Suzanna Graham, Arts and Entertainment Editor: Three years ago, I felt disconnected from McGill, Montreal, and my fellow students. In the last week of my first year, a friend of a friend suggested I write for a school paper. The second week of second year, I ran from class to make the Zoom pitch meeting on time. Amid a pandemic, The Tribune gave me a lifeline to ground myself in an unfamiliar world. I will forever be grateful for those who have edited my writing, those I’ve written alongside, and those whose writing I’ve had the privilege to edit myself. It’s been a wild ride. From writing about human-weighted blankets to organizing a journalism conference to crafting a two-page feature, I can confidently say I am so lucky to have had this experience. Arts and Entertainment is, for many, a gateway to writing for The Tribune. It’s accessible—everyone feels like they can talk about their favourite movie or concert. Then they realize it’s not so scary to cover a cool science paper they read or a basketball game they’re going to. And some of us? Some of us never left A&E. I discovered that writing can be vulnerable and political, solemn and satirical. It’s bittersweet to move on, but I’ll never forget what I learned here. It’s been a pleasure to write with you all.
Lily Cason, Managing Editor: I first started writing for The Tribune’s News section during my first year at McGill. It was during the pandemic, so I’d sit on my bed in my tiny first-year apartment and Zoom into the section meetings where the editors would have creatively figured out ways to continue pitching news stories despite the empty, quiet campus. Although it was hard to feel much of a sense of community that year, writing fostered a new sense of purpose and passion in me, which I needed more than I knew. Ever since then, The Tribune has defined my university experience; it’s been a place of discussion, a hands-on journalism school, and a site of community. The people who work here make it what it is: The dedication, care, and thoughtfulness that writers and editors bring is palpable, and it’s been such a pleasure to get to work with this team—many of whom I now consider close friends—week after week. Our coverage is often heavy, and the past four years have been invigorating, exhausting, uplifting, disheartening, and wonderful all at once. I have seen The Tribune transform and am so proud of where it has ended up. I can’t wait to see how the paper continues to grow, and I have so much faith in the passionate, fiercely hard-working, and immensely kind people who will be running the show next year.
Matthew Molinaro, Editor-in-Chief: I cannot imagine my university experience without The Tribune. The lessons I learned here easily transcend the lecture hall. The people I met here shared my love for storytelling and embraced my memes, calls for punchier writing, and active disdain of the passive voice and certain words (myriad, plethora). From the lively A&E Zoom calls of 2020-2021 to the reckonings that led to our name change and anti-oppressive mandate, I have cherished this paper’s ability to forge community and conversation. My mentors and colleagues here inspired me, and I can only hope that I have lived up to their faith in me with each edit, piece, and issue. Thank you for inciting the fire under my feet. The collaborative improvisation in shaping a story, the post-production day debriefs, the glimmer in the eyes of someone newly marked by curiosity or an idea—the atmosphere electrifies and sustains our vision. It is an honour and a privilege to lead this dynamic team of writers, editors, and creatives. The struggle for justice and liberation on our campus and in our world continues, and we must be responsible to history and the demands of the present. Speaking truth to power remains the way forward.
Isaiah Albert-Stein, Opinion Editor: For most of my time at McGill, I would read The Tribune and tell myself that maybe one day I would submit an article—but probably not. I saw how much my editor and staff writer friends enjoyed working for the newspaper, but I couldn’t imagine why I would want to write more on top of all the essays I was already writing for my classes. Then, in my second-to-last semester, I finally took the plunge and worked on an article. I realized how much I had been missing out on opportunities to write about something that felt immediate, personal, and important. When editor applications went out it felt like a no-brainer to apply, and I’m so grateful to the team at The Tribune, especially the Opinion section, because the work I’ve done here this semester has been one of my favourite parts of my university experience. It’s never too late to try something new, especially if that thing is working at the Trib!
Julie Ferreyra, Sports Editor: After months of suggestions from a friend (veteran Tribune editor and enthusiast Anoushka), I finally set foot in a Sports pitch meeting in September 2022 and found myself covering a double-header soccer game. I came to the paper desperately needing something to fill my time, and Sports coverage ended up electrifying me. I eventually applied to be an editor and found myself with a never-ending list of projects and ideas for the section I had grown so fond of, as well as an enduring passion for artistic swimming (check our team out; they’re really good!). The Tribune gave me the space to grow and evolve as a writer and person—for that, I will be eternally grateful. As someone who always preferred the social, community aspect of playing sports to the competition, the Sports section was a safe haven. I hope to have helped foster, even on a small scale, a school spirit, or at least to have helped people rally behind our teams and athletes. To the Editors, Staff Writers, Contributors, and silent enjoyers of the Sports section—thank you for your time and passion and for making the Sports section what it is. To my fellow Sports Editors and Tillie, thank you for your patience in dealing with a recurrently broken keyboard and making this year incredible.
Arian Kamel, Managing Editor: I honestly don’t know how I ended up joining The Tribune. I had just arrived in Montreal, tired from rescuing my family from the wreckage of a destroyed sinking battleship, and knew I wanted a fresh change of pace. And that’s exactly what The Tribune gave me, a place where I could drop my bag and spend hours talking to some of the loveliest people I’ve ever met, each with their own unique set of passions and dreams, as deep as my love for non-sinking battleships.
Sara Escallon, Sports Editor: It had never occurred to me to join The Tribune before December. I had never written an article, rarely picked up a copy, and never truly thought about engaging in student journalism. I was so focused on school and my varsity sport that I could not envision possibilities beyond it on campus. When my world was turned upside down, I was devastated and utterly lost. Eventually, I realized that I needed to do something: I needed to tell people what had happened, why it had happened, and advocate for the well-being of student-athletes everywhere. It took me over a year to find the words and the mental capacity to write my story. I ended up here totally by accident, thanks to Tillie’s support and persistence, and the Editorial Board who took a chance on me. Joining the paper proved to be the best possible way to round out my final semester at McGill. I am deeply grateful for the community I have found here, including my fellow sports editor Julie and the whole team at The Tribune who put out powerful, passionate work week after week. Thank you for the platform you have given me. Thank you for the community. I love soccer and I love writing about soccer. Each year at McGill has been totally different than the last one for me. I am so grateful that The Tribune has capped off my undergraduate experience.
Zoe Dubin, Design Editor: I am forever indebted to Arian Kamel for reaching out and asking if I had the availability to join The Tribune. I had just crashed quite a large boat into what seemed to be a family-oriented cruise ship and was simply looking for a place to hide out for a bit. The Tribune has allowed me to explore both my scientific interests and my passion for intuitive design, and I’m very grateful for my time here, however short.
