Thursday, August 22, 2024 Vol. 134 No. 2 by The Rocky Mountain Collegian

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NATHAN CARMODY

THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN

LAUREN

independent corporation using the name ‘The Rocky Mountain Collegian’ pursuant to a license granted by CSU. Approximately 59% of Rocky Mountain Student Media Corp’s income is provided by the Associated Students of Colorado State University (ASCSU) for the purpose of fostering student careers post-college and greater campus awareness and engagement. The Rocky Mountain Collegian is a 3,000-circulation student-run newspaper intended as a public forum and is printed on paper made of 30% post-consumer waste. It publishes every Thursday during the regular fall and spring semesters. The Collegian publishes online Monday through Thursday. Corrections may be submitted to the editor in chief and will be printed as necessary on page two. The Collegian is a complimentary publication for the Fort Collins community. The first copy is free. Additional copies are 25 cents each.

Allie Seibel | Editor in Chief editor@collegian.com

Hannah Parcells | Content Managing Editor managingeditor@collegian.com

Adah McMillan | Executive Editor copy@collegian.com

Claire Vogl | Copy Chief copy@collegian.com

Nathan Carmody | Print Director design@collegian.com

Caden Proulx | Print Director design@collegian.com

Trin Bonner | Illustration Editor design@collegian.com

FOCO EVENTS

Garden a’Fare: Flappers & Flowers at The Gardens on Spring Creek 5-8 p.m. Aug. 23

Bring Your Own Vinyl Night at Peculier Ales

5-7 p.m. Aug. 24

Bellhead Tour Show at The Coast 6-10 p.m. Aug. 25

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letters to the Editor reflect the view of a member of the campus community and are submitted to the publication for approval. Readers may submit letters to letters@collegian.com. Please follow the guidelines listed at collegian.com before submitting.

EDITORIAL STAFF

Aubree Miller | News Editor news@collegian.com

Sam Hutton | News Editor news@collegian.com

Christian Arndt | L&C Editor life@collegian.com

Jenn Dawson | Science Editor science@collegian.com

Ruby Secrest | A&E Editor entertainment@collegian.com

Damon Cook | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com

Michael Hovey | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com

Dominique Lopez | Opinion Editor letters@collegian.com

Garrett Mogel | Photo Director photo@collegian.com

Cait Mckinzie | Photo Director photo@collegian.com

Gigi Young | Digital & Social Director social@collegian.com

Anna Shikuma | Social Media Coordinator social@collegian.com

Colorado State University cheerleaders dance in sync at Convocation in Moby Arena Aug. 16. Convocation marks the start of new students’ academic journey at CSU and features a guest speaker and performances from the pep band and the cheer team.

PHOTO BY

MASCARDO THE COLLEGIAN

From your editors: We’re pulling back the curtain

By Allie Seibel, Hannah Parcells & Adah McMillan @csucollegian

Dear readers, Student journalism has been a part of Colorado State University since 1891. It all started with us — The Rocky Mountain Collegian. We’ve had many

different iterations of our name: The Rocky Mountain Collegian, The Fort Collins Journal, Collegian and The Collegian have all graced the top of our page, called the masthead.

From there, the KCSU radio station was started and then Collegian TV. In 2008, the existence of Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation also came from us, thanks to our infamous and often-

mentioned freedom of speech incident. Now that we’re independent, the RMSMC family has some new members: College Avenue Magazine, Fifty03 Visuals and Tree Stump Films.

We’ve had dozens and dozens of editors in chief and even more staff members. In our 100th year, over 2,000 people had worked at The Collegian. Thirty-three years later, that number continues to grow.

We’re one of the oldest college papers in the country and crack the top-three oldest list in the west. Our halls are decorated with framed awards and stories that made a splash. We’ve covered the city and the campus since our inception. For a time, we printed national news from the Associated Press wires. Historically, we’ve published as a daily for the longest amount of time, a monthly at the start of our history and, currently, a weekly.

The 1997 Spring Creek Flood wiped out a section of our physical archives, but most of them still exist in the library and in our conference room. This year, we want to highlight both our internal process with this edition and reflect on our history as we enter our 134th year.

Student journalism is guided by a list of ethics through the Society of Professional Journalists — imploring us to act independently, minimize harm and seek the truth and report it. These principles are printed in the editor in chief’s office and remain our guidepost alongside the

Allie Seibel, Editor in Chief

Returning for her second year as editor-in-chief, Allie Seibel could not be more proud of the experience The Collegian has given her over her tenure at Colorado State University thus far.

Seibel is a junior in the Honors program and on the prelaw track, studying journalism and media communication with minors in legal studies and business administration. She is also an Honors ambassador and an Honors peer mentor as well as a satellite imagery writer for

the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at CSU and a member of the Center for Public Deliberation.

Seibel started at The Collegian the summer before her first semester of college, getting involved through her orientation session and beginning her first year as news editor. She got the position before ever setting foot on campus as a student, which was one of the most formative experiences of her collegiate journalism career.

First Amendment and CSU’s Principles of Community. These three documents guide our reporting and editing. They make the paper what it is today.

In a world increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence, fake news and general dishonesty, trust in our news sources is rare. While many news organizations are staffed by reporters committed to ethical and accurate journalism, it’s difficult and timeconsuming to sort the good from the bad, especially in an election year and especially when much of the journalistic process is a mystery to the general public.

To address the unknowns surrounding the methods of news gathering — at least at our newspaper — this edition brings you a peek behind the curtain, an introduction to the processes and policies that make The Collegian uniquely The Collegian. This is all about us: the stories we’ve written that have left an impact on us as editors, the vision for our desks this year, more about us individually as people and the memories captured by a camera that defined our experience at The Collegian thus far.

We invite you to join us as we reminisce on our mission, path and purpose. Welcome.

Allie Seibel, editor in chief Hannah Parcells, content managing editor Adah McMillan, executive editor Reach Allie Seibel, Hannah Parcells and Adah McMillan at editor@collegian.com.

She then began her current role her sophomore year, becoming the youngest editorin-chief in Collegian history.

Under Seibel’s leadership, The Collegian was awarded an all-around best in show fifth place award at the College Media Association’s national convention.

Seibel is from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and spends her free time reading, cooking, cross-stitching, paddleboarding and taking photos. She is a huge traveler

Hannah Parcells, Content Managing Editor

Hannah Parcells is incredibly proud to step into the role of content managing editor at The Collegian for the 2024-25 school year.

Parcells is currently pursuing two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in political science with a concentration in global politics. Stubborn, opinionated and endlessly curious, Parcells has always been passionate about understanding

and helping other people, and she hopes to use her education to leave the world a little better than she found it.

Born into an Air Force family, Parcells spent her youth exploring the Great Plains and developed a deep love of all things nature. When she wasn’t exploring the world at her fingertips, Parcells often had her nose stuck in a book, which is how she discovered her love of science, history and, above all, a good story.

Parcells stumbled headfirst into The Collegian in fall 2023 as a reporter when she transferred to Colorado State University and a friend recommended it due to her passion for writing. She fell in love with chasing down stories and became the news editor at the end of her first semester.

Parcells strongly believes in the power of information and is committed to upholding The Collegian’s long history of honest reporting and

encouraging readers to get out and explore the world around them. On the off chance she’s not buried in textbooks, research papers or policy analyses, Parcells can be found on a hike, listening to music or at any local bookstore or coffee shop, feeding her ongoing addiction to both caffeine and good books.

and seizes any opportunity she can to see the world.

As she begins her second year at the helm of The Collegian, Seibel is excited to continue the immense legacy of the newspaper both in print and online by expanding investigative coverage and pushing readers to discover more about their surroundings on campus. She looks forward to maintaining The Collegian’s reputation as a trustworthy news source both on campus and in the community.

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

Meet the news desk: Mindful of our history, thrilled for our future

By Aubree Miller & Sam Hutton @csucollegian

The Collegian’s news desk has a long-established track record of providing independent, fact-based journalism that properly informs the Colorado State University and Fort Collins communities.

Members of our editorial staff have spent the summer poring through the extensive Collegian archives, where every tragedy, triumph, controversy or event occurring in Fort Collins over the last 134 years is detailed with the same set of standards we still strive toward today. We are especially mindful of our responsibility to provide quality news regarding national presidential elections,

which The Collegian has covered 33 times since 1891.

