Celebrating 100 years of journalistic integrity
Volume 104, Number 25 WWW.MARQUETTEWIRE.ORG
Friday, May 8, 2020
2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 SPJ Award-Winning Newspaper
SENIORS: Apart but together
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Seniors
The Marquette Tribune
Friday, May 8, 2020
CZYZON: Gaining confidence along the way worked for hours behind the scenes with editor Matthew Martinez. I knew the story was deeply moving. It would unveil the physical discipline used by an academic adviser on a student, Walter Spence, who later died by suicide. During that semester, I applied to be executive director of the Marquette Wire, longing to expand my newfound skills and leadership abilities. I envisioned a welcoming culture that valued compassion over raw talent. I planned to set expectations that would advance our credibility. When I earned the position, again, tears fell. My efforts were validated. The hiring board trusted that I would foster success at the Marquette Wire. A year later, I hope I’ve done that. Student journalists deserve the same respect as professional journalists. Independent student media serves the essential function of holding officials accountable, shedding light on issues that matter and enabling voices to be heard. To my fellow Wire staff members, thank you. Continue pursuing your visions. Don’t doubt yourselves. Be kind to one another. Cherish every story. Listen to people. Explore your interests. Above all, remember the reason for your work. To our readers, listeners and viewers, stay with us. There are greater things to come.
By Sydney Czyzon
sydney.czyzon@marquette.edu
This moment is surreal. I spent four years working for this. I knew it was coming. But there’s no amount of advance notice that can prepare someone for the myriad of goodbyes that accompany graduation. These are not normal circumstances. A pandemic took away final hugs, group pictures and senior traditions. It claimed would-be conversations between reminiscing friends. It demanded constant attention, shocking the world with devastating stories of death and despair. The second floor of Johnston Hall sits empty. The places where bodies once sat late into the night are now vacant. The excitement and passion in the air, previously filling our newsroom, is now splintered among bedrooms in hometowns. With hardship comes lessons. This unexpected transition leaves me with a deep sense of gratitude for the relationships, spaces and experiences that form my identity, many of which I found at the Marquette Wire. My time in student media started with a mixture of insecurity and ambition. Like many first-year students, I was intimidated and shy. I dipped my feet into the water with copy editing, timidly admiring then-senior students who commanded the newsroom. I wanted to be a leader. I yearned to become a good journalist who could mentor others to success. I wasn’t sure anyone else saw my potential. And if they didn’t, it wasn’t their fault. I didn’t advocate for myself. I just worked hard and hoped someone would notice. It was November of my sophomore year when I met with Mark Zoromski, director of student media and my academic adviser. I emailed him for help getting into a class. Even though I couldn’t get into the course, Mark told me to stop by his office anyway. I wandered around the basement of Johnston, where the newsroom used to reside. I found Mark’s office and walked in. He asked about my plans for the next semester. I told him I was applying to be an assistant news editor. He continued to ask thoughtful questions and listen intently. I could sense his authenticity and caring nature. I listened as Mark reassured me of my potential. Mark told me if I continued working hard, he could envision me as executive director of the Marquette Wire one day. I left that meeting with the biggest smile on my face, texting my roommate as I hurriedly walked across the bridge to Straz Tower. I couldn’t wait to tell her all about it. The position was my dream, and suddenly I had someone who
Photo courtesy of Sydney Czyzon
From left: Aly Prouty, Sydney Czyzon, Mark Zoromski and Tara Schumal at an awards dinner in May 2019.
believed in my ability to achieve it. That conversation changed my life. It impacted the way I encourage others. It revealed the importance of telling people they are capable. I earned that assistant editor job, working alongside Jenny Whidden, who lived next door to me in Straz Tower when we were first-year students. We became known for our late-night giggles in the basement newsroom, giddy to be part of the action. We gave one another courage. Sometimes, one of us needed a push to ask a manager about a story edit. Other times, we needed a nudge to speak up about a headline that could improve. With time, we gained confidence. Jenny traveled to Spain to study abroad. I applied to be managing editor of the Marquette Tribune. I got the position. I cried. I was given a platform to make change, lead peers and spearhead stories that would make a difference. It was everything to me. My Mondays consisted of coffee runs, printer noises, newspaper pages and silly moments with editors when our brains strained to keep working. But to me, the most fulfilling moment was March 26, 2019 — the day Left Behind published. I had
Photo courtesy of Sydney Czyzon
Czyzon (center) and Wire staff members look over the Arts & Entertainment section of the Tribune.
