By Mount Holyoke News Staff
Mount Holyoke College’s Class of 2024 saw many things during its tenure. From political uprisings to campus controversies, some of it was good, some bad and some of it downright goofy.
The list is long — the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021; the Oscars slap heard ’round the world; Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine; the end of President Sonya Stephens’ era at the College, Dr. Beverly Tatum’s short lived-one and the start of President Danielle R. Holley's; the beginnings of the war on Gaza; non-lethal goose deterrent coyotes and more — and the notable moments continue to accumulate.
Each year, Mount Holyoke News asks its graduating seniors to reflect on their time on staff and at the College. Keep reading to hear what the Class of 2024 had to say about their time with MHN and what it has meant to them.
Mariam Keita ’24, Editor-in-Chief
When I left for spring break my senior year of high school, I didn’t realize that I would never be coming back. Like many in the class of 2024, my first college classes were taken from my bedroom.
Once “at” Mount Holyoke, I was pretty confident that I wouldn’t be joining the newspaper. A once-passionate student journalist, I had quit my role as an editor on my high school newspaper after the journalism supervisor jokingly accused my younger brother of leaving a bomb in his classroom — he’d dropped his backpack off before leaving for a cross-country meet.
I’d also spent the summer reading posts by disgruntled students on the @bipocatmountholyoke Instagram amid the nationwide racial reckoning following George Floyd’s murder. According to them, Mount Holyoke News was racist, resistant to change and its editorial team almost entirely white. Regardless of my intentions, the universe had other plans.
Lily Reavis — then the Editor-in-Chief of Mount Holyoke News — was the SAW mentor for my first-year seminar. She caught me at the end of a Zoom class and eagerly encouraged me to apply. I hesitantly sent in a staff writer application and was immediately offered a role — as an Arts & Entertainment SECTION EDITOR, despite having only applied for the Opinion and News sections.
Skeptical, I asked to meet with Lily one-on-one to investigate, uncertain about attaching my name to an organization that conveniently needed a token Black face to validate its new anti-racism action plan and had recently started sticking #BLACKLIVESMATTER onto the end of its posts after being publicly called out for its lack of diversity.
During the meeting, I asked if there were any Black people on staff (there weren’t). I also learned that the News was taking several substantive actions to correct its structural inequities, and after several more weeks of cautiously scoping out staff meetings, I folded.
Everything between then and now is a blur.
While many things have come and gone during my time at Mount Holyoke — friends, relationships, editors, majors, my will to live — Mount Holyoke News has remained my one constant. I was lucky enough to see other Black students join our staff as writers, editors — even E-Board members — and help train the next generation of storytellers at the College. Despite our many challenges this year — financial and otherwise — I am proud to say that I was able to continue a long legacy of weekly student journalism at MHC that dates back to 1917.
While I half-joke about being groomed into the Editor-in-Chief role this year and the many tear-filled, sleepless nights that came along with it, I am also grateful that I was able to work with so many amazing, dedicated storytellers during my time at Mount Holyoke.
Every good story made it all worthwhile.
Thanks for that <3
Jendayi Leben-Martin ʼ24, Managing Editor of Content
My time on MHN started because, during my freshman year, I had watched the first (and at the time only) season of Netflix’s “Bridgerton” and had so many complaints that Mariam, our current Editor-in-Chief, suggested I write a review for the college newspaper just to shut me up (just kidding… I think?). I wrote the review, and so began a journey consisting of many roles throughout my time at MHN, from Contributing Writer to Staff Writer to Global Editor to, finally, Managing Editor of Content.
I will admit that almost all of these roles have happened upon me — “You should write a review of that,” “You should join the staff full time,” “You should be Global editor, we need one” and famously, “You would be a greatttt MEC!” — without me necessarily always being very enthusiastic about them. However, every time I have adopted a different role on MHN, I have found myself unable to imagine what I would have done without the org.
To me, the most impressive thing about MHN is how much time, effort and care the people who work on the paper put into it every week. Over the years, I’ve found that the work I do for the News is made better by my refusal to disappoint my peers. They have inspired me to ensure the quality of everything I do on this org, and that is special to me.