As two new faces heading the news desk this year, we’ll certainly have our work cut out for us, but if the talented team of journalists packing the newsroom is any indication, this year’s coverage won’t deviate from the norm. We strive to be the most trusted source of news for both the CSU and greater Fort Collins communities, and that is paramount to our desk.

In addition to national political coverage, the news desk will continue to cover campus events, leadership changes, construction updates, breaking news and any other campus or Fort Collins occurrences affecting the student body. Our ethos, “News for students, by students,” remains our guiding principle and will continue

to determine our coverage moving forward.

Our coverage does not end once an event is seemingly over; we also see the impacts of news and news events. We will provide updates when we can and make sure all our stories are as relevant as they possibly can be. We see how our coverage impacts the community, and we act accordingly.

We will report on events in the most fair and ethical way possible. We strive to build trust and a sense of reliability; we hold ourselves and those around us accountable; and perhaps most importantly, we are here for you. Our guiding principles will always revolve around students because that is who we are. With that, welcome to a new year with The Collegian. We are excited to have you.

Reach Sam Hutton and Aubree Miller at news@collegian.com.

Sam Hutton, News Editor

Entering his third year at The Collegian, Sam Hutton is currently a news editor, a role he couldn’t be more proud to step into. Hutton has over two years of news reporting experience under his belt, largely comprised of student government coverage.

Opinionated to no end, Hutton is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in political science with a concentration in U.S. politics, and he plans to work as a public administrator after his time at Colorado State University.

He’s honored to be acting in his position as news editor and hopes to continue improving as a writer, colleague and student every day.

Hutton is from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is thrilled to be a part of the Fort Collins and CSU communities, although a part of him will always miss the backdrop of Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak.

Mindful of The Collegian’s long-established tradition of high-quality and

fact-based news reporting, Hutton is especially excited to be acting as news editor during a national presidential election. He plans to apply what he’s learned during his time at CSU and The Collegian to ensure readers are properly and fairly informed. He’s reassured by the incredible team of journalists around him and is eager to see what The Collegian can accomplish next.

Aubree Miller, News Editor

Aubree Miller is a news editor for The Rocky Mountain Collegian and could not be more thrilled to take on the role. Miller started as a reporter for the news; arts and entertainment; and life and culture desks in fall 2023 and has nurtured a love for news and keeping up with what is going on in the community, no matter how small or large the occasion. Going into their sophomore year, Miller is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in journalism along with two minors in women’s studies and

ethnic studies. They are incredibly excited to keep the CSU and Fort Collins community up to date on news while keeping a focus on ethical and fair journalism and social justice, giving a voice to each and every person The Collegian interacts with.

Miller is originally from rural northern Wisconsin and has lived in Aurora, Colorado, for the past eight years. Passions for reading, writing and music have flourished during their time at CSU thus far. That

passion for writing translated into journalism, where writing is combined with being able to help others and to tell the stories that may not always be told. When not working at The Collegian, Miller can be found attempting to bring back ‘80s fashion trends, crocheting, listening to Taylor Swift and hanging out with their cat.

Miller is immensely proud of their work with The Collegian thus far and is thrilled to continue learning and growing as an editor.

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

Seibel: Student protest coverage tests journalistic freedom at CSU, beyond

By Allie Seibel @allie_seibel_

The concluding week of the 2023 spring semester on Colorado State University’s campus was anything but quiet in preparation for finals.

Fueled by national inaction over the Israel-Hamas war, protests exploded nationwide across college campuses.

Everyone at CSU, especially those of us in student media, held their breath, waiting to see what was going

Protesters march with signs declaring,

to happen as signs warning that camping was considered trespassing were hammered into lawns around The Plaza, and messages from the administration outlining how to acceptably protest were emailed to the university community.

Obviously, this was not the first time we at The Collegian were prepped for the possibility of a protest. Our staff spent extensive time last year covering the protests surrounding the IsraelHamas war. In October, we reported both on a vigil for Israel and some

POLITICAL COVERAGE

of the very first protests for Palestine in Fort Collins. We sent reporters to cover protests at the Colorado State Capitol and protests surrounding the Jewish National Fund’s conference in Denver in December because we believe in the importance of communication surrounding freedom of speech.

We did our best to make it to every protest in Fort Collins and were there with a camera and a reporter’s notebook for everyone on CSU’s campus.

Protests are a uniquely difficult thing to cover and — something every reporter who has covered a protest will say — are incomparable to any other reporting experience. There’s a rare sort of power subscribed to standing in the middle of so much human energy and being calm. We exist between the reality of our surroundings and the potential of our coverage.

The week of May 1, we experienced daily protests outside of the Lory Student Center by the NoCo Liberation Coalition and Students for Justice in Palestine, come rain or shine. Protests even moved into the senate chambers of the Associated Students of CSU. The protesters abided by university policy, and despite law

enforcement presence for each protest and a handful of counter protests, rules were followed, and nothing escalated.

Other college campuses did not have that experience, with arrests and violence erupting. Student press was, in many instances, the only reliable news source in the thick of these protests.

We completed our coverage quietly and respectfully and watched the news that week, not to learn about the protests on other campuses but to learn about the student journalists who were right there experiencing it.

As journalists, our hearts and strength went out to them.

At the University of California, Los Angeles, reporters from the Daily Bruin were gassed and assaulted.

At California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, three student journalists were arrested during coverage.

These students completed their coverage and went home for the summer. Despite the brief spotlight of national attention placed on their efforts, life will go back to normal for them. They’ll go to class. They’ll go to their newsrooms. They’ll regroup, restart and, undoubtedly, look around their campuses and ask, “What’s next?” because that’s what we all do.

As editor in chief, I treated protest coverage last year as a training method for reporters who were looking to gain more experience in difficult situations because I trusted both the CSU community in voicing their beliefs and the CSU Police Department to respect the First Amendment. It is a luxury that we were able to do so and a luxury that I never felt unsafe either covering a protest or sending a staffer to cover a protest.

The student journalists at the front of some of the most violent campus protests in May did not have the luxury of a learning experience, having to defend both their right to coverage and themselves. For their bravery and talent, they are the real heroes.

Reach Allie Seibel at editor @collegian.com.

Stories of student journalists’ bravery erupted, from California to Boston. Coverage that came out of these protests was accurate, unbiased and thorough. These students, up all night fighting through police lines demolishing camps, were also studying for finals. They were outpacing national news outlets for access to these protests, and they were being detained and assaulted.

Hutton: Looking back on 2 years of covering student government

By Sam Hutton @sam_hut14

My two years of covering the Associated Students of Colorado State University, although at times challenging, have been one of the most rewarding experiences since I joined The Collegian in fall 2022. Volunteering for the assignment during my first desk meeting as a reporter, I hoped it would be a perfect way to learn more about campus and build connections with fellow political science students. I hadn’t heard of ASCSU before starting at CSU, but I was confident I could adjust to the space and deliver quality reports on weekly senate meetings on a consistent basis. I didn’t envision staying on the assignment for two full years — and counting — but I’m glad I did.

I quickly realized the organization’s internal culture, while not unlike most government bodies, was as complex as it was intimidating. Personal agendas, rumors and general pettiness consistently mix with parliamentary procedure, finance and technical difficulties, making production much more “Veep” than “The West Wing.”

My fourth session on assignment saw a student attempt to charge from the podium toward senators with a fist raised, prompting intense discussions about internal culture that persist even now. Similar instances of erupting tension are numerous, although to detail each one would be to take up entirely too many column inches.

Infighting and partisanship are not exclusive to the legislative branch, of course, although the executive branch’s dirty laundry is usually less public. In May, executive leadership attempted to postpone the ratification of Jorja Whyte, a previous cabinet member, as director of basic needs after she released a statement condemning President Nick DeSalvo’s decision not to sign a bill regarding the Israel-Hamas war. This prompted public outrage that led to Whyte’s ratification going forward as planned. I played a role in breaking the story, reinforcing The Collegian’s commitment to serving as a watchdog for the CSU community.

Shots are easy to fire when given ammunition, but I would be remiss if I didn’t detail the great work ASCSU really does, despite its faults and self-inflicted wounds.

Largely delivering on a campaign promise, the DeSalvoSilverhart administration invested considerably in lobbying efforts in the Colorado General Assembly, resulting in the eventual statewide

ban on the restrictive U+2 residential policy. Another piece of legislation aimed at eliminating sales tax on college textbooks nearly passed, indicative of the new administration’s outlined plan

of relieving financial burdens on college students.