Seniors
Friday, May 8, 2020
The Marquette Tribune
MARTINEZ: Writing the next line
The Marquette Tribune EDITORIAL Executive Director of Marquette Wire Sydney Czyzon (414) 288-1739
By Matthew Martinez
matthew.martinez@marquette.edu
The last few months have made one thing resoundingly clear to me: not all stories have a good ending. On the other hand, they also reminded me of an important philosophy in journalism: not all stories end. In the case of my time with the Marquette Wire … Yeah, that story’s just about over. It was a good story. The ending was a little rushed. I wish we could have ironed that out, but it’s hard to get it all right in just one draft. I think we did okay, otherwise. I’ll never be quite sure how I ended up here. Hunter S. Thompson once said, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” That’s my best shot at an explanation. I can only be sure of one thing: I couldn’t have done it alone. Looking back, the Wire was the backdrop for the strangest, most wondrous, best years of my life. When I was down, the people there picked me up. At the risk of cliché, they believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. They pushed me out of my comfort zone from day one on the job and I don’t think I can thank them enough for it. I had no designs of being an investigative reporter when I came to the Wire, but I ended up as one. I had no designs of becoming an editor, but I ended up as one. I had no designs of spelunking in record boxes for hours on end, but … Well, I think you get the point. I owe all of it to the people of the Wire; the ones who made the newsroom feel like home, the ones I’m content to call my family. They taught me a masterclass in empathy and kindness without having to say a word. They taught me what journalists were supposed to be. They were more than just writers and editors and directors and producers — they were people who wanted to change the world through the stories they could tell. They impressed that same idea on me. I spent four years in constant awe of them. They were the ones who showed me what this business really is: a newspaper is like a heart full of ink. It swells when its pages are full of good news. It weeps with its community when they are full of sadness. It documents the peaks and valleys of the human condition, and it never stops beating. You can swap that with the pages of a magazine, the airwaves of a radio station or the moving pictures of a television set, and it all holds true. That’s my story about the
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Managing Editor of Marquette Tribune Jenny Whidden NEWS News Editor Annie Mattea Assistant Editors Alexa Jurado, Kelli Arseneau Reporters Nick Magrone, Shir Bloch, Matthew Choate, JK Rees, Ben Wells PROJECTS Projects Editor Matthew Harte Assistant Editor Matthew Martinez Reporters Lelah Byron, Grace Dawson, Joseph Beaird ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT A&E Editor Skyler Chun Reporters Ariana Madson OPINIONS Opinions Editor Alexandra Garner Assistant Editor Annie Dysart Columnists Aminah Beg, Beck Salgado, Nicole Laudolff SPORTS Sports Editor Zoe Comerford Assistant Editors Tyler Peters, John Leuzzi Reporters Matt Yeazel, Bryan Geenen, Molly Gretzlock, Andrew Amouzou, Sam Arco COPY Copy Chief Emma Brauer Copy Editors Nora McCaughey, Shir Bloch, Grace Kwapil
Photo courtesy of Matthew Martinez
Martinez works on a graphic at Tribune production with editor Matthew Harte and reporter Grace Dawson.
VISUAL CONTENT Design Chief Chelsea Johanning Photo Editor Jordan Johnson Opinions Designer Nell Burgener Sports Designer Kayla Nickerson Arts & Entertainment Designer Skylar Daley Photographers Claire Gallagher, Zach Bukowski, Madelyn Andresen, Maria Crenshaw, Sheila Fogarty ----
ADVERTISING (630) 441-0818 Sales Manager Audrey Roth
THE MARQUETTE TRIBUNE is a wholly owned property of Marquette University, the publisher. THE TRIBUNE serves as a student voice for the university and gives students publishing experience and practice in journalism, advertising, and management and allied disciplines. THE TRIBUNE is written, edited, produced and operated solely by students with the encouragement and advice of the advisor, who is a university employee. The banner typeface, Ingleby, is designed by David Engelby and is available at dafont.com. David Engelby has the creative, intellectual ownership of the original design of Ingleby. THE TRIBUNE is normally published Tuesdays, except holidays, during the academic year by Marquette Student Media, P.O. Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881. Subscription rate: $50 annually.
EVENTS CALENDAR Photo courtesy of Matthew Martinez
Wire staff members celebrate the end of the academic year at the 2019 Marquette Wire spring banquet.
Wire. They took a rudderless ship and pointed it true north. They took an apathetic student and made him a crusader. And now that story is over. Alternatively, some stories are far from over. My eternal struggle against the blank page wages on yet, and not too far from my old home. There’s many, many more stories to write with authenticity and candor. My heart full of ink hasn’t dried up yet. One day, my story will end, too. It’s inevitable. But in this business, the end-
ing is usually the least important part. It’s what you do along the way. The story that never ends is the story of us. Humanity. The tales we pass down from generation to generation, the events and lives we document in each new edition, the etchings we make into the stone of history. That story keeps stretching on and on into forever. As long as I make some humble contribution to that through the stories I tell, I’ll be content. It’s all I can ask for.
