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Former news editors turned global correspondents Editor’s note: The Daily’s editorial department acknowledges that this article is premised on a conflict of interest. This article is a special feature for Daily Week that does not represent the Daily’s standard journalistic practices. After serving as devoted leaders of the Daily’s News section, two former executive editors are spending their spring semesters in Europe. Junior Aaron Gruen, spring 2023 executive news editor and fall 2023 editor in chief, is currently studying at University College London, while junior Daniel Vos, fall 2023 executive news editor, is at the University of Amsterdam. For Gruen, this is a semester for rejuvenation and prioritizing wellness. He is excited to have more free time to spend on his hobbies. “Being abroad has been very refreshing, especially after a busy semester with the Daily,” Gruen said. “Last semester I was working basically seven days a week. And now I have a lot more free time. [I have] time to work on my homework, time to travel and time to just do nothing. So it’s a welcome change in pace.” Travel has also been an exhilarating part of life abroad. Gruen has been “allowing himself to be a tourist” and trying to see as many of London’s attractions as possible. Vos has spent a lot of time sightseeing in different European countries while abroad. “I’m in a really good spot,” Vos said. “Amsterdam is kind of a hub for travel, I feel. Last weekend I was in Berlin and then this coming weekend I’m going to Paris, and I have a couple of other trips planned. So it’s been really easy to get around Europe.”

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When asked what they miss about Tufts, the former execs were quick to answer that they missed their fellow Jumbos the most. “I definitely miss the people,” Vos said. “I miss a bunch of my friends at Tufts … just the routine of going to class and walking down Memorial Steps every day is something that I’ve realized that I’m just not doing because every day is different here.” However, Gruen and Vos are continuing to thrive abroad knowing that they will return to “the Hill” in the fall. “It’s amazing being here for just a semester,” Gruen said. “Because I feel like I can really settle down, but I also know that I have a set date of return. … It feels like I still have a life at home that I can return to.” Gruen also reflected on how his relationship with the Daily has changed while he is in Europe. As editor in chief, Gruen oversaw much of the inner workings of the newspaper, but now as a student in London, he interacts with it only from a distance. “Now, I really use the Daily as a tool to keep up with what’s going on at Tufts’ campus,” Gruen said. “When I was an editor, I often knew of the events that were happening. Now as a reader from thousands

of miles away, I get this really fresh perspective. … It’s a testament to the value of student journalism, [that it can] keep people who are far away in touch with the Tufts community.” Gruen and Vos have both been involved with the Daily since their first year at Tufts and described their Daily journey as one with both challenging and rewarding experiences. The former execs advised other writers to work hard in their roles to produce high-quality journalism, but also to prioritize their own well-being. “Take little breaks, reward yourself for good work [and] insist on taking care of yourself,” Gruen said. “Nothing in the world right now as a college student is essential. You can absolutely take time for yourself without being selfish.” Vos echoed the importance of recognizing the value of writers’ own work in the Daily. “Being part of the Daily is one of the most meaningful experiences that I’ve had in college,” Vos said. “And my advice for other writers in the Daily is to write what you enjoy, ask tough questions [and] find stories that may not always seem obvious but are necessary to share and have fun.”

COURTESY AARON GRUEN / DANIEL VOS

Aaron Gruen, left, and Daniel Vos, right, are pictured.

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Community health majors must pay 8 times original price for required summer internship Erin Zhu

Staff Writer

Community health majors learned earlier this month of the university’s decision to raise the summer cost of a required internship course, CH140, from $500 total to $1,035 per credit. This change, meaning an increase of over $3,640 for the 4-credit class, has surprised students who will experience increased financial burden when they work a required internship over the summer. “For a variety of reasons, tuition for the summer session of CH140 has been artificially low over the years,” Patrick Collins, executive director of media relations, wrote in an email to the Daily. “Recently, in an effort to address equity concerns raised by that disparity, A&S took initial steps to begin bringing the course’s tuition in line with the cost of the school’s other summer courses.” As stated on the Department of Community Health website, the internship requirement is considered an “integral” part of the community health major and offers students the ability to gain hands-on experience in the field and earn course credit. The class requires students to find, apply to and work at a jobsite in the field of community health around the metro Boston area and attend class meetings on the Medford/ Somerville campus, with an

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expected time commitment of about 150 hours throughout the semester or summer session. No employer payment is guaranteed. John Fu, department chair of community health, announced the policy change to students in an email on Feb. 6, briefly noting rationale behind the decision and noting it would take effect this coming summer. “The Dean’s Office is concerned about equity across all summer courses being offered at the school,” Fu wrote. “Unfortunately, this change will impact some of our students who are planning to do their internships in the summer. Please discuss or revise your internship plan with your academic advisor.” The increased cost — which community health students would not have been aware of when planning their course progression — has come as a surprise to some students under the original impression that the internship requirement would cost only $500 to take during the summer. Ella Ciccolo, a junior majoring in community health, was eager to intern at organizations dedicated to sexual and reproductive health, but the department’s policy change has added complication to her plans. “I decided already last year that I was going to do my internship this summer, when see INTERNSHIP, page 2 News Features SCIENCE Arts & Pop Culture Fun & Games Opinion Sports

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Theta Chi returns from a year of probation

Carly Cohen

University News Editor

After completing a year-long probation for violating Tufts’ alcohol-free recruitment policy in December 2022, Theta Chi has resumed normal activities this semester. During its probation, the fraternity was suspended from hosting social events. Mary Kate Kelley, Tufts’ director of orientation and student experience, explained that Theta Chi was placed on probation for having alcohol at a party during recruitment. “Fraternities and sororities are not allowed to host social events with alcohol during recruitment or rush periods,”

Kelley wrote in an email to the Daily, “because those are times new members often feel particularly pressured to conform in order to gain acceptance, raising the risk of both hazing and alcohol abuse.” “Alcohol-free recruitment is the policy at Tufts, and the policy of all national fraternity and sorority organizations, because it sets a healthy tone for new members as they consider joining,” Kelley continued. Per the Residential Life and Learning website, Tufts required Theta Chi to complete a “leadership training” during its probation. Other sanctions included the “creation of a communication plan and internal review,

social event education, a leadership series, and two group conversations around organizational ideals and planning for the future.” Disciplinary probation is a somewhat common occurrence for Greek organizations at Tufts. Six of the university’s 13 active sororities and fraternities have received some form of disciplinary sanction in the past eight years, per ORLL. Zeta Beta Tau is currently on disciplinary probation until May 2025 for an alcohol policy violation. Other Greek organizations have had their recognition revoked by the university, effectively shutting them down for more severe policy violations.