While getting the paper out every week has not been easy, and we have faced many, many… many challenges this year in particular, I think the fact that this newspaper still functions is a testament to the people who spend hours working on it. That should never, ever be understated. If you love the News, don’t give it up.
I have so much appreciation for the people who have closed out this chapter with me, particularly everyone on the 2023-2024 E-Board. You all are extraordinary, and I’ve loved (not really) pulling all-nighters with you. I especially have to thank Eliška, my Copy Chief, who has many names and with whom I’ve shared as many hilarious/terrifying moments this year. You will be the voice in my head when I edit my papers for law school next year.
To Tara, my ex-co-MEC and the future EIC (!!!), I’ll be cheering for you this year. I’m so excited to see what you do with this org, and I truly believe in you.
I must close out by saying that one of my greatest achievements throughout these four-ish years on MHN has been convincing two out of my three best friends to join the News — Samara has yet to fill out the Puzzle Writer application, even though I wrote the position just for her :/
I love you, Mount Holyoke News! Thank you for so many sleepless nights and, when measured against the stakes, a disproportionate amount of stress! Rutgers Law Review, you’re next.
Yours always,
Jen, Managing Editor of Content
Elizabeth Jacob ʼ24, Copy Chief
One year for my birthday, my dad bought me a subscription to The New York Times’ Sunday Edition at my request. This was a bit of a peculiar gift, and my friends harped on me relentlessly for asking for a newspaper subscription for my birthday. Yet, every Sunday, opening that thick, freshly-inked stack, I sat myself down on my great-aunt’s golden armchair (thank you, Uncle John, for helping convince Dad to lug the chair home from Evanston), a Nespresso in hand, and began to devour the pages. I sometimes found it hard to read the Sports section (my cardiovascular ineptness coincidentally translated over to my inability to focus on sports-related, ground-breaking news) but easily devoured other headlines.
When I visited Mount Holyoke for the first time, I knew I had struck gold. This epiphany was not realized from the grand American Gothic architecture or how beautiful the leaves looked changing from bright green to golden yellow, but from the library’s wall of newspapers. Ascending the stairs onto the fourth floor (Blue Lions side only, lest I fail my finals…), we soon stood before this marvelous, awe-inducing sight (monotonous plastic shelves holding newspapers against a taupe wall). These shelves contained not only American newspapers but international publications I had never heard of. The tour guide looked a bit perplexed at my fangirling, noting that no one had ever recognized the newspapers, but I knew that I had found my new home for the next four years.
Those four years zoomed by faster than Jorge chasing petrified first-years. And I’d be lying if I said that I had not stalked the Mount Holyoke News website before those four years began. Watching a newsroom tour, with the “FACT CHECK THAT SHIT” banner hanging in the center of the room, I knew that my news application would be sent as soon as I received my (hopeful) acceptance. Expecting to become a staff writer and nothing more, my first-year Copy Chief, Kelsey Thomas, changed my mind. I had fallen completely, totally and utterly in love with copy editing. Fact-checking? Give me some albums to listen to and a Coke Zero, and I was tapped into the fact-checking sheet for hours on end. F1 and F2 copy edits? The joy I received from cross-referencing the AP Style Guide with my own grammatical knowledge is akin to drinking water after a run in the summer heat (my cardiovascular endurance is still inept).
For the next four years, I not only copy-edited, but wrote, interviewed, and wrote some more. The connection I feel to the Mount Holyoke and greater Western Mass community is a relationship that will stick with me forever. I have changed a lot in the past four years, but the News has remained unchanged. It has been a constant, especially when everything else felt as unstable as dancing on a Delles coffee table during a party. Mount Holyoke News: I love you.
To my fall Managing Editor of Content, Tara, you are one of my biggest inspirations to aim for higher heights than I thought possible; believe in yourself the way I believe in you. I can’t wait to cross paths again in our future newsrooms. Ti amo, mia bellissima sorellina!
To my spring Managing Editor of Content, Jendayi, life before meeting you was not nearly as fun as it has been with you. Your humor has led to me falling on the newsroom ground one too many times, and your generosity is a trait I hope you never lose. My Judicial Jendayi — you and your brilliance will always be a gift.