It’s time for me to write the next line. To my family, friends, colleagues and anyone who has ever read even one of my stories: thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you. You were the reason I got out of bed in the morning. You were also the reason I didn’t get into bed at all some nights. For as long as these letters stand, I hope you find a home in them, as I have.
All in-person events canceled until May 26 MAY 12 All grades must be entered Career Center Webinar for alums 12-1 p.m. MAY 26 Deadline for Pass/Not Pass grading option
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Seniors
The Marquette Tribune
Friday, May 8, 2020
BRAUER: Translating a love story By Emma Brauer
emma.brauer@marquette.edu
Being tasked with writing a senior column feels almost cruel, like I’m formalizing a farewell. Conveying how I feel seems dishonest, as I’m unsure my heart can capably render my emotions into a coherent language without a lot being lost in translation. I’m at an impasse. I’ve been in a gridlock with my words before — most recently while writing a cover letter for a copy editing internship I really wanted. How could I astutely explain my passion for copy editing without losing the love in translation? I went to our student media adviser, Mark Zoromski, to troubleshoot, and his guidance still rings in my ears — in the best way. “Just tell a story,” he said. “You’re a storyteller, so tell a story.” And now, I’m staring at the impossibility of writing a senior column and thinking, “Why don’t I just tell a story?” So, here is a story. I can remember the first time I was able to read a book all by myself. I’m four or five years old, standing in the Cedarburg Public Library. My criteria for choosing what to bring home for mom or dad to read to me are simple: bright colors, and shelved low enough to reach. My eyes settle on a suitable candidate, and on my tiptoes I grab it: “Scuffy the Tugboat.” The cover is worn; it holds memories, like fingernails dug in when one is resisting bedtime or tears of parents who better understand the moral of the story. I open to the first page, my eyes glide across the page and everything just clicks. I’m reading, and I’m enamored. The most compelling elements of English to me were the rules, which I learned early and enforced often. I began correcting teachers’ spelling and grammatical errors, normally not receiving the praise I expected. Luckily for me, a job at the Marquette Wire would come along in January 2017 that would reward this detail-oriented practice. A copy editor ought to be motivated by a desire for accuracy, clarity and precision, and for a time, I was — until my tenure began as the Wire’s copy chief. My love of rules buckled under the weight of competing with a new love, one of feeling trusted by my reporters to take care of their words that they so meticulously strung together; connecting with my coworkers through laughter that gave way to tears or tears that gave way to laughter;
knowing that the work we do has real-life impacts. Here, I’m at another impasse: conveying to the Wire staff that I’m heartbroken to leave them. So, I will continue storytelling. In “Scuffy the Tugboat,” Scuffy, a toy tugboat, can’t get past the thought that he was made for something more. “A toy store is no place for a red-painted tugboat,” he says. “I was meant for bigger things.” A man in a polka dot tie and
his son purchase Scuffy, and Scuffy convinces them to graduate him from sailing in the bathtub to a small river so he can experience more of life. The wind pushes Scuffy far from home; he becomes afraid when a cow almost slurps him up while drinking water and is frightened by an owl’s hooing. “I was meant for bigger things, but which way am I to go?” Scuffy asks himself as the river’s current chooses the
way for him. As a graduating senior, I know I’m “meant for bigger things” — but as Scuffy points out, knowing one’s potential doesn’t always mean the path is clear. Having to step away from the warmth and support of the Wire, I feel like Scuffy. I, too, am afraid that a cow might slurp me up. The unfamiliarity of what comes next and the knowledge that I will have to write more cover letters are menacing realities.
Differences do exist between Scuffy and me. Scuffy is a toy tugboat; I’m a human. Scuffy’s story ends; I’m still living mine. Scuffy had a support system of just two people; my Wire staff is formidable in comparison. To the writers who have trusted me with reading and finetuning your words, I hope you know I took that responsibility to heart. In every comment or suggestion for a revision I left in pink, I hope my love wasn’t lost between “consider cutting this” and “wording unclear” — though I know it was and almost had to be. To those with whom I bonded over shared frustrations, funny stories and popcorn into the early morning hours, I hope my love wasn’t lost in the yawning spells that never seemed to afflict anyone but me. To the whole Wire staff, you too are “meant for bigger things.” But don’t lose this in the translation: What you’re doing now is bigger than you may realize. I am absolutely confident your spirit will not quiver in the pursuit of serving the public, even through a pandemic. You will continue to win many more awards that prove your indomitable energy. But the reason I’ve been so proud to say “I work for the Wire!” is not because of awards — it’s because this organization breeds leaders, inquirers, critical thinkers, creatives and storytellers. And now, I get to say “I was among them.”
