for adventure, Liv is known and loved by every person she meets. Liv has a way of being everywhere at once, sharing her time between organizations and making them all so much better just because she’s there.  

Running a newspaper occasionally leads to moments of panic for any and all editors on the staff, but Tina Aron is the voice of reason. Tina keeps everything running smoothly, yes, but she also always keeps it fun. Tina always finds a way to make everything better, little moments and big projects and everything in between. 

Elena Rouse is the coolest person we know. Elena’s a person who just gets it, bringing positive vibes and good energy every time she enters a room. If you don’t know Elena, you wish you did, and if you do, you know why everyone wants to. Her creativity makes her special, bringing horoscopes, hilarity and Zach Bryan to The Villanovan. Mark our words – Elena is the next Anna Wintour confirmed. 

Sarah Wisniewski is undoubtedly the funniest person you will ever meet. There’s no such thing as a regular day when Sarah is there, because you never know what you’ll hear. When Sarah speaks, you listen. Sarah never fails to make everyone laugh, but her contributions to the paper go so much deeper than just that. 

Rachel Reiniger’s dedication to the paper is unmatched. She is the most aesthetic person anyone knows. She’s turned our Instagram into the best out there, and pours her heart into each graphic. She makes us all better. Whether it be Photoshopped jokes or Editors’ Meeting Surveymonkeys, in just a year Rachel has made the paper feel like family.

Finally, Meghann Morhardt is extraordinarily dedicated and just as kind. Meghann never draws attention to herself and hates when she gets the credit she deserves, yet she’s grown so much in the last year and built the sports section into a juggernaut. More importantly, Meghann’s a friend who’s always there for you, ready to find a way through, even in low moments. 

Our nine seniors have made The Villanovan great, creating a legacy and a high bar for the rest to live up to. We’re so thankful to our juniors as well: Matthew Ryan, Chloe Miller, Sarah Sweeney, Lydia McFarlane and our friends abroad Bella Irwin and Jackie Thomas.

We’ve got an amazing incoming staff too, filled with people who will create Villanovan legacies of their own. 

However, this one’s for our seniors. Whether they’ve been here for one year or three, they’ve made indelible impacts and made The Villanovan into what it is today. To all of you, thank you, for everything.

There’s no better place than the Corr basement, but at the end of the day, it’s just a basement. What makes it great isn’t the newspaper. It’s not the sticky notes on the wall. It’s not the books on the shelf, the March Madness poster or even the calendar filled with jokes.

What makes the Corr basement great is the people. What makes the Corr basement so special is that family. 

To those who make The Villanovan great: Thank You. You mean the world to us.