Viveca Stucke ‘26
Chief Features Editor
As some of you may have noticed, your favorite local newspaper, The Spire, has had some revolutionary changes to its structure and staffing for this upcoming year. Some things have stayed consistent, where we still have an incredibly tight family dynamic as a staff, our sections are still News, Opinions, Features, Sports, and Eggplant, and we are still going to be publishing on Fridays. In terms of overall changes, we have launched a new website, devised a new plan for our social media presence, and drawn up some new plans for the goals of our sections. For example, over in the beautiful and magical land of Features, we look to connect more with various members of administration to help bridge the gap between the bureaucratic side of the college and the students and to also add in some more fun sections that further highlight student life.
In terms of staffing, naturally there have been some changes to our Editorial Board. I have remained in my position, as has Aiden Konold, our Chief Sports Editor, Sophia Mariani and Sabine Hinkaty as our Chief Copy Editors, Meredith McDonough as our Chief Web Editor, and Charlotte Fallon as our Chief Visuals Editor. However, on a more exciting note, we have introduced two new Editors in Chief, Will McHale and Ashwin Prabaharan, and have welcomed Elizabeth Swanson as our Chief News Editor, Piper Guiney as our Chief Eggplant Editor, Sean Rego as our Chief Opinions Editor, Bryce Maloney as our Senior Advisor, and Jake Ruderman as our In-House Critic. Our new team still operates very much as a family, remaining close in our bonds and connections, which only strengthens our work as a newspaper. In collaborating with our Editorial Board, I reached out to them to gain their temperature on their vision of The Spire for the upcoming year!
1. What is something that you are looking forward to for this year for your section/the Spire in general?
Ashwin Prabaharan : We’re expanding the Spire’s reach so that we can become an equal partner in campus dialogue and intellectual thought here among the student body. We’re pushing the boundaries on how we can get people to disagree while respecting one another, all bounded by the fact that we are neighbors and students here. We have a fantastic team with great ideas, and I’m just thankful for being able to help lead them this year!
Elizabeth Swanson: I am so excited to work with the talented E-board and all the news writers we have on staff this year!! Already, we have produced some great articles which have helped inform our community about Holy Cross happenings here on the hill and beyond.
2. What changes or new ideas do you have or plan to implement?
Ashwin Prabaharan: The newspaper is getting a makeover, essentially. We have reformatted the front page of the paper copy to better resemble a traditional paper. We’re fostering a culture that encourages quality writing to bring fresh, different, and unique perspectives for our readers. Our social media game is also expanding, and we’re going to be a lot more proactive with our posting.
Elizabeth Swanson: I am looking to really diversify the news section this year! Making sure to include articles from all parts of campus- the arts, administration, the student body, guest speakers, etc are all important and I want to be sure to highlight them appropriately. I am also encouraging all the news writers to get deep in the trenches with their stories and prioritize interviews as a part of their research collection.
3. What is your goal for your section/ The Spire this year?
Ashwin Prabaharan: To offer every student the opportunity to write and meaningfully contribute in the best way possible.
4. What is your favorite part about The Spire?
Ashwin Prabaharan: The people! We’re terribly fortunate to have a wonderful staff, and it’s like a family in many ways.
Elizabeth Swanson: I love being a part of a community that understands the importance of the written word and works together to produce a weekly paper that helps inform our student body. Writing is such a unique art as it connects people from all areas of life under a common goal of understanding. Working with the E-Board this year has made it so clear to me how dedicated our writers and staff are to making information accessible and prioritizing free speech.
Overall, I believe that the future of our dearest newspaper is shining brighter than ever. As I have embarked upon my senior year, I have had the opportunity to reflect on what has mattered most to me during my time on the hill, and how I was to spend the rest of my time here. The Spire, undoubtedly, has had an impact on my life and my college experience. I have learned how to feel comfortable and confident expressing my opinions, gained an understanding on the true importance of having a community of like minded individuals, and grasped a deeper comprehension of why we must use writing as a source to freely express ourselves, especially in the context of a place like a college campus. Moving forward, I want students to know that The Spire is a place where they can feel heard, whether through highlighting their lives like in Peep My Crib, or through the provision of an outlet to voice their thoughts in the Opinions Section. The power of the people, especially through their voice is incredibly crucial to the cultivation of change, and I want the Spire to harness that more.
Featured image courtesy of Bryce Maloney ’26
Leave a Reply