Photo by Sue Brauer
Brauer poses for a Polaroid photo, sporting the Marquette Wire sweatshirt she got as a first-year student.
Photo by John Steppe
Brauer works with her copy editors, Skyler Chun, Shir Bloch and Nora McCaughey, on the Tribune. Brauer served as copy chief for the 2019-20 year.
Seniors
Friday, May 8, 2020
The Marquette Tribune
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WHIDDEN: Learning to love By Jenny Whidden
jennifer.whidden@marquette.edu
There is only one place that has held both infectious passion for what I want to do with my life and incredible friends who walked with me toward a shared goal. It’s the Marquette Wire that provided me with those pillars
throughout my college experience; it grew my love for journalism and gave me beloved companions along the way. I genuinely feel that there are no words to truly describe the aching of my heart when I think of saying goodbye, but the end is here and I’ll try my best to give a proper farewell. My memories of joining the
Wire three years ago are as clear as the ones from three months ago. I filled out the application for a news reporter position in the dead of night on a McCormick bunk bed, soaking up the summer heat as I reread my responses. I walked to the interview along Wisconsin Avenue on an August evening, my heart beating fast
Photo by Sloane Abalos
Whidden outside Zilber Hall just before doing a live shot for MUTV’s news show, Marquette Now, in fall 2019.
and my mind full of doubt. My sophomore year was beginning, and I had spent my first year too uncertain to apply — I didn’t think I could do it. But Jenn Walter did. She hired me, and I soon entered a world full of hard deadlines and endless writing. It was a world that I grew to love. There I could listen intently to sources and have meaningful conversations, I could craft stories and tell readers everything I had heard and seen, I could talk and laugh with my colleagues as we brought news to the community. The application for assistant news editor sat open on my desktop. It was November, and this time I thought, ‘maybe I can do it.’ I sat on a bench behind Cudahy Hall on a chilly December afternoon to call a friend and tell her that I didn’t get the position. I cried. I remember telling her through my tears that I still loved journalism, and I would try again. But the next week Jenn and Aly Prouty pulled me aside before a staff-wide meeting, their eyes shining bright. “The position opened up, are you still interested?” I couldn’t say for sure what they said, but I know that I floated into that meeting on a cloud. I would join Sydney Czyzon as one of two assistants. We had known each other since our first year as next-door neighbors in Straz Tower, chatting in our rooms about journalism, classes and all
Photo courtesy of the Office of Marketing and Communication
From left: Grace Schneider, Skylar Daley, Kelli Arseneau, Jenny Whidden, Emma Brauer and Emily Rouse work on the Tribune in fall 2019.
those magical little things that only first-years who are just beginning college talk about. What I didn’t know then was that we would continue being next to each other for the rest of our time at Marquette. I turned to her at the meeting to tell her I got the position, and she excitedly told me that she already knew. When manager positions opened for my senior and final year, I knew I had another leap of faith to take. My interview for managing editor of the Tribune was early on a Friday morning. The night before I dreamed that it went horribly. I tried to shake the nightmare off, muttering talkings points aloud to myself as I made my way across campus. Again, my heart beat fast and my mind filled with doubt, but this time that doubt was accompanied by a new thought: ‘I can do it.’ I was sitting in my car, the sun shining brightly, when I got the email. I held my breath. I saw just one word — “Congratulations” — and I immediately put my phone down, put my face in my hands and cried. What followed was the most challenging, rewarding and invigorating year of my life. The seemingly simple responsibility of deciding what to put in the newspaper sat on my shoulders, a heavy and honorable burden. I learned through my peers and mentors that journalism is truly a public service. I took that service to heart and carefully considered it with every decision. The newsroom was my favorite place — even when I had schoolwork to do, or when the sun was coming up though I hadn’t slept. Even when we had to leave campus in the face of the pandemic and create a virtual place of our own. I am grateful for every moment I spent in that newsroom, both the physical one in Johnston Hall and the intangible one we had while apart. I am grateful for every laugh we shared, every late night conversation we had and every difficult decision we made. The journey I had with the Marquette Wire was a turbulent one, full of triumphs and failures. I learned that my heart will continue to beat fast and my mind will continue to fill with doubt. But as long as I take a chance on myself, I’ll grow into that precious thought of ‘I can do it.’ To those who came and went, to those who were by my side until the end and to those who remain after I am gone — I’ll keep these sweet memories close to me while I continue to practice the journalism that you taught me to love. I hope you will, too.