On a campus level, all three ASCSU branches continue to provide resources for students using student fee revenue, ranging from events like RailJam and Grill the Buffs to health and wellness vending machines and food donation drives.

Additionally, the simple existence of a student-run government body is an incredibly valuable opportunity not just for political science or prelaw majors but students from all backgrounds, majors and career paths to build connections and gain experience in a fairly typical postgrad workspace.

I can confidently say my experience with ASCSU prompted me to narrow down my potential career paths, leading me to pursue a future in public policy and administration. At the city or state — or national — level, I’ll likely be exposed to many of the same processes, issues and personalities I’ve grown accustomed to during my time as a Collegian reporter, reassuring me that I made the right decision when I raised my hand nearly two years ago.

Reach Sam Hutton at news @collegian.com.

“Ceasefire in Gaza,” outside the Lory Student Center during a Students for Justice in Palestine protest May 1. The protest included chanting and marching in support of Palestinians and demanded Colorado State University calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. PHOTO BY ALLIE SEIBEL THE COLLEGIAN

Chief Justice Alayna Truxal speaks about the members of ASCSU at the Annual State of the Association Address Jan. 31. “Either way, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,” Truxal said. “I already believe that every single person that joins this organization are the most inspiring and ambitious people I’ll ever meet.” PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

UNIQUE COMMUNITY

Arndt: Individual experiences shape Fort Collins culture

By Christian Arndt @csucollegian

Editor’s Note: This content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

Covering life and culture takes a great amount of respect and dedication not only for the sake of providing excellent coverage but also to learn and understand the topic you are approaching.

Throughout my time at The Collegian, I have had excellent opportunities in covering dinners held by cultural centers as well as speaking with directors and members of these cultural centers. With each interaction, I gathered plenty more information about heritage and traditions.

When covering culture, one must be hungry to learn. There’s only so much a reporter can preinterview, per se, but with culture, the desire to learn and understand variances in cultures is a must.

What about our shared local culture here in Fort Collins? What makes us, well, us? Some may say it’s the grotesque Thursday night bar crawl during Ram Band or maybe a collective of locals getting sunburned at Horsetooth Reservoir on a bright and sweltering Saturday afternoon.

This may be the assumption from an outside perspective. But in reality, our culture comes from the students who move from their own hometowns and countries to begin their next milestone here at Colorado

State University: completing post-secondary education.

With numerous cultural centers on campus and outside clubs fostering connection, it’s undeniable these are the individuals who make up the greater Fort Collins culture.

It’s not only a responsibility but a pleasure to report on students and their cultural experiences.

Each experience is different from the next, providing a greater understanding of culture. As mentioned before, the willingness to learn and understand fosters greater appreciation of experiences different from others.

It’s an undeniable honor writing about culture, whether it be directly here in Fort Collins or beyond.

Reach Christian Arndt at life@collegian.com.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA SIROKMAN THE COLLEGIAN

Illustration by Lauren Harris

Meet the life and culture desk: Dedicated to telling essential cultural stories

By Christian Arndt @csucollegian

Dear readers,

The life and culture desk primarily focuses on providing the best and most reliable coverage of local happenings in the Fort Collins area.

Whether that be a local parade focusing on adorable corgis, a specific cultural event discussing the hardships and perseverance of a group on campus or a newly opened restaurant full of delicious items, the life and culture

desk takes each of these stories and treats them with the utmost respect and care.

The life and culture desk retains a sizable and strong group of dedicated reporters, eager to learn and expand their horizons as aspiring writers for The Collegian by providing excellent coverage.

As life and culture editor, I take great pride in the content released under life and culture. I understand and appreciate the importance of each story coming through this desk and strive to reflect the

uniqueness of each story to the best of my ability.

Life and culture provides valuable insight into Fort Collins living, major cultural events, local business highlights and the occasional feature on individuals making waves in the community.

There is plenty to explore and experience in Fort Collins, and this desk’s mission is to highlight it all through reliable coverage.

Sincerely,

Christian Arndt, life and culture editor

Reach Christian Arndt at life@collegian.com.

Christian Arndt, Life and Culture Editor

Christian Arndt is the returning editor for the life and culture desk for the 2024-25 school year at The Collegian.

Hailing from Silverthorne, Colorado, Arndt began his writing journey in high school. With the help of his English teacher, he found his love for writing and, eventually, his love for journalistic writing.

Arndt is a fourth-year at Colorado State University, where he will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media communication with a minor in English. Although his studies have provided excellent insight and practice within journalism, The Collegian has helped Arndt foster professionalism and experience in the field. Arndt looks forward

to learning and growing through this experience.

Initially a reporter for the arts and entertainment desk in early 2023, Arndt primarily focused on movie reviews, local art coverage and curated playlists. He soon took over as the second-ever editor for the life and culture desk in summer 2023, where he takes pride in providing coverage on local happenings, cultural events and local business features.

Going into this year with the same amount of enthusiasm as last, Arndt is looking forward to providing accurate and important coverage of the Fort Collins area.

If not editing articles, Arndt can be found watching movies, listening to punk rock, hoping for a Talking Heads reunion tour and walking his adorable dog, Penny.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

Patrick and the LVB

FRIDAY • AUGUST 23

DOORS AT 6 PM

@ Lory Student Center West Lawn

Meet the sports desk: Bringing you the best of all CSU sports

By Damon Cook & Michael Hovey @rmcollegianspts

Dear readers,

The Collegian sports desk has always aimed to provide you with indepth coverage of all things Colorado State sports.

From breaking news to recaps, we strive to bring accurate and engaging stories to our readers.

One of our biggest hopes is that the passion we have for providing you sports coverage is shared by all of our writers and is, thus, reflected in our product.

We have been able to implement several things over the previous year thanks to so many of the hardworking people at The Collegian From bringing you same-night recaps to a closer representation of sports in Associated Press Style, we have been able to bring timely, higher-quality coverage to you.

We look forward to bringing you better coverage as each of us continue to learn through our experiences.

As the fall season commences with hopeful seasons from CSU golf, football, volleyball, cross country and soccer, we will be the only independent paper providing you with consistent coverage of all of them. The process for writing these stories varies from other desks.

Division I athletics is a place for competition and respect — two things a sports reporter must always be aware of. Reporters are expected to act with dignity and communicate through proper channels.

Living vicariously through exceptional athletes is made even better in-person at the games. The sports desk works diligently to provide live updates while also paying attention to an unfolding story. In order to come up with thought-provoking questions in interviews, reporters are encouraged to research beforehand. Some players are intensely passionate speakers,

while others may have left it all out on the field. At the end of the day, there are great interviews and acceptable interviews.

Writing brings everything together. With the help of an amazing editorial staff, sports writing aims to relay facts and emotion in an easy-to-digest format. This is what readers will see and what reporters have to show for all their effort.

We truly look forward to bringing that engaging content this semester and every semester moving forward. Without your readership, we at The Collegian’s sports desk would not be able to chase our dreams of doing this professionally. For that, everyone on the sports desk thanks you for helping make us better each and every day.

Sincerely,

Damon Cook, sports editor Michael Hovey, sports editor Reach Damon Cook and Michael Hovey at sports @collegian.com.

Damon Cook, Sports Editor

Damon Cook is returning as one of the sports editors for fall 2024 at the The Collegian. He’s been at the paper since August 2022.

After starting as a construction management major at Colorado State University, Cook quickly found out he didn’t have a passion for it. After taking a year off, he realized he could work in sports — something he has always been passionate about. So with newfound

aspirations, he switched his major to journalism and media communication to chase those dreams.

After a year of working as a beat writer covering volleyball and women’s basketball, Cook took over as sports editor in summer 2023. Since then, he has become established in reporting on football and men’s basketball and looks forward to providing that coverage this upcoming season.

Cook will begin his third semester as the sports editor before graduating in December, having borne witness to some of CSU’s historic feats. His passion for bringing readers the best coverage has only grown. Having started in the wake of a complete overhaul of The Collegian sports desk, Cook has watched the desk grow considerably, thanks to the efforts of so many amazing people he gets the pleasure of working alongside.