Theta Chi President Will Flamm explained what happened from the fraternity’s perspective. He stressed that the December 2022 function that triggered the probation wasn’t an official Theta Chi event. “We didn’t serve alcohol, [one] beverage was found at the event which thus means there was a violation,” Flamm, a junior, wrote in an electronic message to the Daily. “The event itself wasn’t funded by [Theta Chi], and the entire function was organized by a handful of brothers with only a couple brothers in attendance.” see ΘΧ, page 3

Faced with cost increase for required internship, students reevaluate course plans INTERNSHIP continued from page 1 the price was still $500,” Ciccolo said. “Then we were only notified … after I had already committed to an internship under the assumption that it would only be $500.” Sanya Desai, another community health major, faces a similar situation. “I didn’t expect declaring my major to be a big financial commitment,” Desai, a sophomore, said. While she originally planned to do her internship the summer of her junior year, the class’s cost increase has forced her to reconsider the schedule of her coursework. “It definitely is affecting the plan I have for getting my requirements done for the trajectory of my major, especially for study abroad,” Desai said. The department recommends that students undertake the

internship search in person the semester before enrolling in the course. “It really limits my plan for what classes I’m taking and my control over my own schedule.” Desai also fears the policy will impose financial restrictions on students no longer able to reasonably afford the summer internship tuition. “It really limits the options of less wealthy students,” Desai said. “It also forces the students to take on more than they can handle during the school year in order to get the requirements done.” Both Desai and Ciccolo believe the internship is an important part of their education, but that the cost change has inadvertently trapped them in a difficult situation. “I would want to dedicate my summer to working in the community and giving back and

learning more about the field,” Desai said. “So I think doing the internship during the summer for me would allow me to take full advantage of what the internship has to offer and what the community health department has to offer.” Ciccolo pointed out the potential trade-off that students will face when prioritizing either professional aspirations or financial feasibility. “People put a lot of effort into finding internships that would be interesting to them,” Ciccolo said. “The application process is long and complicated and takes a lot of work, so it’s really hard to just decide to walk away from one of these internships. But at the same time, it doesn’t feel feasible to have to pay over $4,000 for an unpaid internship over the summer.” In his original email, Fu said the Dean of Students Office

has notified the Financial Aid Office “to pay more attention to the applications for summer financial aid” from community health majors and that the department “is proactively exploring other mechanisms to reduce the financial burden.” While Collins and community health faculty have expressed a desire to develop a solution for those affected by the cost increase, a specific course of action has yet to be announced. “We understand those concerns and are sensitive to them,” Collins wrote. “The leadership of A&S and the department are working together to develop a solution to address the issue through a combination of defrayed costs, financial aid, and other steps. That plan is still being developed and will be communicated to the affected students once finalized in the near future.”

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Writers grapple with the reality of AI in ExCollege course Layla Kennington Staff Writer

Originally published Feb. 20. This semester, the Experimental College is hosting a class focused on helping aspiring writers enter the tech industry called “Careers for Writers in the Tech Sector.” Visiting Lecturer Rita Reznikova (LA’08), the course’s instructor, seeks to introduce students to the variety of professional opportunities for writers, even amid the rise of generative artificial intelligence models like ChatGPT that threaten traditional career paths. Along with speakers from various sectors of the tech industry, the course is structured around a final portfolio assignment that students can present while job searching. Reznikova credits her liberal arts education as having laid the groundwork for her journey as a professional writer. Yet even with the tools she garnered at university — in addition to being a part of the Daily — she was uncertain about what her career would look like coming out of her education. “I didn’t know what [postgrad] paths for writers in technology really entailed, or what the work was like, or what the path to seniority was or how writers participated in different parts of technology companies. … I had to figure that out on my own throughout my career, which has been now over 15 years in different roles,” Reznikova said. “And so I have the opportunity now to come back to Tufts, and I honestly thought: ‘What class would I have found helpful when I was graduating … and knew I wanted to write?’ That’s what inspired me to teach this class.” To students, the career-oriented syllabus is one of the course’s main attractions. For Maddie Cortesi, a junior who is double-majoring in sociology and Science, Technology, and Society, she hopes conversations with

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The Experimental College is pictured on May 10, 2023. Reznikova and the rest of the class can broaden her horizons. “Along with getting a sense of what different parts of this industry look like, it’s been really wonderful [to have] more general guidance about navigating finding a job … tackling interviews and marketing yourself,” Cortesi said. “It’s great that if something magically works out and I get to go into this field, I would feel like I know what to expect because I had this experience with a professional.” The model of the class involves hosting a variety of speakers with experience working in technology fields, many of whom are a part of Reznikova’s professional network. The first speaker, Ryan Looney, is currently one of the lead content designers at Instagram. Cortesi recounted his talk with the class as “inspiring” and said that hearing from a speaker with an “eclectic journey” and background helped teach her the ways that her own degrees and passions can help her stand out.

Underpinning Reznikova’s teachings is a constant analysis of the changing technology sector. A core tenet of the class is getting writers to be comfortable with AI technologies, and to understand the ways in which it might impact the job market. “I do think that for certain careers in writing, [AI] is going to be pretty transformational, and there might be fewer traditional paths. But that doesn’t mean that as a writer, you are at a disadvantage when it comes to technology,” Reznikova said. “It’s a very, very interesting time to pursue careers in writing, and I think AI is something that we need to understand.” This structure is salient for students, some of whom remain anxious about AI’s impacts on both the academic and professional spheres. Salomé Albright, a senior majoring in International Literary and Visual Studies, highlighted the apprehension faced by herself and her peers. “I am mainly worried about the threat AI language mod-

els pose on the development/ future of writing in and outside of academic contexts. I fear it will halt movements for creativity or expansion of boundaries within academic writing,” she wrote in an electronic message to the Daily. “I am grateful I was able to develop as a collegiate writer years before ChatGPT became available to me.” Albright’s disquiet is one that is matched by other academics. In the past year, Tufts’ Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, a division of the provost’s office, published a resource for faculty members looking for guidance on how to develop syllabus statements on AI. Reznikova’s approach to AI is one that acknowledges both its pitfalls and benefits. She wants students to understand how their deeper critical thinking skills elevate AI in order to create content that is ethical and truly centered around audience needs. “The way I think about it is, in any kind of professional writing, the writing is not the actual con-

tent you provide. For example, if you are a marketer, writing is a tool, but your actual product is storytelling,” Reznikova said. “And so when we think of writing as something we do, but not the actual product of our work, we can start to understand that there are times when AI is useful in that process and then there are times where it’s not.” Reznikova also believes it important for students to understand the realities of professional life following graduation. “It’s really important for students to think about the transition from college to work. And based on my own personal experience, it’s not always a smooth transition, because it’s a very different world that we’re stepping into. There [are] different expectations and also different tools like AI that are going to be changing our work,” she said. “I would encourage students to just stay open-minded, both about writing and about the industries that [they] go into.”