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Seniors
The Marquette Tribune
Friday, May 8, 2020
HARTE: From start to finish with the Wire By Matthew Harte
matthew.harte@marquette.edu
I’m ending my undergraduate career with many takeaways. The one that brings me the most joy is that I spent my first and last days at Marquette working for the Wire. My first day ended in exciting fashion. I had signed on as a news reporter in the summer leading into my first year, and my editor McKenna Oxenden notified me of breaking news just outside my dorm at O’Donnell Hall. A student was seen pacing along the ledge of a university parking structure, alerting the eyes of many around campus. I grabbed a few quotes from onlookers and gathered in the newsroom for several hours, working on the story with a team of veteran and accomplished Wire reporters. I had no idea what I was doing. I think only one of my quotes ended up in the final article. Nonetheless, this episode set a tone for the Wire. I loved the fastpaced nature of the newsroom, and the many friendly faces who helped me develop as a reporter. The speed at which many around
the Wire embraced me can probably be tied to my sister, Stephanie. She served as a manager in the Wire when I was a freshman, and encouraged me to apply for a position even though I had no intention of being a journalism major. Steph’s admired presence in the Wire also led her fellow executives to bestow the nickname of ‘Lil Harte’ upon me.’ Somehow that stuck around long after she graduated. I never became a journalism major, as my main interests swayed me to history and political science. However, that fact highlights another thing I love about the Wire. Anyone with a passion for writing, design, video or radio can find a community that will help them excel and embrace their unique personality. It transcends majors. I wore many different hats during my time with the Wire; as a news reporter, social media producer, and opinions columnist. Each role came with unique responsibilities, and I’m happy I could experience so many facets of student media. However, finally serving as projects editor during my senior year has been a truly unique privilege.
Photo courtesy of Matthew Harte
Harte attends a Wire staff meeting with his sister and then-Marquette Journal editor Stephanie Harte.
For my team of investigative reporters: I’m so proud of what we accomplished. You uncovered issues of unprescribed drug use among Marquette students, the evolving history of LGBTQ+ relations on campus, the local impact of
the upcoming Democratic National Convention, and finally showcased changing university operations during the current pandemic. You all approached these topics with a sense of curiosity, bravery and passion emblematic of great
journalists. I know you will all continue evolving and improving and I’m excited to see all your work down the road, especially under the new leadership of next year’s editor, Lelah Byron.
DYSART: Imagine and act on a better future By Annie Dysart
annie.dysart@marquette.edu
I roll over to silence the blare of my 8 a.m. alarm. There was too much on my mind to go back to sleep when I woke up, so I spent the last two hours typing a paper for my human geography class instead. I’m not one to stay in bed once my alarm goes off, but I don’t have class today. I haven’t had class for awhile now. With nowhere to go and no reason to get dressed, I tuck myself back in — content with my “morning chic” look composed of smudged glasses, a mop of disheveled hair and unbrushed teeth adorned with a metal retainer. I crane my neck, giving myself a few more chins than usual, to peer at a blue “Submit” button at the bottom left corner of my computer screen. My index finger hovers over the mouse-pad, hesitant to strike. I ponder the power wielded by this little blue button designed to dispatch my paper to the collective memory of the D2L Dropbox. At this ungodly hour, it symbolized so much more. In one click, my college career commenced for eternity. It was a peculiar end. Far from the end of my senior year I originally imagined. I imagined spending finals week
Photo courtesy of Annie Dysart
Annie Dysart (center) celebrates National Marquette Day with friends on her balcony Feb. 8, 2020.
suffering the consequences of my senioritis, pulling all-nighters on the first floor of Raynor as I crammed for exams and wrote papers I saved until the last minute. I imagined going to my last exams ever and hearing my professors say things like, “time’s up, put your pencils down,” or “have a great
summer,” or “don’t hesitate to reach out.” I imagined bursting out of the doors of Lalumiere after my last class to be greeted by a (stale) gust of Milwaukee air and an idyllic view of Central Mall, painted with a bright blue sky, tulips gently swaying in the breeze and a
blanket of golden sunshine further illuminating students’ bright faces glowing with post-finals euphoria. I imagined a better ending to my story at Marquette. As an assistant editor at the opinions desk, I helped columnists transform their stories to be better than they were before. While
reporters address what is, editors address what could be. Similar to how it was my job to imagine the best possible version of a story, I was caught up imagining what could have been the best possible end of my senior year. Our columnists often appealed to editors for assistance drafting effective conclusions to their stories. Oftentimes, we recommended closing with a call to action. The first mission of an opinions columnist is to present a specific point of view; their second mission is to persuade readers this view is worth acting upon. This semester did not go as expected. We had so much to look forward to. It’s okay to imagine alternative endings to our stories, as it’s part of processing what we’ve lost. However, it is futile to only imagine what could have been — that’s beyond our control. We need to act. We must take a critical look at ourselves and imagine what could be according to actions we can take within the realm of our control. The future has and always will be uncertain. More uncertainty does not justify apathy nor despair. Our stories are what we make of them. Make today count and take action because the future is in your hands. Don’t let your story write itself.