To my brother and sister, Tommy and Annie, thank you for being my closest friends. There’s unfortunately not enough space to articulate what I want to say, so, Tommy, I will message you on Discord. Annie, I will message you on WhatsApp. I cannot wait for what the future holds for the three of us.
To my mom and stepdad, thank you for your endless belief in me. Your love for our family and the dedication to your passions push me to try harder and not take anything for granted. Kevin, you are the best stepdad that a tween, turned teen, turned young adult could ask for; you make life more enjoyable than you know. And thank you, maminka, for not listening to my plea to pick me up from my first night at Mount Holyoke, spent crying on the steps of Pearsons. As always, your foresight supersedes any intelligence or understanding of the world I think I have. Time spent with you is my favorite, and I cannot wait for the years to come. Miluji tě na měsíc a zpět (a pak ještě).
And to my dad, words fail when trying to convey my gratitude. You are one of my biggest inspirations, closest confidants and steadfast comforts in life. Your perception of the world is unparalleled and tender; thank you for raising me to experience it through your eyes. I look forward to many more car rides spent listening to Bloomberg and NPR, with you playing the devil’s advocate and me teetering on the edge of insanity, trying to convince you of any points I attempt to make. Je t’aime pour toujours.
And remember folks: There’s no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting.
Michelle Brumley ’24, Managing Editor of Web - Website
I remember when I first joined Mount Holyoke News as a News Staff Writer. Bright-eyed and still full of joy, I had applied knowing nothing about student journalism.
Three years later, I still don’t know a damn thing about student journalism. Sorry. This isn’t MHN’s fault — I stopped being a staff writer as soon as I realized it would require actual work and effort on my part. This is where the Web Team comes in. I initially joined as a low-level peon — sorry, “web assistant” — and didn’t end up getting much done, but in my junior year, I was approached by Mariam to become the Co-Managing Editor of Web. The rest, as they say, is history. Since this is a senior column, I might as well offer some advice for our newer MHN victims. Take it with a grain of salt.
Approach MHN like a long group project. As in, none of us are getting paid. Do what you can and spare a thought for your fellow students. It sucks to be micromanaged. It sucks to do the micromanaging.
This is a college newspaper, not The New York Times. My favorite articles (I do read all of them as I’m uploading them!) are the ones that come from a place of interest and passion, that are relevant to MoHos and could not have been published in any other student newspaper. One of the benefits of being in MHN, at least for me, is that I’m more aware of what’s going on around me. Believe it or not, there’s actually a lot going on in South Hadley, and certainly a lot going on in the administration. When you’re thinking up article ideas, it’s worth looking in your backyard first.
If you’re a writer, read published journalism. You’re here because you’re interested in journalism, right? (Or maybe you just like to yap. That’s fine, as long as it’s interesting to read.) I recommend The New Yorker, The Intercept and ProPublica, or any Pulitzer-winning articles. Find your voice outside of new writer training workshops.
It is your right to expect and ask for communication from the E-Board, from your section editors and from the publishing team. As a staff member, you can just show up to E-Board meetings (except during hiring).
You decide how much you want to put into this org. Don’t be afraid to defend your time. You’re a student first.
Liv Wilson ’24, Books Editor
I joined the Mount Holyoke News Books section as a sophomore looking for a place to belong and something to do. I loved to read and didn’t have anything else going on. Three years later, I still love to read and don’t have much else going on, but now I’ve got some really cool stuff to put on my resume and I’m buddy-buddy with the employees of the Odyssey bookshop, and so I’m counting that as a win!
My journey on the Mount Holyoke News took me through positions from Staff Writer, to Editor, to Publisher, and it taught me a lot of life lessons along the way. For example, how to lay out pages (which was not practice for adulthood) and cry about money a lot (fantastic practice for adulthood).
Through it all, however, the Books section of the MHN has remained a consistent part of my Mount Holyoke career, and this letter is my love letter to Books and its staff. As a creative writer, I am allowed to pour my emotions into words, so please excuse me while I do so. I like my section a lot.