Yearlong disciplinary probation ends for Theta Chi θΧ continued from page 2 Kelley told the Daily that Theta Chi members actively engaged in all of the required workshops during their probation. “During our interactions, chapter members have expressed a willingness to make appropriate adjustments,” Kelley wrote. Flamm said the workshops helped the fraternity focus on “not getting too caught up with social events and improving lines of communication.” Ritesh Vidhun, a senior who served as president of Theta Chi during its probation, said the members used that time to “refocus the fraternity on our original values: brotherhood, service, leadership … prioritizing alumni events and philanthropy and doing stuff for the community.” According to Flamm and Vidhun, the changes have paid off and the fraternity has grown. They estimate Theta Chi had about 30

members in the fall of 2022 and has 82 members this semester. They just completed a round of recruitment and are excited to welcome their newest members. “For me at least, [joining Theta Chi] has been probably the best decision I made at Tufts,” Vidhun said. “It provides an outlet and a community that you can rely on. … Having that space where you can express yourself, be yourself, be supported no matter what … is unique.” As for its future post-probation, Theta Chi is looking forward to reopening its house for social events. “We’re going back to a normal party semester,” Flamm said. “We’ve also reached out to other Greek life organizations to see how things work now, make sure that we can follow the rules, make sure everybody’s safe and we can make a welcoming community [for] people who are coming into our house.”

The Theta Chi house is pictured on Feb. 16.

RACHEL LIU / THE TUFTS DAILY

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Thursday, February 22, 2024

Features

All-female Daily Managing Board talks representation in journalism Natalie Bricker Staff Writer

Editor’s note: The Daily’s editorial department acknowledges that this article is premised on a conflict of interest. This article is a special feature for Daily Week that does not represent the Daily’s standard journalistic practices. The current Managing Board for the Daily is composed entirely of women, with the majority being women of color. M-Board’s representation of these minority groups — which make up such a low proportion of top positions at journals worldwide — prompted an exploration of its impact both at the Daily and in the journalism sphere in general. Editor-in-Chief Rachel Liu spoke to the representation of women on this semester’s M-Board. “It is special,” Liu said. “From a historical perspective, it’s a really great place that we’re in. No longer is journalism such a sexist space. … It’s shown how much the field has evolved,” Liu said. While it’s true that the journalism field has evolved in its inclusion of women, there’s still a considerable gender gap in leadership positions at papers worldwide. According to a Reuters Institute study from 2023, “Only 22% of the 180 top editors across the 240 brands covered are women, despite the fact that, on average, 40% of journalists in the 12 markets are women.” Liu responded to this statistic, providing her perspective on the lack of women in journalism leadership roles. “A lot of work that women have done in the field just doesn’t get recognized in a very linear way,” Liu said. “I think [this lack of representation] definitely plays into [the gender gap in leadership] and I think a lot of work at an entry level is less appreciated.” Charlene Tsai, former production director and current assistant production director, echoed Liu’s sentiments. “I think a lot of top leadership positions at organizations like a newspaper can be time-consuming and demanding in many different ways,” Tsai wrote in an electronic message to the Daily. “Historically, men have been deemed more suitable for these jobs because ‘women are not as tough.’ It’s so great to see more female representation now at the Daily because it goes to show how we’re just as capable in handling these ‘tough’ responsibilities!” The current Daily M-Board isn’t the first all-female M-Board in the Daily’s history. The spring semesters of 2010 and 2013 also featured all-female M-Boards. Martha Shanahan, a member of the Daily’s Alumni Council, was the editor in chief of the Daily in spring 2013. She explained that being EIC of an all-female M-Board was not the only diversity matter at the forefront of her mind during her time in the role. “We had a lot of other things to worry about,” she said. “We were

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The spring 2024 Managing Board, left to right: Marlee Stout, Julieta Grané, Rachel Liu, Arielle Weinstein, Merry Jiao, Isabel Francis and Olivia White (not pictured). thinking about the racial diversity of the staff [and] the socioeconomic diversity of the staff.” Shanahan recognized the need for people of all genders to work in journalism, not just women. “The representation of genderqueer and transgender people in the journalism workforce in general is also quite low, and that has all kinds of effects on how trans issues get covered and peoples’ experiences in newsrooms,” she said. “If anything, that is the big gender issue that I think about and that is on the top of peoples’ minds, rather than the women-men gender divide.” Caroline Vandis, former associate editor and current alumni liaison, spoke to what it means to have a diversity of genders at the Daily. “The women that I have looked up to in the Daily are very empathetic leaders,” Vandis said. “I think gender is obviously a construct, … but there’s something really special about working under women. … I think women are always taking into consideration people’s feelings.” Associate Editor Arielle Weinstein shared similar thoughts. “Personally, [it’s] just easier to work with [women] sometimes, where I can feel more of a connection,” Weinstein said. Another former Daily EIC, Julia Shannon-Grillo, spoke to her experience working with women at a leadership level for the Daily. Shannon-Grillo worked on two different M-Boards at the Daily, where she observed the different communication considerations for men and women. “Sometimes when [electronic messages] come from women, they do tend to be judged as more personal. Whereas when men in leadership send you a mean message, you kind of write it off as, ‘Oh, that’s just, you know, how they communicate,’” she said. ”[The female M-Board members and I] would have to tell ourselves, the [men in the] past M-Board wouldn’t have taken nearly as much time to think through this message that we’re sending.”