Seniors
Friday, May 8, 2020
The Marquette Tribune
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JOHANNING: An unexpected home and family By Chelsea Johanning
chelsea.johanning@marquette.edu
My first semester at Marquette was bumpy. So bumpy that my aunt, who desperately wanted me to go to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, asked, “When are you transferring?” I thought MU might not have been the place for me. I was never a good student. I was happy with B-, thrived in art classes and barely made it through math. Getting into college was the biggest weight off my shoulders because I wasn’t sure I would get into the school I wanted. Truthfully, I still don’t like school, but I knew I had to go to college to get a foot up in the world. My parents wanted me to do better than them. My mom dropped out of college and my dad doesn’t like to talk about how he never got a full bachelor’s, only a few associate’s. That being said, both of my parents are amazing, smart and talented people, so I never thought less of them. I just knew college had to be in my future, and I had to finish it. I chose Marquette because I liked the feel it gave me. I liked the courtyard and the tall buildings and downtown Milwaukee. I liked that it wasn’t in my backyard but I could get home in an hour and ten minutes if I needed to. I liked that it had my major and backup major: biochemical sciences and graphic design. That’s right, biochem. I wanted to be a genetic counselor and test if people were going to have healthy kids or have a high risk of a disease. That obviously did not last long. I toured Marquette three times, all private tours so I could go everywhere and see exactly what I wanted. I ate at Sobelmans before they took credit cards. This place felt great — that is until the end of my first semester. I was struggling in my classes (who gives a freshman a schedule of bio, chem, calc, english and theology?). Two of my closest childhood friends had just ghosted me from their lives. My new college friends were trying to do the same, making group chats without me in them. I didn’t get the design job at the Wire I applied for. I had no friends at MU and I had no friends at home, and no club or activity. Thank God for my amazing boyfriend for being there for me, even if it was long distance. I was sad a lot of the time, and it made sense that my Aunt would ask “When are you transferring.” I didn’t know. I told myself that if at the end of the year I still hated it, I would
apply to transfer to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee or back home in Madison. But second semester came around and my life looked up. I made my first real and true friend at MU (my roommate Lauren). It started getting warm and sunny again in Milwaukee, making it easier to breathe. I got my first job on campus at the Wire as an opinions designer. The presidential election happened and made me realize what I really should be doing. That semester I signed up for my first political science course and changed my major. Life wasn’t smooth sailing from there. My new best friend has mental health problems, so I spent some nights over the last four years helping her through it. I didn’t stay with the Wire the whole time. I quit a year later after having a dream that I got in a screaming match with the thenexecutive director, threw my things and quit before I could be fired during a late night. This was just a dream and that would never happen, but it told me I was too stressed to deal with the job at the time. My break only lasted a semester until I was back as the Chief Designer. Thankfully, I had taken Mark Zoromski’s journalism class, where he pretty much dragged me back into the newsroom and truthfully my place on campus. The Wire became my home, the staff my family, the late nights my favorite night of the week. I can’t thank Mark and Sydney Czyzon enough for assuring me that I needed to come back. During my time at Marquette, I found true friends in the Wire. I learned about politics and the importance of journalists. I learned I was not just ok at design, but had a talent for it. I learned how fast-paced, exciting and exhausting a television live news show can be. I won awards for my hard work on TV and the Tribune. I got to go to the best parties (both Wire parties and banquets). I got to hammock in front of Lalumiere in the sun during basketball games — because man no I do not care about basketball. I learned how hard working some students are and how much they care. I made friends who I truly think I’ll have for life, no matter where they move to. I learned how problematic and corrupt the world can be but, also how amazing and caring it can be. Though my final year didn’t end with bar crawls, banquets, my favorite karate competition or my graduation ceremony, I’m glad it is at least ending with the people I love, at the school that truly is my home.
Photo courtesy of Chelsea Johanning
Johanning (bottom, third from left) with the MUTV team and friends after the final show of spring 2019.
Photo courtesy of Chelsea Johanning
Johanning outside of the Church of the Gesu during the first day of summer first-year orientation in 2016.
To those who don’t know what their future holds: it will work out. Make every single minute
worth it because even if school really isn’t your thing, the people and experiences will make
you sad to leave. I know I am.
