Talking Journalism

The editors of the online independent student newspaper The Clerk made a bid to boost interest in journalism on campus when they hosted a panel of four journalists in the VCAM Lounge in April.

The Clerk’s Editor in Chief Matthew Denton ’24 and Associate Editor Zhao Gu Gammage ’25, welcomed Catrin Einhorn ’99, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who writes about biodiversity, climate, and the environment for the New York Times, Charles Curtis ’04, a writer for USA Today’s sports column “For The Win” and a regular contributor to Haverford magazine, Shira Ovide ’98, a technology reporter at the Washington Post, and Ximena Conde, a breaking news reporter at the Philadelphia Inquirer. The event was supported by the Hurford Center for the Arts and Humanities and sponsored by the Andrew Silk ’76 Fund.

The panelists began by talking about their careers and the beats they currently cover, and then answered questions from the audience.

Ovide offered this observation on what it takes to be a journalist: “You can be a journalist in so many different ways. I can think of people I know who are exceptionally great journalists, who are maybe what you imagine in your head as a journalist—someone who has this magic to get people to tell them their secrets. I also know journalists who could have a conver-

Haverford College Grounds Manager Wayne Troop, who oversaw the renovation process. According to Troop, a well-maintained athletic field should last about 10 years, which is about how long it’s been since Walton Field, where the track & field and soccer teams play, was last re-sodded. “Over time, almost any field will encounter weed contamination, disease, and other turf-grass issues that athletic field managers work to control on a daily basis,” says Troop. “As time goes on, these issues can become more troublesome. Once we determine the field is becoming unplayable we know that it’s time to consider re-sodding.” sation with you and never look you in the eye because they’re so socially awkward. But they can dig into legal documents or Security and Exchange Commission filings and find nuggets that a chatterbox who knows all the secrets will never [find].”

In answer to a question about leveraging his Haverford education, Curtis said, “The way that I leveraged my Haverford experience is through connections. Part of it, for me, was going to the career development office and asking, ‘Who are some alumni journalists?’ And then emailing them. I got one answer back from somebody who said, ‘Hey, come meet me in New York and let’s have coffee.’ And that was the beginning.”

—Eils Lotozo