In response to the current M-Board being entirely run by women, Shannon-Grillo said it’s a “happy accident.” “Every woman on that board has their job because they were the best person for the role. And, the fact that all of them were women probably means we’re doing a pretty good job making women feel welcomed at the Daily and making sure it’s a healthy environment for them to grow and to become better journalists,” Shannon-Grillo said. Associate Editor Marlee Stout agreed wholeheartedly. “We’re validating [women’s] expertise … [by saying that] these are people who we feel are good leaders,” Stout said. Stout emphasized the importance of having female role models in the Daily, highlighting the current EIC she’s working with. “[Working with Liu provided] somebody to model my leadership style after,” Stout said. ”[I thought], ‘Oh, this is a personality style that I can see more closely [resembles] my own.’” Vandis also shared her thoughts on the significance of role models at the Daily. “In this sort of professional setting, [having] someone that you see yourself reflected in at a top leadership position, I think is so special and so important,” Vandis said. Managing Editor Merry Jiao said having women role models in the newsroom “definitely helped” upon entering the Daily, but added that representation was more significant to her. “What struck [me] more was that there was Asian American representation,” she said. “There’s definitely some clubs I walk in [and] I’m like, ‘oh, no, no, no, I don’t belong here,’ either because I’m Asian or because I’m female,” Jiao said. ”[At the Daily, I thought] ‘Oh, okay, cool. There [are] some people of color here. I can be here too.’” Managing Editor Julieta Grané also spoke to the presence of people of color on the M-Board.

“On my current M-Board, it’s very exciting that there’s [a] majority [of] women of color,” Grané said. ”[Because of] what it represents for journalism in a larger sense and for women in positions of power on campus.” While Grané appreciates the representation on the M-Board, she also recognizes there’s still work needed to diversify the Daily. “I don’t think there’s a proportional number of gender minorities in the Daily compared to the Tufts population,” Grané said. Reya Kumar, former executive opinion editor, also weighed in on the subject of diversity. “For women, we’ve created a pretty equal sort of environment at this point, but there [are] a lot of other groups that maybe don’t feel as welcome in the Daily that we’re really working to … include,” Kumar said. Shanahan put the responsibility on Tufts to increase diversity. “Any discussion about diversity on the Daily is also a discussion about diversity about who is at Tufts in the first place,” she said. The lack of diversity at Tufts is something Daily members are also aware of. “Tufts is very white,” Kumar said. “I think it would be really cool if we had an all-POC M-Board at some point. … The demographics of Tufts [would need to] change to be more inclusive and [Tufts would need to] have more equal representation of different groups.” And “[diversity in journalism] is not something the Daily is going to solve, necessarily,” as Shanahan said, what happens in college journalism does matter. “There is a pipeline from student journalism into real jobs in journalism,” Shanahan said. She continued, emphasizing “the importance of the other kinds of diversity in the pipeline in general.” “I know [current Daily members] do a lot of work on trying to get people stipends and making an effort to try to make the masthead

more diverse overall,” Shanahan said. “Just the fact that you guys do [a diversity report] and are tracking those kinds of numbers and being transparent about that kind of stuff is huge.” She recognized how far the Daily has come in the time since she was EIC. “I’m sure it’s not easy to do, but [the current diversity efforts are] already so far beyond what we would have been capable of or what people in my sort-of era would’ve really thought to do,” Shanahan said. With the clear vote of confidence from a former EIC, it’s exciting to think of what change could come at the Daily. Vandis spoke to her hopes for the Daily’s future. “I think the Daily could be a lot more diverse, but I think we’re doing a better job — I hope — to make it a place where everyone feels comfortable and sees themselves in the higher echelon,” Vandis said. It’s important to widen this conversation of representation to all members of the Daily, and to recognize the Daily is made up of more than just its M-Board. “While the M-Board is all women, ultimately, the Daily is this big organization … at every level, there’s people of different genders,” Liu said. “All of [the people on the Daily’s] contributions shape the paper, even if it’s not M-Boardspecific gender representation.” With this said, the current M-Board is determined to make their mark this semester. “Hopefully, the way that we handle this semester can be ... looked back on [as an example] … regardless of the fact that we’re all female,” Weinstein said. ”[We] would like to be known as a capable M-Board … [with] a nice little asterisk: ‘And they were all women.’” “Whoever you are — woman or gender minority or ethnic minority or whatever — there’s a place for you at the Daily, and if there’s not, create your own place. You can do that,” Grané said.

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Thursday, February 22, 2024

Features

Tufts then and now, through the eyes of a Daily alumnus Trey Lawrence Features Editor

The Tufts Department of English is home to over 20 full-time and part-time faculty specializing in drastically diverse kinds of literature and hailing from a variety of educational backgrounds. But some also come from not so far away. One of these professors, Jess Keiser, is not only a Tufts alumnus but also a Daily alumnus. Keiser graduated from Tufts in 2006, then obtained his master’s and Ph.D. at Cornell in 2009 and 2013, respectively. Keiser is also a faculty member in the Science, Technology, and Society program at Tufts, which aims to use social sciences and the humanities to analyze science and technologies in a social context. During his time at Tufts, Keiser pursued an English major and got involved in the Daily as an underclassman. “I think I started writing for the Daily my sophomore year at Tufts, and I wrote mainly for the Arts section … so I did music and movies mainly, some books too,” Keiser said. “I just wrote more and more reviews and eventually I became an arts editor … and then from there, I was managing editor.” Just like many of those currently on staff, Keiser’s time at the Daily stands out as one of the most important — and demanding — aspects of his undergraduate experience. “It was great. … I loved it. When I was here, my two big centers of gravity, the things that I poured most of my time and energy into, [were] taking English classes, being involved in the English department, but the other thing was the Daily,” Keiser said. “It was a full-time job. … It was incredible what we did [and] what we were able to achieve, just as undergrads that were also taking classes.” Although Keiser originally planned to pursue a career in journalism post-graduation, he hit some unexpected roadblocks in the industry. “Some of it was just a frustration with the sense that getting anywhere in journalism

required a lot of family connections and money, which I didn’t have,” Keiser said. “It quickly became evident to me that you needed an internship at Condé Nast [and] you needed to be able to live in New York City for a summer with an unpaid internship, and I just neither had the money nor family connections for that. So as odd as it sounds, academia was a little more meritocratic.” Keiser never went on to work full time in journalism, but he still found ways to contribute to the field. His work for the Daily prepared him well for part-time work in media such as writing book reviews that appeared in the Washington Post. Keiser instead pursued a career in academia as an English professor and found the work was very different from his journalistic background. “Writing under a deadline, understanding what a lead is and how to spell it correctly, a pitch … all of that … stuck with me,” Keiser said. “Academic writing just doesn’t work like that. It’s super slow. It takes forever.” Nevertheless, despite the differences between the fields, Keiser still found his experience at the Daily applicable to his current role and noted the freedom that the Daily offered its journalists, allowing them to write in various sections, creating stronger writers overall. “I think any kind of writing always helps. I think being able to do different kinds of writing for different kinds of audiences is always an important skill to have,” Keiser said. “It’s cool that that is one of the things you can do at the Daily right, because … with bigger student newspapers or certainly professional student papers, you’re stuck in your one sort of field. … But I think because the Daily is student-run … you can really move around and see what’s good.” Beyond the Daily, the wider Tufts community also greatly impacted Keiser, including his teaching style. “Your images of [academia] as an undergrad are very different from the reality. … One thing I can say though, is my style of teaching

Jess Keiser is pictured.