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Seniors
The Marquette Tribune
Friday, May 8, 2020
COLEMAN: It’s time to spread your wings By Kennedy Coleman
kennedy.coleman@marquette.edu
Who would have ever thought stepping out of my comfort zone to simply ask, “How can I get involved?” would be the prelude to life-changing experiences. For me, stopping by the Marquette Wire OFest table during my first year was a few moments well spent. Before committing to Marquette, I was attracted to the opportunities
high school. This was a fresh start, to give it my best shot and step in front of the camera with an open mind and a smile week after week. The majority of my Monday and Wednesday nights during my first two years consisted of making the short yet reflective walk from Cobeen and Carpenter Tower to Johnston Hall, filled with butterflies in my stomach, my nerves on wits end and feeling an adrenaline rush that
Something that I’ve kept on repeat in the back of my mind since the beginning was that when my time was up here, I wanted to look back and say that I was intentional about maximizing all the opportunities around me. I loved volunteering my time at MUTV as much as possible. When junior year came around, MUTV’s entertainment department held auditions for its rebooted, late-night show, Marquette
to see myself blossoming and it gave me friendships along the way. Each episode of the often unpredictable TV segments on the late-night entertainment show gave us hosts and our audiences a chance to break away from the stresses of homework and just be filled with laughter. This last year, my academic load became heavier with six courses on my schedule, so my ability to maintain balance became
Photo courtesy of Kennedy Coleman
Coleman in the Johnston Hall 2nd floor control room in January 2020. She volunteered for MUTV for three years before becoming general manager.
Photo courtesy of Kennedy Coleman
Marquette Lately 2018-19 co-hosts Coleman and Alex Rivera-Grant after a live Christmas special featuring university leaders and musical guests.
in student media that truly gave students a chance to work at growing in their craft and developing new talents immediately. A promise that I made to myself before I began college was to push past previous doubts and insecurities that contributed to fears I faced in
barely subsided over the years. From preparing news scripts, running lines with my co-anchors, seeing the behind-the-scenes productions, and witnessing the team that pulled off an amazing studentrun show, MUTV became the highlight of my week.
Lately. Auditioning to be a weekly volunteer for the show was something I had no idea I would ever pursue or be what they were looking for, but I’m fortunate I stepped into that audition room that night. Because of my time as a cohost on Marquette Lately, I began
challenging. There were many long nights and, I hate to admit, all-nighters to get everything done. The drive to keep going was made possible thanks to my support system consisting of my family, friends, and campus communities, like InterVarsity
Christian Fellowship and Marquette Gospel Choir Club, which helped me build my faith and stay encouraged. Singing praises of gratitude, worshipping God and praying for one another made the challenging times easier to bear. One thing I have learned is that there is so much value in having a like-minded community of people who hear and accept you to be vulnerable with. My faith and maintaining a sense of gratitude became my anchor in helping me weather through the tough times. I’m especially thankful for the friendships that have blossomed especially those that began in my junior year, which helped me to really spread my wings. After much encouragement from an upperclassman that I admire dearly, I finally decided to apply for the role as MUTV general manager in March 2019. This was a lot for a girl who was still trying to find and navigate her place. It’s because of the kind, passionate and uplifting souls like hers that embody the mission of MUTV, that I have been able to evolve as a leader over the past two years. To the talented MUTV team that I have had the pleasure of witnessing flourish in their unique strengths and creation of phenomenal content weekly, thank you for investing so much of yourselves. This department has taught me so many lessons about working effectively, engaging with others and standing by the goals you set in order to solve unpredictable challenges. It’s been a joy to see how the bar has been raised in many aspects especially in the area of content coverage. Looking back to how this team has remained passionate about mentoring each other and offering feedback and accolades demonstrates that you all have been graced to excel at whatever you desire to accomplish. I’ve seen that stand true over this year, and I’m excited about how your tenacity to keep the show rolling will create the future and the values that MUTV and the Wire hold true. The best is yet to come, team. It may not seem like it at the moment, but I’m assured that next year will be far greater than you could have ever imagined. Thank you for welcoming me into the Wire and becoming a family to me. The more faithful you are, the more you’ll surprise yourself with the exceptional work you’ll create together. I’ll cherish our conversations, your warm smiles and inspiring drive that will stay with me forever. I’ll miss you all. “That’s a wrap everybody.” I can’t wait to tune in next season.