Michael Hovey, Sports Editor

Michael Hovey is one of the sports editors for The Rocky Mountain Collegian, facilitating the sports desk, collaborating with reporters and writing pieces of his own. He joined the newspaper in February and has greatly appreciated all the opportunities that have come with the organization. After settling on a business administration major with a concentration in marketing, Hovey

stumbled upon The Collegian at the recommendation of a friend. Writing news stories gave him a deeper connection to Colorado State University and its community, making his studies that much more meaningful.

Having played numerous sports at a fairly mediocre level, Hovey jumped at the opportunity to cover Division I sporting events.

He now gets the chance to surround himself with talented writers, artists and athletes while exercising his preferred form of the English language.

Hovey’s favorite part of the job is meeting new people and learning about the things they’ve dedicated their lives to. The most surprising part has been the extraneous passions he’s discovered in nearly each one of these people.

Hovey’s main goal this year is to foster discovery and allow people in athletics to show a separate side of themselves that may not generally be known. His secondary goal: Try not to stutter on a national broadcast. If not working at The Collegian, Hovey can be found engaging in outdoor activities, finding something tasty or listening to hip-hop.

Having learned so many things from so many people, including to never wear a tie, Cook looks forward to helping The Collegian sports desk reach heights never imagined before.

With a much greater understanding of the power of words, one of Cook’s inspirational quotes for this upcoming year has been from Eric Cartman in South Park: “Respect my authoritah.”

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

Cook: March Madness was a dream come true

By Damon Cook @dwcook2001

Editor’s Note: This content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “It’s not the destination; it’s the journey.”

But for me, March Madness was definitely about the destination.

It might be because the journey to Dayton, Ohio, involved a missed flight, followed by a multiplehour flight delay that led to us entering the University of Dayton Arena just seconds before tipoff. We then left the next morning to fly to Charlotte, North Carolina, only to have issues at check-in, which

gave us worries that we might not be able to fly.

This was followed by another multiple-hour delay during our layover in New York before we finally landed in Charlotte, only to discover the next day that we didn’t have the credentials to get into Spectrum Center.

While I often try to make a positive observation of every negative situation, there is absolutely only one positive to that journey: the man who talked your favorite CTV anchor Leah Cackowski and your former-favorite KCSU host Kaleb Allen and I off of a ledge as we waited at the airport in Texas. His name was Kevin, and I remember our conversation with him like it was yesterday.

We talked about his time serving in the U.S. military and what we were doing covering Colorado State men’s basketball. I also remember him telling us we would make it to our game and that he would be watching and rooting for CSU because of us.

That man made everything feel like it would be alright, and despite my brain screaming at me that the sky was falling, the sincerity of Kevin saying we would make it before tipoff was so reassuring that I started to believe it, but everything outside of that moment was a total and complete disaster.

Yet all of that misfortune could not make the feeling of walking into the University of Dayton

Arena and Spectrum Center any less magical.

If you asked me two years ago where I thought I might be in the future, my answer never would have involved being in press row at a March Madness tournament.

For a very long time now, I have watched college basketball with an intensity that can only be described with a love for the game.

I have always looked up to guys like Jon Rothstein, Seth Davis and Jay Bilas, and seeing people on their level in Dayton and Charlotte covering the same event I was is still absolutely mind-blowing.

Walking into the University of Dayton Arena felt like an almost out-of-body experience. I sat there and watched the game, but it was

like nothing I had ever experienced before.

I still remember feeling like I was waiting to wake up, but that wake-up never came, and I instead continued to sit there in my awe. I once again got that feeling in Charlotte.

After watching March Madness year in and year out, that was the first tournament I had ever been to in person.

Living out that portion of my dreams and seeing all of my hard work finally come to fruition was nothing short of extraordinary, and I am forever beyond thankful to The Collegian and Rocky Mountain Student Media for helping make that experience happen.

Reach Damon Cook at sports @collegian.com.

SLAM DUNK

PHOTO BY DAMON COOK THE COLLEGIAN

By Jenn Dawson @csucollegian

Dear readers,

In the life and evolution of CSU and The Collegian, this desk is in uncharted territory. Now a year old, the science desk has grown from an overstretched editorial staff to a team including more than 12 unique writers covering a vast range of topics. CSU is permeated with more science than we could possibly cover with an army of writers, so we hope you will share your questions and curiosities, allowing us to explore the subjects that mean the most to you.

Fellow students, we have the honor of championing your access to science. Get the most out of your opportunities, and try asking us questions like, “Which science elective

Meet the science desk: Traversing uncharted territory

will get me outside?” or, “Is it possible to land a STEM career with a liberal arts degree?” Let us know if you’re struggling to decide on a STEM major, minor or even a class. In a school this size, you are never the only person with questions, and we will explore options alongside you.

If you work in a lab, then you are closer to the latest science news than we are. What should we know about research on campus? We want to celebrate and explore CSU research and scientists who make it happen. And if you want to try something new while getting published along the way, try writing for this desk and share your interests with the world. We are always recruiting student writers.

To our community, staff and faculty, we are all still discovering how this whole

science communication thing works, so thank you for learning with us and supporting our goals.

Our ultimate challenge is to offer you reporting that is unique to Northern Colorado and that closes the gap between what happens at CSU and how it impacts the greater community. As your direct connection to CSU’s science and research, we hope you’ll follow us through our second year of investigation into the compelling impacts of our research university.

Sincerely, Jenn Dawson, science editor

Reach Jenn Dawson at science@collegian.com.

Read Dawson’s reflection piece, “To review or not to review: Scientific practice, journalistic ethics collide,” at collegian.com.

Jenn Dawson, Science Editor

Jenn Dawson’s audacious plan to change the world involves brain sciences, data and science communication, investigative journalism and community education. This plan stands alongside strong notes of ethics, justice, persistence and inclusion, with subtle hints of comedy, music and family.

With the help of her nontraditional journey through education, Dawson aims to use her future degrees in psychology and journalism to seek the truth and share what she learns. There’s no better way to get started doing just that than having the privilege of starting The Collegian’s first-ever science desk.

On the rare occasion that project and assignment due dates are not imminent, Dawson likes to play Dungeons & Dragons and video games; forage and take photos in the mountains; enjoy Fort Collins; and play music.

Dawson’s other focuses are advocacy oriented, and she’s always on the lookout for the most effective ways to support the causes she cares for the most. She loves participating in local organizations and community projects.

Notably, Dawson is excited to work with the Northern Colorado Deliberative Journalism Project, a local media collaboration with a goal to reconsider the nature of journalism.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

Join us Aug. 22 on the Eddy Lawn for activities, swag, snacks, and more!

This Day of giving, we’re tagging you in to help students win. Ready to play?

AUG. 22 2024

Flashback: Photos that defined the 2023-24 school year

1. Midnight Sweet-Water dances in the American Indian Science and Engineering Society’s 39th Annual Powwow in the Lory Student Center Oct. 21, 2023. COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO. 2. Colorado State University snowboarder Evan Borman hits a rail during the CSU RailJam Revival on the Lory Student Center West Lawn March 21. PHOTO BY AVA PUGLISI THE COLLEGIAN. 3. Stella Goldberg lights a candle at a vigil for Israel in the Colorado State University Lory Student Center Oct. 12, 2023. During an open community comment, Goldberg spoke about her childhood growing up during World War II. “Antisemitism, whether you are with Jews or you’re not with Jews or you are a Jew, is never going to stop,” Goldberg said. “We only just have to be brave and be strong and stay together and just be the best people that God wants us to be.” PHOTO BY GARRETT MOGEL THE COLLEGIAN. 4. Colorado State University Drag Show headliner Mirage takes the stage for a second performance April 14. Mirage was a contestant on Season 16 of the reality show “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN. 5. A snowboarder prepares to drop into the Pacifico Men’s Snowboard Big Air during X Games Aspen Jan. 26. COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO. 6. Eileen Gu flies through the air during a warm-up on the Women’s Ski SuperPipe at X Games Aspen Jan. 27. Gu placed first in the competition. PHOTO BY GARRETT MOGEL THE COLLEGIAN. 7. Cameron Duddy harmonizes with band Midland during their headlining performance at this year’s RamFest April 25. PHOTO BY RUBY SECREST THE COLLEGIAN. 8. Colorado State University linebacker Tramayne Mejia-Paster (33) prays before the Rocky Mountain Showdown against the University of Colorado Buffaloes Sept. 16, 2023. CU won 43-35. COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO. 9. Noura Rayyam protests in support of Palestine outside the Colorado State Capitol building in Denver during a “Shut it Down for Palestine” protest Nov. 9, 2023. “I am tired of seeing my people suffer, and it has been 75 years of ethnic cleansing, more if you count the early settlements when it was the Ottoman mandates (and) British Mandates.” PHOTO BY GARRETT MOGEL THE COLLEGIAN. 10. Colorado State University climbing team President Avery Conn climbs a route at Ascent Studios Oct. 23, 2023. “I joined the team for the community,” Conn said. “I stayed on the team for the community, and my leadership is all about strengthening that connection.” PHOTO BY ARIA PAUL THE COLLEGIAN.