COURTESY JESS KEISER

was very influenced by the kind of teachers I had here at Tufts,” Keiser said. “I’m trying to recreate the kind of classroom experience I had as an undergrad, which I very much enjoyed and found intellectually stimulating and important.” When reflecting on how Tufts and the Daily have changed over the past couple of years, Keiser noted that the Daily has remained relatively the same, despite constant shifts in leadership and the passage of time. “I don’t think it’s changed much. Honestly, it’s kind of uncanny. Opening it up, I still think it’s the same paper in a lot of ways. Which is sort of incredible, right? That it’s been kind of passed down from one generation to another,” Keiser said. For Tufts as a whole, one of the bigger changes that Keiser has noticed over the years is the attributes of students attending the institution.

“The quality of students I’ve had in class [has] been through the roof. … We’ve just been really impressed by the quality, the professionalism, the curiosity [and] the capaciousness of the undergraduate student population,” Keiser said. Keiser also commends the variety of academic interests that today’s students at Tufts wish to pursue. Ideas of double-majoring or minoring seemed to be not as nearly common as they are now. “I have advisees who are trying to triple major … [and] a couple of minors,” he said. “I think it’s also great that we have students who are thinking about [majoring] in a hard science … but also major in something like [political science]. ... That’s what you can do at Tufts, and I feel like you can’t do it at other places.” Keiser attributes this unique quality of Tufts students to Tufts’ unique history as a small liberal arts college that gained a stronger research presence in the 1970s. “Tufts is this Goldilocks school, in the sense that we’re kind of a small liberal arts college, but we’re also kind of a big research school, we’re sort of somewhere in the middle,” Keiser said. Keiser views this dual nature as a strength and a weakness. Tufts’ ambitious breadth makes it a strong suit for those with diverse academic interests, but has also forced Tufts to continually extend its capabilities and capacities, which can be seen through the recent years of over-enrollment. “[It’s] a strength in the sense that we can do things that other places can’t, you can get the small liberal arts classroom experience with professors who are still very research active,” Keiser said. “But then, there is this sense to constantly be expanding. Which direction are you going to push in?” Throughout the years since Keiser was an undergraduate himself, one experience that has stood the test of time was his work for the Daily. “I think it’s one of the few clubs on campus … where you’re really producing something that’s going to be around and that’s going to last, for better and for worse.”

Oh, the places you’ll go: Daily alums who work in international journalism Carmen Smoak

Executive Features Editor

From the basement office of the Daily, it can be hard to see the places that college journalism might take you. However, the lessons learned through late night production sessions, hours of fact checking and countless emails to sources and writers are all part of the strong foundation that the Daily provides its members. Many Daily alums go on to work in journalism across the U.S., but a select few find themselves much farther from the Medford/Somerville campus pursuing careers in international journalism. No matter where Daily alums end up, the paths they take to get there are as diverse as the alumni themselves and the careers they hold within journalism. Joshua Berlinger (LA’12) followed his passion for working in a newsroom to become a freelance journalist in Paris, France. Also working in freelance journalism, Jordana Timerman (LA’05) uses the skills she learned while working for the Daily in her current career as a journalist and political consultant in Argentina. Currently working as a copy editor for the Korea Times, Seohyun Shim (LA’20) incorporates his knowledge from the Daily to update copy editing norms abroad. Finally, incorporating her passion for both journalism and economics, Saumya Vaishampayan (LA’12) worked in financial

journalism before returning to school and becoming a lawyer. While these may all seem like disparate paths into international journalism, they all started, at least in part, in the same Curtis Hall basement that the Daily occupies to this day. Looking back on their journalistic journeys, each of these Daily alums attributed their love of journalism and many of their skills to the time they spent working for the Daily. Berlinger spoke to his experience of joining the Daily as a photographer and then working his way up to being a photo executive and developing his love of working in journalism. “I learned to really love working in a newsroom [at the Daily]. I liked the energy. I liked being in the newsroom. And that was … something I came to appreciate [and contributed to] why I wanted to continue to be in newsrooms in my professional career,” Berlinger said. During his time at Tufts, he started to lay the groundwork for a career in journalism through internships and connections. “I knew I liked working in the newsroom. I really liked working at the Daily, so I thought maybe I’d get an internship,” Berlinger said. “I talked with [the Film and Media Studies Program] and they helped me get a couple of internships. That led to internships out of the college. That led to jobs out of college, and I just said, ‘I’ll do it and if I like it, and if I don’t, or if I can’t

GRAPHIC BY CARMEN SMOAK find work, I’ll try something else.’ That was 10 years ago.” Vaishampayan, a former Daily managing editor, also worked toward her previous journalism career through internships during and after her time at Tufts. “I think after that semester doing the managing editor gig, I realized that I wanted to pursue journalism after college. … I was an [economics] major. And so, I talked to a lot of Daily [alums] actually, and I decided that maybe focusing on financial journalism made sense and I did a bunch

of internships, including while I was at Tufts … and ended up getting a full-time job at a publication called MarketWatch,” Vaishampayan said. While both Berlinger and Vaishampayan found a love for journalism while working at the Daily, Shim knew he wanted to pursue the field before applying to Tufts. He chose Tufts largely because of the Daily, despite the university’s lack of a journalism department. He spoke to the importance see JOURNALISTS, page 6

Features

THE TUFTS DAILY

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Daily alums’ careers take flight in international journalism JOURNALISTS continued from page 5 of working in college journalism before moving into the field professionally. “I wouldn’t have had the jobs I had or the job I have right now if it weren’t for the Daily,” Shim said. “I often find that … people who have experience writing for their college newspapers are often better trained and better prepared to get their journalism career started, even compared to people who graduated with journalism degrees with no experience writing for their college papers.” Echoing this sentiment of college journalism preparing writers for the field, Timerman spoke to the skills she learned at the Daily that have supported her over the years. “It’s hard to overstate how formative the Daily [was] and [how much] the exercise of writing every day, of fact checking, of having that level of responsibility as a writer and as an editor, … helped when I entered the job market later,” Timerman said. “I think [the Daily] was one of the most important aspects of my college education and it was an extracurricular.” Propelled forward into journalism beyond Tufts, these Daily