Seniors
Friday, May 8, 2020
The Marquette Tribune
9
ZOROMSKI: Four years later By Mark Zoromski
mark.zoromski@marquette.edu
As I look out from my Johnston Hall office on this dreary day, I’m hit with a profound sadness. Profound sadness. Two words I have refused put together since 2007. Losing a 16-year-old daughter, that’s profound sadness. Nothing can compare, so in my mind those two words can’t possibly go together for anything else. Yet here I am, staring out the window, and it’s the only way I can describe this feeling. A tinge of sadness for me, to be sure. But profound sadness for the remarkable young woman crossing the desolate Wisconsin Avenue, both arms wrapped around a large box, headed for the only car parked on the northbound side of 12th Avenue. Her entire year is in that box. Four years, no doubt, are in her heart as she walks away from Johnston Hall for the last time in the most unceremonious way imaginable. No cap nor gown, no final all-staff meeting, no joyous end-of-the-year banquet. No goodbyes, no hugs, no cheers, no celebration. Just an empty crosswalk leading to an uncertain tomorrow.
I can’t see if she’s crying, but I am. Sydney Czyzon deserves better than this. All our seniors do. Right now, my heart weeps for Syd. Next, it will be for Mackane Vogel, general manager of our radio station, when he comes to gather his personal belongings from the student media offices. After him, it’s Jenny Whidden, managing editor of the Marquette Tribune. They’ll pack their boxes, then as I use disinfecting wipes on everything we touched, they’ll unceremoniously walk away from Johnston Hall. I look at Sydney’s now empty office next to mine, then take a few steps to gaze at the empty newsroom. It’s lifeless and sterile and surreal. But suddenly the newsroom leaps to life in my mind’s eye, with editors, reporters, copy editors, and broadcasters everywhere. The bustling group, led by a handful of talented seniors, is working on deadline. I see Jenny, an extraordinary journalist, huddling with chief designer Chelsea Johanning, a political science major with a talent for just about everything we do in
student media. They’re brainstorming layout ideas for the Tribune. Every Monday I think they can’t possibly top last week, but they always do. There’s copy chief Emma Brauer, patiently explaining that people are tested for the presence of the coronavirus, not COVID-19, which is the illness the virus causes. She reminds her staff that as an organization, we’ve decided to use the term “first-year student” rather than “freshman,” for reasons obvious to us but oblivious to others. Kind-hearted MUTV general manager Kennedy Coleman walks briskly through the newsroom, on her way to the control room to talk with Sam Lee, who will use his talent to direct tonight’s live television show. They’re both once again ready to expertly and calmly guide us through breaking news. Partially hidden in the corner is projects editor Matthew Harte, nicknamed “Lil Harte” because when he was a first-year his big sister Stephanie was editor of the Marquette Journal. He’s meeting with national award-winning investigative reporter Martz Martinez, secretly discussing their latest projects desk piece. To my left, Annie Dysart and the
opinions desk are going through this week’s staff editorial with a fine-toothed comb. I remember the first thing I said to the editorial board four years ago: “I will defend your editorials to my last breathe, but promise me that they will be meticulously researched.” Promise kept. Skylar Daley gathers the arts and entertainment team to look at her design of the Tribune’s entertainment pages. Mackane, Alec Fischer and Caitlyn Birmingham are headed to the radio studio to train another volunteer DJ, one of hundreds they’ve trained in the past year. Sydney Czyzon is nowhere in sight, yet I see her everywhere. I see her leading our organization by clearly articulating her vision and passionately driving it to completion. I see her commanding attention and admiration by speaking her mind quietly, respectfully and directly. I see her developing a plan to increase minority representation in our organization and leading us through the process of writing a comprehensive code of ethics. I see her carefully creating a culture of excellence accomplished through kindness, inclusiveness, hard work and dedication.
I see 80 – yes 80 – national, regional, state and local awards this year. 285 awards in our four years together. I see journalism majors, anthropology majors, math majors, digital media majors, electrical engineering majors. 20 majors in all. A cross section of campus dedicated to making the Marquette Wire the best it can be. But mostly I see resilience. Resilience to continue important reporting in unprecedented times, despite being scattered across the country rather than in our newsroom. Resilience to continue publishing the Tribune and Journal online. Resilience to produce audio and video stories with nothing more than a cell phone. And most of all, resilience to overcome the disappointment of rescinded job offers, canceled internships and unceremonious Johnston Hall exits rather than triumphant stage walks. Seniors, you deserve better than this. But know that your resilience is inspiring, your grace uplifting, your dedication energizing. I am forever grateful that God brought us together.
Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Press Club
Mark Zoromski and a group of Marquette Wire students at the 2019 Media Hall of Fame banquet in November 2019. Top row from left: Matthew Martinez, John Steppe, Kennedy Coleman, Bridget Fogarty, Mark Zoromski. Bottom row from left: Natallie St. Onge, Jenny Whidden, Chelsea Johanning, Sydney Czyzon.
Thank You Seniors!