PHOTO

Meet the photo desk: Bringing stories to life

By Cait Mckinzie & Garrett Mogel @csucollegian

Dear readers,

At The Collegian photo desk, we aim to create photos that inspire discussion and bring stories to life.

In pursuit of our goal, The Collegian encourages its photographers to take on new challenges and cover a wide range of subjects. This allows our photographers to become more comfortable in a multitude of situations while expanding the breadth of stories a college newspaper can cover.

With such an ambitious goal, sometimes the only thing we can hope for is to simply be audacious.

Student media allows aspiring photojournalists to take risks and make mistakes in a learning environment. From their mistakes, many find some semblance of how a work-life balance should operate, and the longer you’ve

been a part of the desk, the more true that becomes.

This looks different for every photographer. Balancing coursework, the mundane day to day and assignments forces photographers to assess what is important to them. It is a hard lesson to learn, but most are able to find a flow that fits them.

As photographers develop, assignments become easier, and new goals have to be established. Some seek new techniques and others a new subject matter while the more tenacious will seek out a long-form story, which is seldom seen in print papers and is an opportunity The Collegian is proud to offer. Over few weeks or even a year, a photographer can seek out a story of their choosing and immerse themself within the subject. For a long-form story, a photographer can participate in the whole process, from creating a photo to copy editing, page layout and publishing.

Among more seasoned photographers, this tends to create the perfect environment for

developing lifelong bonds. Many of the strongest are formed in the thralls of assignments. From shivering in the cold to running around in blistering heat, photographers have the unique opportunity to engage on a deeper level both with the subject matter and each other.

Beyond field work, the photo desk has to communicate with every other desk. In fact, most of the work is coordinating with other desks on coverage and ideas. It is a chance to learn interpersonal communication and conflict resolution.With a variety of ideas and communication styles, it is an environment all too similar to a standard work environment. Things may be misunderstood, ideas may be altered and people get upset, but with the right lens, it is a chance to learn and sharpen the skills a photographer brings to the entire workforce.

Sincerely, Garrett Mogel, photo director Cait Mckinzie, photo director Reach Garrett Mogel and Cait Mckinzie and photo@collegian.com.

Cait Mckinzie, Photo Director

Cait Mckinzie is a second-year student double majoring in art and journalism and media communication. She is one of two photo directors for the 2024-25 school year. Despite growing up in Renton, Washington, Mckinzie knew she wanted to go to Colorado State University since middle school. She had only ever been to Colorado twice, but she visited

campus once, and that was all it took.

At first, there wasn’t much in Fort Collins that Mckinzie was familiar with. But in high school, she was the co-head of visuals for her school newspaper, so she applied to The Collegian as a photographer to get back into a similar environment. Mckinzie was first introduced to photography by her grandfather, who

has been a photographer most of his life. After he gifted Mckinzie her first camera in her junior year of high school, she began to take any assignment she could for her high school paper to improve her skills.

Of all the memories made in her first year at CSU, most of the interesting ones came from The Collegian. One Halloween drag show assignment, a lot of

Garrett Mogel, Photo Director

Garrett Mogel is a fourth-year journalism student with a second field of study in philosophy. He is one of two photo directors for the 2024-25 school year. Growing up in Colorado and surrounded by dreamlike landscapes and adventure sports, it was only a matter of time before Mogel picked up a camera. For over a decade, he explored

Colorado, ported rivers, postholed through several feet of snow, rappelled over cliffs and skinned up mountains, all with a camera in hand. Through his adventures, Mogel began attaching stories to images and engaging viewers in conversation about their favorite areas. Eventually, Mogel’s passion for photography and storytelling drew him to pursue

a degree and career in photojournalism.

In his time at Colorado State University, Mogel has worked with The Collegian every year. In progressing through the publication, Mogel has seen all the ways student media fosters growth, both individually and through collaboration. Additionally, the opportunity to witness how impactful a story can be on a personal,

organizational and community level is his greatest lesson thus far.

Beyond The Collegian, Mogel still finds time to appreciate his Colorado upbringing. When not on assignment, he can usually be found mountain biking, skiing, camping, river surfing or at home planning his next adventure.

mentorship and a few months of practice later, Mckinzie found herself being offered the position of photo director for the next academic school year.

Mckinzie is excited for another year at The Collegian and aims to continue learning and growing during her time as one of the photo directors.

PHOTO BY HANNAH PARCELLS THE COLLEGIAN

PHOTO BY GARRETT MOGEL THE COLLEGIAN

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

Mogel: Photojournalists must adventure for perfect shot

By Garrett Mogel @csucollegian

Editor’s Note: This content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

While a college newspaper may appear to be just another cubicle job where the most exciting thing that happens is someone getting a paper cut, being a photojournalist is more like a James Bond movie. Though few photojournalists can afford an Aston Martin, many of the assignments feel like a rough draft of a 007 script.

In three years of being a photojournalist for The Collegian, I have covered everything from business features to SWAT raids and everything in between.

A few particular assignments had my directors moments away from calling the legal team or an ambulance. One such instance was when a black bear found its way into a tree on campus. My directors debated not sending a photographer, but after some convincing, I was the one standing next to a tranquilized bear.

Another instance was a wildfire that broke out

during a photo meeting. A colleague and I jumped up and ran out the door to go cover it. Racing to the fire at 80 mph and trying to beat the roadblocks, we hung out the car window to get photos. At another wildfire, I was up at the fire line photographing hand crews when a 5-gallon propane bottle caught fire and exploded where we were minutes ago.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, I was on assignment covering a festival called Frozen Dead Guy Days. A crowd of 22,000 people bombarded the tiny town. Not having acquired lodging, I slept in the back of my truck in 20-below temperatures and winds gusting to 30 mph.

Aside from natural dangers, there were a few assignments where either the situation or the people were the danger.

Protests are a prime example. Tensions run high, people are already upset and the media is often not a welcomed sight. There were two particular protests that posed a bit more danger.

During the Shut It Down for Palestine protests at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver, we watched as a protester in support of Israel was beaten with their own

flag. At another protest about mandated vaccines, many of the participants were armed, which added to the tension.

Lastly, there’s time I spent covering the Fort Collins Police Services SWAT team. While much of the experience was uneventful in terms of immediate danger, there was one call from a person in distress firing a rifle into the ceiling of their apartment.

Riding in the passenger seat of a cruiser going 80 mph across Fort Collins, we arrived on scene. The first thing the sergeant I was riding with said was, “He can see you. He is aiming at our location. Stay on this side of the car.” While at the time I simply obliged and didn’t think twice, it is hard to say how close his sights could have been to me or the sergeant.

While a writer may be able to report from an office, a photographer has little choice but to go out into the field. We have to be there to get the photo. We have to go where the story takes us, and sometimes that means following it into risky situations. It is simply the job we do.

Reach Garrett Mogel at photo@collegian.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GARRETT MOGEL

Meet the arts and entertainment desk: Giving artists a platform

By Ruby Secrest @csucollegian

Dear readers,

Welcome to the arts and entertainment desk.

If you are interested in the creative parts of Fort Collins and what makes the community thrive, this is the perfect place for you.

The A&E desk is a place that discusses all forms of art in Fort Collins, from movie and concert reviews to profiles on local artists and restaurant owners. The A&E desk feeds the right side of your brain while exercising the left with features on the fabulous, thriving drag community and weekly horoscopes. This cross section allows our writers to combine journalistic writing with creative writing, truly allowing us to stand out as a desk.

When first moving to Fort Collins, I had no idea the scope of the community of artists here. With creative secondhand clothing stores, themed coffee shops with their own twists, local bands of every genre and so much more, it is truly a community unlike anything I have ever experienced.