To Jude, my very first and ever-faithful staff writer and someone I now call a friend, thank you for sticking by me for these two years. I know it wasn’t easy sometimes, and having a familiar face to look to at Pitch every week was a tremendous comfort. To Honora, Isabel and Mira — you all have worked so hard on this section, and each of you has made leaps and bounds. Thank you for your willingness to try new things, adhere to tight deadlines and take feedback with grace. It has not gone unnoticed. I hope all of you continue. You are all excellent journalists.
Finally, to Sophie Frank, my fearless co-editor and beloved friend. I could not be more proud to leave this section in your hands. I can leave this paper and this school knowing that my legacy will be intact with you and that I am entrusting its upkeep to someone who has integrity, leadership and kindness to spare.
To anyone who is hoping to join the MHN and is worried about the workload, I have one message for you: Join Books. It’s fun. And we’re still better than sports.
Good luck, MHN. Read on.
Liv
Bryn Healy ’24, News Editor
It has been a privilege to serve as one of the co-editors of the News section during my junior and senior years at Mount Holyoke College.
Student journalism is, sadly, one of the only remaining forms of independent local journalism. And it is therefore critical that resources like Mount Holyoke News continue to persist and thrive in every form — digital or print. I would encourage the College administration to support student journalists, and make sure that MHN has enough funding.
It’s been my great pleasure to work with incredible editors and writers during my time at MHN. I am particularly proud of the investigative pieces that I have written and been able to support during my time on staff. I’ve aided News staff writers as they pursued more investigative work and non-event-based research pieces. MHN is in a unique position. It is the sole on-the-ground resource covering what is happening to all MHC students. Whether it be an event we have all looked forward to for weeks or an investigation confirming or denying frequent rumors, we have the ability to cover everything from breaking national news to niche on-campus passions. That is important to our readers.
Being part of Mount Holyoke News has made me a stronger writer and editor. I am better able to encompass the complex breadth of subject matter that MHN covers on a weekly basis. I have even published breaking news stories, as I did with the news of the Trump impeachment.
Thank you to the staff of MHN for all of the work you do and will continue to do after I graduate in May 2024. I know that the News section is in great hands.
Keep up the good work and don’t be afraid to dig into some uncomfortable questions and situations on behalf of the student body.
Lily Benn ’24, Staff Writer
I started writing for Mount Holyoke News during my sophomore year because I felt I hadn’t yet been able to build the community or have the experiences I imagined I would have in college. I have always loved writing, but I had zero experience with journalism. Still, the News welcomed me and helped push me to do more than I ever expected.
All of the Science & Environment editors over my years writing for MHN were so incredibly kind. Being a staff writer definitely helped me build the sense of community and ever-growing love that I now have for this school, and it also played a big part in building my confidence and showing me experiences I otherwise would not have been able to have.
Yeah, I definitely still begrudgingly try to find interviews for my articles’ strange topics. Still, it is still really truly awesome to see my work being published somewhere, whether online or on paper. It makes me feel like I have accomplished something in my time here. If you are considering writing for the News, or even being a part of MHN in your time here, let this be the deciding factor. I really loved the chance to be able to be a bigger part of Mount Holyoke’s legacy and history. Am I writing this at two in the morning, listening to vaguely sad music? Yes, but I can’t tell you that any of my articles didn’t have some sort of this odd experience tied into their writing. It just comes with queer student journalism at Mount Holyoke. At least mine did :)
P.S. MHN needs to write more articles about birds. Or self-aware fish <3
Lynn Sleiman ’24, Photographer
Being part of Mount Holyoke News, I found joy in understanding its inner workings and capturing moments of Mount Holyoke College students’ accomplishments through photography. It served as one of my initial campus engagements, offering me the chance to meet admirable, hardworking individuals. Through this experience, I developed an appreciation for collaborative efforts and the power of visual storytelling. Outside of the news, I always enjoyed volunteering to take photos of events, especially action photography during athletic events, dance performances and more. Another enjoyable aspect of participating in MHN was being among the first to hear about campus news and sometimes even stalking the photo assignments sheet solely for that purpose. Overall, my involvement with MHN, though limited, left a lasting impression and contributed to my sense of belonging within the college community.