alums have all found themselves working in international journalism at some point. Between the four of them, they have acquired a wealth of journalistic expertise that spans four continents and several focuses. Their similar beginnings have opened pathways that encircle the globe, with lessons learned along the way being just as diverse as the paths that led to them. Berlinger explained how international journalism is a great opportunity for young journalists starting their careers after college. “There are a lot of advantages to being a young freelancer and going to a place where there’s a lot of need for journalists and not necessarily staff,” Berlinger said. “When you’re younger like that, you don’t necessarily need to live off as much. You can live cheaply, and you can do the groundwork of being a freelance journalist [and] making connections.” Being young and willing to hustle in a new environment can be a formative experience for a writer. Berlinger discussed the lessons he has learned while reporting in Hong Kong and Paris. “You learn a lot about yourself, a lot about the world. The

fundamentals of journalism don’t change though, no matter where you go,” Berlinger said. “There’s different challenges. There’s the obvious language [barrier] challenge. There are cultural differences … but what you’re trying to do is the same. … You’re trying to create the same sort of stories, make the same sort of impact.” Sometimes, even though you’re telling the same type of stories, the way that you tell them changes in an international setting. Shim explained the importance of understanding different writing conventions across languages. “Journalistic conventions and news writing differs a lot depending on what language you’re writing in, and a lot of it I had to sort of learn on the job,” he said. Shim continued to discuss the importance of being proactive while copy editing in international journalism. “At the Daily, we use the AP Stylebook, or we have the Daily Style Guide that are naturally set up in a way that reflects the latest trends in U.S. journalism. But style guides at newspapers in Korea get updated, so I do find myself playing a more proactive role in updating those

style guides and explaining the nuances behind certain phrases and expressions,” Shim said. “When I explain the updates or changes that are made to the AP style [guide], or the New York Times style [guide], a whole lot of people, or the reporters I used to work with and [currently] work with, think there’s some political agenda behind it, or motive.” What you write and how you write it matters, especially when engaging in journalism across different cultures, languages and world views. The lessons that these Daily alums have learned through working internationally are deeply impactful and connect to more than just journalism. Vaishampayan worked as a financial journalist in Hong Kong before becoming a lawyer. She spoke to the lessons learned from and connections between the two fields. “Journalists and lawyers have a lot of traits in common. They don’t take anything for granted. They ask a lot of questions. They have to write all the time,” Vaishampayan said. “I think those are skills that really translate. And just like you can change your beat in journalism, you can change your focus in

law. They’re kind of these broad fields where you can specialize in different subject matters.” Asking questions and not taking anything for granted are vital life skills that experience in international journalism supports. Overall, these Daily alums have learned to see the world through a variety of lenses by constantly learning while reporting in new environments. “You get the love of being a student a little more [by working in international journalism]. There’s a reason newspapers all around the world used to have the model of sending correspondents somewhere for three or four years and then sending them somewhere else. It was expensive, but it gave your journalist a fresh eye in how to see a different part of the world,” Berlinger said. Timerman echoed this sentiment, citing the impact of seeing beyond oneself to uplift and value all lived experiences. “I think that one of the nicest parts of journalism is that it gives you these windows into other people and their realities and gives value to those realities, rather than just one arguing or preaching something,” Timerman said.

SCIENCE

Life in STEM: Daily alumnus Alex Viveros on pursuing science journalism Adi Raman

Executive Science Editor

Growing up in Palo Alto, Calif., Alex Viveros (LA’22) loved both science and reading but did not initially know how to combine his interests. “I was always kind of torn between both of them,” he said. He was fascinated with anatomy and physiology, excited to participate in heart dissections and by reading books with atlases of the human body. Viveros later attended Henry M. Gunn High School near Stanford University. Surrounded by peers so heavily involved in research and the sciences at large, his passions from youth carried over into adolescence. Loyal to his interests, he also partook in a research program at Stanford analyzing the immune system of rats. However, he confides, “I didn’t like doing the actual research … but I loved talking to people, learning new things.” Viveros thought that becoming a doctor could combine his interests of problem-solving and communication while working hands-on. He adds, “Part of me [thinks] that I’ll do it one day.” Nevertheless, Viveros pursued science journalism because he felt he could stay true to his interests while interviewing “some really cool people.” At one point, Viveros even considered professions that strayed from the sciences altogether.

“My heart always screamed … to be a historian or something … but everyone was telling me, ‘Oh, you’ll never make any money in history or English,’” Viveros said. “And then I went on to become a journalist. So I obviously didn’t listen.” Viveros came to Tufts in 2018 without any formal journalism experience but went on to serve as executive sports editor, the founder and executive editor of the Science section and editor in chief at the Daily. While overseeing the Science section, Viveros learned more about the thriving research scene in the Boston area; he recalled an article about a project in Tufts’ Kaplan Lab aiming to model the flavor and texture of meat from a biopsy of animal cells. However, Viveros thought the COVID-19 dashboard project, where he worked with other writers to input COVID-19 cases and isolation numbers at Tufts every day, was especially thought-provoking. While reporting on changing case counts, Viveros said, “In your head [is] the stuff that you don’t write on paper. You’re thinking, ‘Why is that happening? Why are cases going up?’” He also appreciated hearing other voices on campus who were asking similar questions about the ebbs and flows of cases throughout the year. On the whole, Viveros found a strong interest in learning about and reporting on infectious diseases

as it affects a community. “Seeing [COVID-19] evolve taught me how to responsibly report for a pandemic.” He also reflected on his time at the paper on the whole: “The Daily is such a good training ground. … Even if you don’t become a reporter, people can come in and get a taste.” After graduating from Tufts in 2022, Viveros decided to stay local. For his work in science journalism, he says, “Cambridge specifically is a really good place to be.” He spent half a year interning in science writing and communications at the Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, covering research advancements such as how analyzing protein complexes has provided new potential binding sites for cancer drugs. Since last September, Viveros has been a student at the yearlong MIT Graduate Program in Science Writing. He elaborates that science writing programs attract “people from a mix of backgrounds,” including “people who graduated a few months ago and people who are coming back after doing other jobs.” Students in the program cover science news, features, a documentary project and a large thesis project of around 6,000 words. “It’s been nice to learn things that I could have learned about at the Daily, but I was a full-time student as well. [I can] just focus, and it gives me a little more time

to learn,” Viveros said. Some students in the program still pursue work in other fields, like medicine or law, but take their communications skills with them. Viveros’ work in the program is yet to be published, but he is currently working to report on research done by experts of infectious disease. Viveros aims to work in journalism after his time at the science writing program. He elaborates, “I could work for a news site. Some people work for magazines. Personally, I either want to do freelance writing where I get to write the stories that I want … but if I can get a job at a staff position that would be really cool, too.” While working in communications for a larger organization often provides better pay, Viveros is not focused on a specific place of employment. Above all, he says, “I like the voice of journalism … and writing for bigger audiences.” From his years of writing experience, Viveros narrows down to some simple advice for anyone interested in a journalism career. “I’d say just read a lot. Honestly. That’s the one thing people don’t say enough. … You can’t be a good writer without being a good reader,” he said. He adds that although it can be so difficult to find time to read for leisure in college, setting aside some time to be exposed to different writing structures and author’s voices can pay off exponentially in a journalism career.