The A&E desk gives creative individuals a place where the story behind a local mural is not only told but also heard, a platform that gives dance communities recognition for their cultural involvement and where musicians are able to speak on their relationship with their music, fans and shows. Giving artists this platform is a great responsibility and privilege. When I first began writing

for this desk, I was inspired by the individuals I got to interview. There were so many people of all backgrounds I would have never been exposed to without this job. Our writers experience this with every story, finding new angles to report on the constantly changing and evolving entertainment and art community. We are excited to take on this responsibility and share this community with our readers. Without your engagement and support, we would not be able to write about the amazing people and community that make this town come to life and thrive.

Sincerely,

Ruby Secrest, arts and entertainment editor

Reach Ruby Secrest at entertainment @collegian.com.

Ruby Secrest, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Ruby Secrest is the editor of the arts and entertainment desk for The Collegian. She is a third-year student at Colorado State University, pursuing a major in journalism and media communication and a minor in film studies.

Born and raised in Denver, Secrest has always had a love for fine art and live music. When joining The Collegian in the fall of 2023 as a writer and photographer, she took a special interest in concert photography, reporting on the live music and local art that takes place in Fort Collins.

During her time at The Collegian, Secrest has sought out stories with artists and business owners who have a deep passion for their work and are interested in growth. She has been fortunate to report on local businesses, mural reveals and concerts, such as Odie Leigh, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets

and last year’s Fort Collins Music Experiment festival.

Her taste in art and music follows a broad range, from Picasso’s Blue Period to the early work of Annie Leibovitz with Rolling Stone magazine and music from Foxygen, Big Thief, Ron Gallo, Frazey Ford and, of course, Bruno Mars. She encourages people to have a guilt-free love of today’s top hits while also buying tickets to shows with an audience of 10.

She is grateful for the platform The Collegian gives young reporters and photographers and is excited to take on her new role as the A&E editor. Secrest’s goal is to encourage passion within the arts and help grow an environment within the A&E desk where any special interests of the reporters are heard and fostered, just as her mentor did for her.

COLLEGIAN FILE ILLUSTRATION

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

PIVOTAL PERFORMANCE

Secrest: My desk made me the reporter, person I am today

By Ruby Secrest @csucollegian

Editor’s Note: This content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

College is hard — not just in the way that classes are hard but also meeting new people, figuring out how to coexist with a roommate and, yes, also maintaining a GPA that can go on an internship application. In the process of doing all of that, it is so easy to forget what you liked about your major or university in the first place.

When joining The Collegian last fall as a sophomore, I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do. I was in the middle of college, feeling overwhelmed by both the difficulty and expenses and not feeling very inspired. I knew I needed to

do some kind of job relating to journalism for my major, mainly to gain experience for future jobs and also to see if I even liked the degree I was working toward.

I interviewed for almost every position, including editor and reporter jobs for the arts and entertainment desk; life and culture desk; and opinion desk, all with the hope that one of them would stand out to me.

My first few assignments were articles for the life and culture desk reviewing a local brewery’s Oktoberfest. I was a wreck, to sum it up. I had the wrong address, and when I got to the correct address, all of my interview questions suddenly sounded dumb and incomplete. But I did it, got through it, went home and took two days to write a very simple article for the fear of turning in something bad to my editor.

I wrote a few more articles, and while I had begun to push myself in my writing for the first time in a long time, I still didn’t feel inspired. I talked to my editor for the arts and entertainment desk asking if I could report on one of my favorite Australian bands coming to play at The Aggie Theatre. When she gave me the go-ahead, one of the photo directors, Milo Gladstein, offered to come and help me photograph it as well.

After the show and interviews were completed, Gladstein dropped me off at home, and I walked into my house and immediately began to write. Something I had been lacking for more than a year finally came back in one giant wave. I never felt more inspired to write, more creative with a camera or more independent both as a photographer and a

writer. After that, I began to focus on covering the live music scene in Fort Collins. I got the amazing opportunity to photograph and interview Odie Leigh as well as cover the two-day local music festival FoCoMX.

Through Gladstein, I was able to learn so much about creative style within concert photography and the logistics of setting up a photoshoot and interview, and I pushed myself as a writer to put perfect moments of music into hard-copy paragraphs. I felt support from my editors and fellow coworkers that was unlike anything else.

The Collegian, for me, uncomplicated all of my classes and gave them all a central focus. I have grown to love Fort Collins for its art and creativity and, more specifically, for its local music scene. I have found a community that is accepting and eager to listen and learn while also sharing each individualized aspect of their own creativity.

This year, I am taking on a new role as the editor for the arts and entertainment desk and could truly not be more excited. I love this desk for all its diverse perspectives and the way people all across Fort Collins express themselves creatively.

College is hard. Joining The Collegian has made my experience — so far — the most rewarding and motivating, and it has made the hard parts well worth it.

Reach Ruby Secrest at entertainment@collegian.com.

Odie Leigh performs at Aggie Theatre, connecting her fans to her, her music and one another in a magical folk performance Jan. 19. PHOTO BY RUBY SECREST THE COLLEGIAN

By Dominique Lopez

@caffeinateddee6

Dear readers,

The Collegian’s opinion desk provides an opportunity for students to share their most controversial thoughts or hot takes with the Colorado State University community.

At the opinion desk, there is a wide range of opinions and stories that can be produced, including columns that discuss the important themes our reporters feel people need to learn more about with sex columns, Seriouslys — satiric pieces for reporters to flex their imagination — and even letters to and from the editor.

Each column and story is created from a reporter’s mind based on topics they would like to write about. Often, topics that are chosen can bring the focus of a national issue to the CSU community’s attention, such as a discussion on social media

Meet the opinion desk: We want all stories to be heard

dynamics or thoughts on artificial intelligence usage.

These topics are chosen to not only represent the perspective of the author but also to generate healthy discussion within our community.

Aside from our general entertainment where reporters have the opportunity to share their opinions with all of our readers, we also publish letters from the editor.

These are often written by our editor in chief, Allie Seibel, or by other members of our editorial staff. They provide an opportunity for us to comment on our special edition and provide an inside look at the production.

Editorials, however, are written with the approval of the entire editorial staff to share our stance on a specific issue we face. They also are created to share insight into our process and what it is like to operate our newspaper.

Additionally, letters to the editor can be submitted and published by The Collegian and must follow these guidelines. Letters

to the editor provide opportunities for CSU students to share their thoughts, even if they aren’t reporters for The Collegian

Based on editorial approval, these letters are published to share information with students or help someone else share their thoughts on an issue that isn’t already discussed by our reporters.

One of my biggest goals this year is to continue to diversify the content we provide to students and continue to make sure we share our most controversial and important opinions with our audience, even if that means creating bizarre satirical pieces intentionally created to make you laugh.

Sincerely, Dominique Lopez, opinion editor Reach Dominique Lopez at opinion@collegian.com.

Dominique Lopez, Opinion Editor

Returning as opinion editor for the 2024-25 school year, Dominique Lopez is eager to once again foster a space where a multiplicity of voices and perspectives is published by the opinion desk.

Hailing from Alamosa, Colorado, Lopez moved to Fort Collins to attend Colorado State University in 2021. She is studying journalism and media communication with a minor in women’s studies, and she is in her final year at CSU.

Lopez first joined The Collegian because she sought a place where she could have a voice.

After spending three years at The Collegian — one of those years as an opinion editor — Lopez invites all voices to write for the opinion desk. She encourages writers to

use their voice and challenge themselves to write about topics that are not often given space in media and communication. She believes it is of utmost importance that opinion writers approach each topic from a responsible and wellinformed position.

Lopez challenges herself to find the hidden story, which is largely why she chose to write as well as why she continues to share her thoughts within her writing, all while making sure the voice of a writer still shows.

When Lopez isn’t typing away at a keyboard, attending classes or working at the local swim school, she can be found reading books, watching her favorite TV shows or stress baking — sometimes all at the same time.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

Souza: The opinion desk is uniquely important

By Emma Souza @_emmasouza

Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

Once upon a time, I was a stubborn know-it-all. Now I’m a stubborn know-it-all who writes for The Collegian. Don’t let your talents go to waste.

A year ago, give or take a month and change, I went into this writing gig firmly believing I’d cover heartfelt stories or breaking news around Fort Collins. Despite my cynicism and knack for disturbing idea pitches — which, I’ve since come to realize, are two nonnegotiables of the opinion desk — I thought I wanted to do supposedly important things.

