Owen Whaley ’24
Features Editor

It has been nearly a century since this paper first hit the stands. Today, staff members are continuing the mission of helping build a more informed and empowered student body. A past internship inspired Joseph Abrams ‘23 to become the paper’s chief news editor. “I had interned as a staff writer at a hip-hop magazine,” he tells me, “and I enjoyed it so much that I decided I wanted to become more involved and continue practicing my editorial skills.” Since then, Abrams has made his mark on the publication. In November, he covered the opening of a new vinegar plant in Worcester. “I was able to attend the ceremony with a group of city officials and the owner gave me a very enthusiastic tour of the place,” he recalls. “I never thought I would be able to cover events off-campus, so I was really glad to be offered that.” Anna Lee ‘24 hopes her work at the paper can help uplift others. “Transparency, above all, motivated my decision to become an opinions editor,” she tells me. “Coming from a family of Taiwanese immigrants, many of whose first language is not English, it is a goal of mine to make sure that articles are easily accessible to all kinds of readers. 

“At the center of all of my articles is taking initiative,” Lee continues. “I know students and faculty are well aware and capable of mitigating injustices, but it’s a matter of actually acting on their desire to help.” 

Fellow opinions editor Martha Wyatt-Luth ‘25 has similar hopes. “I hope students take away the need to ask ourselves questions,” she says, “so as not to live a passive, monotonous life.” 

Both students find it immensely rewarding to work alongside a lively and diverse group of students. “Everyone brings something new and a perspective I hadn’t considered,” Lee says. “That’s definitely my favorite part of the job.”

A dedicated visuals team helps bring articles to life. “Photography is a way to capture people’s eyes,” Valentina Moran ‘23 tells me, “and to help with visuals is something quite significant.” 

Any behind-the-scenes look at this paper would be incomplete without mentioning the Eggplant, our wittily irreverent satirical section. “I think the Eggplant should get at least ten pages,” Mario Micallef ‘22, one of its editors, tells me, “to maximize our spread of factual information.” 

When asked what he hopes readers take away from stories in the Eggplant, Micallef responds, “I hope they say, ‘What was that?’” 

Students interested in joining The Spire are encouraged to reach out to spire@g.holycross.edu.