COURTESY ALEX VIVEROS

Alex Viveros is pictured.

Since his time at the Daily, Viveros has come into his own in terms of his writing interests and style. The best science journalism stories, Viveros feels, are “stories with a lot of character. [Science stories] that could easily be a political story or something else.” He furthers that he wants to write in a way that fleshes out the human quality behind the science: the doctors who research and the patients themselves. “I want to write as if I’m writing a novel, but it’s nonfiction. There are so many human aspects to science, and sometimes we forget that.”

THE TUFTS DAILY

Arts & Pop Culture

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Arts ARTS & Pop POP Culture CULTURE

From left to right, Ethan Essner, Annika Pillai and Jennifer May are pictured.

COURTESY ETHAN ESSNER, ANNIKA PILLAI AND JENNIFER MAY

A message from our assistant arts editors Ethan Essner, Annika Pillai and Jennifer May Assistant Arts Editors

To celebrate the Daily this week, the Arts section’s new assistant editors describe their experience with the Daily and what it has meant to them. Ethan Essner: Coming to Tufts, I found that the Daily was the first place that let me cultivate my critical voice and hone in on the journalistic topics that give me joy. I do feel as if there was some intimidation over whether I’d ever reach a stride with writing, but the Daily was so helpful in getting me acclimated to the pace of a college editorial. To me, this publication is a community of curious individuals looking to formulate their own opinions and styles, and no one ever judges. That’s the beauty of the ‘Dailmunity.’ There’s

Paul Osmond For the Culture

Are audiences demanding too much of artists?

rank Ocean has not dropped an album in nearly eight years, Kendrick Lamar took five years to release his fifth studio album and A$AP Rocky fans continue waiting for his next project after six years. Whereas these vocalists incessantly prolong the release of new music, there are other artists who release at securely frequent rates — Drake has been releasing new projects

never a point in which you don’t feel like a meaningful cog in a large, collaborative machine. I spent much of my first semester at the Daily meeting new people and learning about the ins and outs of journalism. Gauging those new understandings during that first semester was crucial to laying the groundwork for the impact the Daily has had on my college experience. I look back on last semester and going to the press screening of “Killers of the Flower Moon” as one of the most special opportunities. Having the ability to step into a theater with other art critics and converse with them regarding their opinions and critical inspirations was so impactful. I give so much love and appreciation to the wonderful room to grow as a writer the Daily has given me.

Annika Pillai: I had very little previous experience with journalism or anything news-related prior to coming to Tufts, so I kind of joined the Daily on a whim. My high school’s newspaper was small and not that extensive, and I couldn’t really write about anything I was genuinely interested in. Because of that, I was worried that it would be similar to coming to Tufts. Luckily, it wasn’t! I was very excited when I got the opportunity to write for Arts & Pop Culture and write my own column about things that I actually cared about. It was the first time I had fun writing. The main reason why I joined the Daily was because of how open it was to anyone to join –– it didn’t matter that I had little to no experience with journalism. The Daily is a space where anyone who loves writing can learn and grow. Joining the Daily is probably one of my favorite things that

I have done since coming to Tufts –– I love being around people who genuinely care about the section and fostering an inclusive community. I’m so grateful because the Daily gave me a place to start –– the opportunities are endless from here. Though I have only written a few articles this year, I look forward to continuing writing for the Daily! Jennifer May: When I first came to Tufts, I knew I wanted to write for a publication and practice journalistic writing. I was an Arts section writer and editor for my high school’s newspaper and really enjoyed covering events in the art world, and the Daily seemed like a really good place to continue doing this. DailyCon was especially exciting for me because I got to see how expansive the Daily is here and learn about all the opportunities for involve-

ment, including the possibility to write for multiple sections and try out different topics. Since joining the Arts section in the fall, I’ve written TV and film reviews, and for the first time, a theater review. Learning how to balance objectivity and articulating my opinions on works of art has been really important in my experience writing for the Daily. One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in the newspaper was interviewing the owner and staff of Spindler Confections. I’ve gotten the chance to practice my interview skills and made new connections in the process. The Daily has been such a welcoming and important part of my experience here at Tufts and I am looking forward to continuing writing and being an arts editor this semester!

nearly every year, YoungBoy Never Broke Again released two full-length studio albums in the span of four months and Tyler, the Creator releases full-length projects predictably every two years. Nevertheless, having steadily cultivated dedicated fan bases over several years, these rappers can afford to decelerate record releases without losing much support. In contrast, up and coming rappers who have found success via TikTok virality do not have the same capacity. For instance, following TikTok virality via his 2019 record, “Knock Knock,” Atlanta rapper SoFaygo saw his listenership increase dramatically. In rapid succession, Faygo went from an anonymous SoundCloud artist to a mainstream success. Yet, despite undeniable talent and charm, Faygo fumbled his spot at the top. After

the release of his third mixtape, “After Me” (2020), Faygo signed to Cactus Jack Records, an imprint label by Travis Scott, in early 2021. During the two years between “After Me” and the eventual release of his first full-length studio album “Pink Heartz” (2022), Faygo sparsely released records to mixed critical and fan reviews. During this time, in addition to losing millions of monthly listeners on Spotify, Faygo witnessed his fan base turn against him to levy allegations of “falling off.” Ironically, many of the people alleging that Faygo had “fallen off” were likely the same ones who abandoned the artist after his descent from popularity. In October 2022, Faygo finally released “Pink Heartz.” Whereas the critical reception was generally favorable, many fans harshly derided the project.