Excuse my language, but that was bullshit. Pure, absolute bullshit. Back then, I thought the opinion desk was unimportant in comparison to news or life and culture simply because opinions have inherent bias, and bias in journalism is bad.

We could go back and forth on whether the material I produce should even be classified as journalism; who knows if I’m serving the community by writing about abstinent frats or picky eaters.

But in the year that has passed, regardless of the social legitimacy my work holds, I have loved writing for this desk.

The whiplash of producing raunchy satire one week and provoking columns the next feels creatively intoxicating. I’ll be on a walk, taking out the trash or even on the toilet and think of an idea that makes me Slack Dominique

Lopez immediately, and she somehow always says yes, and I am astonishedly grateful.

Juggling this commitment sounds like a lot of writing, especially smushed between journalism, composition and creative writing classes. But the type of work I’ve done here — in just a year! I’m not even done! — is so unique from everything else that it often feels like a reward.

Beyond strengthening my writing, time management and communication skills, this experience has completely dismantled my concept of important writing. All forms of writing — including columns — are important simply because I enjoy writing them. Although what I create here might not be of imminent social or political relevance, I love knowing that my

work provides a break from the everyday heaviness of people’s routines. That is what makes it important.

And even if a percentage of my journalistic credibility is compromised by the satire I produce, at least I know that I can make people lose their shit and regain it within a page’s difference. Specialization is great, but versatility is a tool. The opinion desk not only encourages versatility but thrives off of it.

I’m going into this academic year proud of what I’ve written here and excited to write more. I’d say prepare yourself, but I don’t think any preparation could save you from the weekly atrocities I’m about to commit. Stay tuned! Reach Emma Souza at letters @collegian.com.

COLLEGIAN FILE ILLUSTRATION

Coming into the 2024-25 academic year, Nathan Carmody is eager to return to his role as print director at The Collegian alongside a team of wonderfully talented designers.

Originally from New Jersey, Carmody grew up in a place surrounded by art and design. Eventually, Carmody found himself at Colorado State University pursuing a

Nathan Carmody, Print Director

bachelor of fine arts with a concentration in graphic design and printmaking.

As an artist, Carmody’s work mainly explores ideas of community, time and emotional experiences surrounding culture.

Carmody hopes that his art conveys a sense of connectivity, whether that be between himself and the medium or the audience and the ideas.

It was at Colorado State University that Carmody found The Collegian and, along with it, a love for connecting community through the worlds of journalism, print and design. Bringing people together through print and artistic collaboration has been one of the biggest gifts to come from The Collegian, and Carmody is excited to help carry on the

legacy of one of the oldest student-run newspapers west of the Mississippi River.

When not in the newsroom, Carmody can be found digging deep into celebrity gossip, curating extensive playlists, surfing Wikipedia or hanging out with his close friends.

Caden Proulx, Print Director

Caden Proulx is returning for his third year at The Collegian, continuing his role as print director for the 202425 school year.

Moving away from his hometown in Austin, Texas, to Fort Collins to attend Colorado State University, Proulx found a home at The Collegian as an

undeclared first-year student. Starting out as a page designer, he quickly fell in love with the atmosphere and people and accepted the print director role the following year.

Proulx is a contributing writer for the science and opinion desks in his free time, allowing him to gain experience

researching, learning and writing about mental health, which he is passionate about as a human development and family studies major.

When he’s not on the clock, Proulx can be found powerlifting and sitting in a barstool with his feet touching the ground.

Trin Bonner, Illustration Director

Trin Bonner is the illustration editor for The Collegian newspaper. This will be her fourth year in the position, and she loves being a part of the creative and amazing design team of The Collegian

As the illustration editor, Bonner provides creative insight and ideas that bring the newspaper the best graphics and illustrations possible. She

loves working with artists to develop fun and unique weekly illustrations for readers. She enjoys helping the illustrators on her desk explore and expand their artistic abilities, as well as challenge their skills with every edition.

Bonner is a senior studying graphic design and electronic art and is also a community coordinator for Aggie Village

Apartments on Colorado State University’s campus. She finds immense joy in illustration and comic creation.

She hopes to explore more in the realm of graphic design and video game design as she approaches the end of her undergraduate experience.

Trin spends her free time crocheting, doing beadwork and playing guitar when she’s

not working on illustrations or acting as community coordinator, though she spends much of her free time sketching and brainstorming her next webcomic. Bonner finds that making people laugh and smile through her art is incredibly fulfilling and is excited to continue to bring her love for illustration and art to The Collegian

Proulx is committed to The Collegian’s print newspaper, and it is a personal goal of the print team to ensure its success and longevity. He is excited about revamping the newspaper’s design in the coming year.

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

Seibel: We reflect on legacy of print journalism amid press closures

By Allie Seibel

@allie_seibel_

The Rocky Mountain Collegian has consistently published in print since our inception in 1891.

That means through every major political struggle, world war, national conflict and social event in the last 133 years, a print copy of The Collegian has been placed on stands around Colorado State University and Fort Collins. Through 15 of the 16 university presidents, the dot-com boom, the 1997 flood and, most recently, a global pandemic, the power of the print word has remained a cornerstone for The Collegian

To our readers, don’t worry — this isn’t a goodbye column to print media as it relates to The Collegian. The digital revolution has caused us to have to rework our content and rethink our role as journalists, but the legacy

and power of print media will endure.

We all know eventually, tough conversations about the future of print will have to happen. It’s something that I, a print medialoving editor in chief, put off and push away with all that’s in me. I’m so proud of the print legacy of The Collegian. I’m fortunate that we have a professional staff that is also staunchly proud of print and that we still receive good advertising funding to fill the pages. Print is still a revenue generator, something not all student newspapers can say. I want to do everything in my power to keep it around for as long as possible, and our staff feels the same way. The choice was almost ripped out of our hands this summer when our longtime printer located in Berthoud, Colorado, unexpectedly announced that they were shuttering.

For all of us who work with print, the bottom sort of fell out from under us. We hired and planned for a print design staff for this year. We were in no way ready to transition to digital only.

We’ve worked with Prairie Mountain Media, the owner of the Berthoud printing location, for many years, with an established deadline and a relationship with their printing team.

When we published our April Fools’ Day edition this year, I got to take a trip to Berthoud to pick up the papers. I viewed it as a privilege to see where our paper was printed, and I gained even more respect for the delivery staff who place our papers on the stands each week. They were exceedingly kind and said our April Fools’ edition made the entire workroom laugh.

They will be missed by the entirety of The Collegian. There’s a pattern in the Colorado region of print

publishers closing in the last few years. In 2023, the press in Pueblo, Colorado, managed by national company Gannett, closed.

The press at The Pueblo Chieftain published 46 weekly newspapers. Last year, Gannett also shut down their press in Hugo, Colorado, that published for the eastern Colorado region.

Prairie Mountain Media took their larger clients to a press in Denver, but The Collegian didn’t print often enough or enough copies to be considered during the move. We examined the entire multistate area before coming to the decision to publish with a press out of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for the time being.

Some good news is on the horizon: Colorado Community Media, a collection of local newspapers, is starting up their own printing press

designed for clients who have been displaced by the closures in Colorado.

The Collegian is actively in contact with CCM to begin printing with them when they can onboard clients, and we hope they’re our longerterm printing partner.

It was a scary time for us in media. There were a few days where we simply weren’t sure we’d have a printer, and we felt like we were being forced into a decision we didn’t want to make.

For now, no changes will occur for our readers. Our print papers will still be on stands every Thursday, and we encourage all of our print and digital readers to take a moment and reflect on their experiences with print media, in the past and the present, as the industry looks toward the future in terms of print media.

Reach Allie Seibel at letters @collegian.com.

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

HIDDEN HEROES

Meet the copy desk: The Collegian’s last line of defense

By Adah McMillan & Claire Vogl @csucollegian

Dear readers, You don’t hear from us very often. We’re the copy desk, and though we don’t crank out articles like The Collegian’s other desks, we have a hand in each word published both in print and digitally. We edit every single article for grammar, punctuation, style, accuracy and ethics. We’re like Grammarly but way better.

Most people don’t know about the accuracy and ethics part of our job. A brilliant mind at The Collegian once said the copy desk is the last line of defense against inaccessibility, misinformation and, of course, typos. The most crucial responsibility we have as editors is to ensure we publish factually sound content that reflects

unbiased reporting, accurate representation and integrity.

Our job is exciting — we know. Each and every one of our editors takes pride in the importance of copy editing not only for readability purposes but also for the reputation of our newspaper. One misspelled name or incorrect quote is all it takes to receive an email accusing our staff of defamation.

If you ask any of the copy editors what our dream job is, the answer likely won’t deviate too far from, “I’m already working it.” Aside from the obligatory technical training we receive, the copy desk has taught us how to be better humans. Whether we’re laughing through the busy content nights or exercising patience in the middle of a chaotic newsroom, The Collegian is a guiding light in our professional and personal growth.

Venturing even further behind the scenes, the copy desk is fueled

After two years as a copy editor, Claire Vogl is now the copy chief for The Rocky Mountain Collegian, and she couldn’t be more excited to work alongside some of Colorado State University’s finest writers and editors.

Growing up in St. Louis, Vogl found herself taking photographs, writing prolifically and editing her friends’ essays, eventually sparking a lifelong passion for storytelling and ethical

by daily walks to CAM’s Lobby Shop, Coke Zero and trips to Boulder, Colorado, to eat at the one and only Khow Thai Cafe. There’s something about sharing a steaming plate of pad see ew that leaves you soul bonded.

The copy desk is eager to dive headfirst into another year of delivering top-notch content to our Colorado State University and Fort Collins communities.

Sincerely,

Adah McMillan, executive editor

Claire Vogl, copy chief

Reach Adah McMillan and Claire Vogl at copy@collegian.com.

Adah McMillan, Executive Editor

Adah McMillan is the executive editor for The Collegian and is enthusiastic for another year working with the copy desk.

McMillan is majoring in journalism and media communication and minoring in computer science, and she will graduate this December. She hails from Longmont, Colorado.

As executive editor, McMillan safeguards the readability and credibility of

The Collegian. She works with the copy chief and other copy editors to edit all print and online articles for grammar, style and accuracy.

Editing is one of McMillan’s favorite things to do. She loves being involved in The Collegian’s production and learning about Colorado State University and the Fort Collins community as she edits content.

McMillan also enjoys playing the piano, rereading

her favorite books, rewatching her favorite shows and drinking Coke Zero. When she isn’t being thusly sedentary, she’s walking around campus to soak in some sunlight and daydream about moving to Thailand.

McMillan often says it’s hard for her to think about her future career because she already works her dream job. The Collegian is a community of passionate, intelligent people working for the grand cause of student

Claire Vogl, Copy Chief

reporting. She is now a journalism and media communication major and incredibly grateful for the knowledge, resources and professors the JMC department has provided her with.

Vogl’s writing typically focuses on popular culture and the hidden figures who influence it. Whether it be queer representation in country music or Black voices that shape colloquial

slang, she prioritizes informing readers of overlooked contributions to mainstream media.

Now in her junior year, Vogl has fallen in love with Fort Collins and the people who make it home. She enjoys stargazing at Horsetooth Reservoir, reading historical fiction, writing poetry, finding new music and singing. When she’s not working away at the Lory Student

Center, you can usually find her with friends at Mugs Old Town munching on a — vegetarian — breakfast quesadilla.

Joining The Collegian has been Vogl’s best decision at CSU. Not only is it a newspaper by students, for students, it offers a platform for growth and endless learning for those who are lucky enough to be a part of it.

journalism, and McMillan is thrilled to take part in that purpose.

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

Gigi Young, Digital & Social Director

As digital and social managing editor, Gigi Young’s goal is to improve the reach of The Rocky Mountain Collegian. Her belief that an informed public is a powerful public, combined with her goal of bettering the lives of her peers and the world at large, led her to this position.

Born and raised in Chicago’s North Shore, Young came to Colorado curious to experience the Rocky Mountain lifestyle. She is a junior majoring in business administration with concentrations in

marketing and international business and minoring in media production.

Beyond her academic pursuits, Young is deeply passionate about driving positive change and making a meaningful impact on the world. This passion is reflected in her commitment to telling stories that inspire transformation. She means business.

Ambitious to advance the values of The Collegian, Young is bringing to this role her diverse skill set and business acumen, which she developed by working as

an independent marketing consultant and international marketing development intern.

An avid traveler, her international experience lends her the savvy to engage diverse populations through her work. A fan of movies, music and coffee, Young can always be found at The Lyric or an Aggie Theatre show and is a regular at the Alley Cat Coffeehouse. She is excited to work with The Collegian to interact with, impact and empower the CSU and Fort Collins community.

Anna Shikuma, Social Media Coordinator

Anna Shikuma is working this year as the social media content creator for The Collegian. This is Shikuma’s first year working at The Collegian but her second year working with Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation as a social media content creator.

Shikuma is currently in her fourth year of school pursuing her degree in social work. After completing her bachelor’s, Shikuma hopes to attend graduate school to obtain her master’s in social work. Shikuma is committed

to finding new ways she can help people and spread awareness on social issues. Her career goals include helping survivors of trauma and life-altering events by becoming a licensed social worker to work clinically in hospitals with patients.

Shikuma was born and raised on the island of Oahu and enjoys being by the ocean and water sports like jet skiing. She also enjoys being outside and doing activities that move her body, such as hiking or going to the gym. Aside

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

from activities outdoors, she also enjoys reading books and learning all about new topics.

This summer, she interned at a law firm as a summer hire and enjoyed attending seminars held by the attorneys at the firm, where they talked about their practice and gave advice to all the summer interns both careerwise and in life. Shikuma is excited to start her first year with The Collegian and looks forward to doing social media again.

PHOTO BY CAIT MCKINZIE THE COLLEGIAN

Last edition’s crossword solution

Last edition’s sudoku solution

OVERHEARD AROUND CAMPUS

“My colleagues at Syracuse were way more stoned than you guys are.”

“Guess who gave this bitch editorial privilege.”

“Due to Clark being, I don’t know, cleaned apparently.”

“Colorblindness is not a victimless crime.”

Have you overheard something funny on campus? Put your eavesdropping to good use. Tweet us @CSUCollegian and your submissions could be featured in our next paper!

Finding new classrooms

Partner assignments

Icebreakers

Biking in a dismount zone

Orange paint

Krispy Kreme

Bo Nix

Google Earth

Lenox Spice Village

Blueberries

Thursday, August 22, 2024 Vol. 134 No. 2

THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN

TOP STORIES

FOCO EVENTS

EDITORIAL STAFF

From your editors: We’re pulling back the curtain

Allie Seibel, Editor in Chief

Hannah Parcells, Content Managing Editor

Meet the news desk: Mindful of our history, thrilled for our future

Sam Hutton, News Editor

Aubree Miller, News Editor

Seibel: Student protest coverage tests journalistic freedom at CSU, beyond

POLITICAL COVERAGE

Hutton: Looking back on 2 years of covering student government

UNIQUE COMMUNITY

Arndt: Individual experiences shape Fort Collins culture

Meet the life and culture desk: Dedicated to telling essential cultural stories

Christian Arndt, Life and Culture Editor

Patrick and the LVB

Meet the sports desk: Bringing you the best of all CSU sports

Damon Cook, Sports Editor

Michael Hovey, Sports Editor

Cook: March Madness was a dream come true

Meet the science desk: Traversing uncharted territory

Jenn Dawson, Science Editor

Flashback: Photos that defined the 2023-24 school year

PHOTO

Meet the photo desk: Bringing stories to life

Cait Mckinzie, Photo Director

Garrett Mogel, Photo Director

Mogel: Photojournalists must adventure for perfect shot

Meet the arts and entertainment desk: Giving artists a platform

Ruby Secrest, Arts & Entertainment Editor

PIVOTAL PERFORMANCE

Secrest: My desk made me the reporter, person I am today

Meet the opinion desk: We want all stories to be heard

Dominique Lopez, Opinion Editor

Souza: The opinion desk is uniquely important

Nathan Carmody, Print Director

Caden Proulx, Print Director

Trin Bonner, Illustration Director

Seibel: We reflect on legacy of print journalism amid press closures

HIDDEN HEROES

Meet the copy desk: The Collegian’s last line of defense

Adah McMillan, Executive Editor

Claire Vogl, Copy Chief

Gigi Young, Digital & Social Director

Anna Shikuma, Social Media Coordinator

OVERHEARD AROUND CAMPUS

MAKE A NEW FRIEND THIS SEMESTER

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&

LEMAY AND ELIZABETH

LORY STUDENT CENTER