Often described as Faygo’s successful classmate, Oregon rapper Yeat capitalized on the virality of his music on TikTok to secure himself a position in mainstream music. Whereas Faygo released his first fulllength project three years after his debut mixtape, Yeat released four full-length projects in 2021 — the year of his emergence: “Alivë,” “4L,” “Trendi” and “Up 2 Më.” Generally, the projects received positive fan reviews; however, the critical reception was far more negative. Many critics reported that the distorted, synth-heavy, atmospheric sound that garnered Yeat his mainstream breakthrough became monotonous, droning and grating throughout these four projects. Despite occasionally experimenting sonically throughout these projects, Yeat generally maintains the sonic

standard that garnered him success. Confusingly, Faygo, patiently preparing an exceptionally well-crafted album over two years, received critical acclaim but fan disapproval. In contrast, Yeat released several overwhelming bloated projects which were adored by fans but derided by critics. This dichotomy makes me wonder: Are audience demands becoming exceedingly unrealistic? If an artist delays releases, their fans relinquish support; yet, if an artist releases too frequently, they risk poor critical reception. Immediacy is essential to our society today — what are the implications for artists? Paul Osmond is a fourth-year combined-degree student studying English. Paul can be reached at paul.osmond@tufts.edu.

THE TUFTS DAILY

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Arts & Pop Culture

COURTESY T. CHARLES ERICKSON

The cast of “John Proctor is the Villain” at the Huntington Theatre is pictured.

‘John Proctor is the Villain’ takes on feminism and friendship Nate Hall and Odessa Gaines

Executive Arts Editor and Arts Editor

“John Proctor is the Villain,” currently running at the Huntington Theatre in Boston, tells a story that feels timely and timeless all at once. Set in a one-stoplight Georgia town in 2018, Kimberly Belflower’s play tells a story for the present moment that draws inspiration from Arthur Miller’s classic drama “The Crucible” (1953). A comingof-age story for a new generation, “John Proctor is the Villain” explores the ins and outs of friendship, power dynamics and the patriarchy in a hilarious and moving production. “The Crucible,” a retelling of the Salem Witch Trials, doesn’t just serve as inspiration for the play’s story — it’s a crucial part of the plot. “John Proctor” is set in a high school English classroom, where passionate teacher Carter Smith (Japhet Balaban) is reading “The Crucible” with his students. He argues that John Proctor, the protagonist of “The Crucible,” is

Natalie Bricker The Bookmark

‘Dune’ by Frank Herbert

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the “Dune” book and film series. elcome back to “The Bookmark,” your go-to column for book reviews! Last week, we started off with a review of a relatable coming-ofage novel. This week, we’re shifting to a very different genre: science fiction. We’re talking about “Dune” (1965) by Frank Herbert. I’m super late to the game with this

one of literature’s greatest heroes, and encourages his students to explore the themes of hysteria and justice within the story. His students adore him, especially Beth (Jules Talbot), a straight-A student who starts a feminism club, with Smith signing on as the group’s faculty advisor. Talbot is hilarious as Beth, a socially awkward but enthusiastic student whose excitement for learning invigorates the play. Beth navigates the challenges of junior year with her friends Ivy (Brianna Martinez), Nell (Victoria Omoregie) and Raelynn (Haley Wong), who make for a perfect high school friend group. The entire cast is a well-oiled machine, bouncing off each other in moments of both stress and humor. The girls in particular have a refreshing bond, as even when in disagreement they feel connected to each other. Each member of the cast brings something unique to their character, including Balaban’s enticing Southern charm, Talbot’s hilarity and hospitality and Wong’s loyalty and love.

However, the true standout is Isabel Van Natta. Although she is the last cast member to appear, Van Natta quickly steals the show as Shelby Holcomb. Shelby is a former friend of the group who comes back to school after a leave of absence, and her return brings a defiant energy that shakes up the classroom. Shelby is unafraid to speak her mind, and her relationship with Raelynn is the heart of the story — although the two are not always on the best terms, their chemistry is electric. Wong and Van Natta steal the show in its final moments as they look the villains of their lives in the eyes and refuse to back down. Shelby’s return to school coincides with a controversy that ignites the small town, as Ivy’s dad and other members of the community are accused of sexual assault in the wake of the #MeToo movement. As students and teachers try to grapple with the fallout, they are forced to ask difficult questions: Is the scandal a “witch hunt” that is destroying people’s lives, like in “The

Crucible,” or is justice finally being served as the truth comes to light? Kimberly Belflower’s writing is sharp and insightful, with dialogue that feels true to the characters and comedic moments that mesh flawlessly with the play’s serious subject matter. Director Margot Bordelon makes full use of the stage’s space, giving each actor a moment to shine. The dynamic classroom set, designed by Kristen Robinson, keeps the story grounded, and Zoë Sundra’s costumes, pulled from a variety of eras and styles, remind audience members of their own high school experiences. Sinan Refik Zafar’s sound design stands out, transitioning between scenes with upbeat pop songs before removing the music as the story enters a darker moment. Additionally, Lorde’s “Green Light” plays a crucial role in one of the play’s final scenes. “John Proctor” beautifully captures the truth of the current high school climate. The students find love and friendship, but they also struggle with

the evils of powerful men and betrayal. In their feminism club, Beth and her friends tackle what it means to be a girl. In a world where women are forced to “tone it down” and stray away from conversations that might make others uncomfortable, the girls encourage each other to recognize the truth. They push each other to look closer at the patriarchal system that keeps them all at a disadvantage. Ivy is even forced to grapple with the fact that her loving father may be part of this corrupt system. The girls think about how the men in their lives move through the world, and the complexities that come from loving a man who is, in one way or another, a villain. The play raises the question: What happens when we are betrayed by the men we trust? When faced with their own manipulative man, the girls must find the power to tell the men they’re the real villains. “John Proctor is the Villain” is playing now at the Huntington Theatre through March 10.

one, having just read it for the first time this month even though it came out way before I was born. This book is extraordinary. I was amazed by its worldbuilding, complicated character arcs and great pacing. It’s probably the best sci-fi novel I’ve ever read (although I did love “Project Hail Mary” (2021) and “Ender’s Game” (1985), so it might be a three-way tie for the top spot). I used to shy away from scifi novels because I thought they were hard to understand with their crazy complex technical terms. Granted, “Dune” does have an entire glossary of complex terms, but it helped that I’d seen the 2021 film adaptation, “Dune: Part One,” several times. A note on seeing the movie before the book: Don’t do it! … Except for maybe this one exception. I found reading “Dune”

much easier after having seen the movie, and it didn’t take away from my reading experience at all. The book feels like a whole different story since there’s no way a film could fully represent the third-person omniscient point of view that the book is written in. The world of Arrakis, informally called Dune, is referred to as a “waterless void.” Herbert’s description of the landscape uses beautiful imagery to fully immerse the reader in this world: “Color streamed into a toe of darkness testing the sand. Coal-colored shadows spread, and the thick collapse of night blotted the desert.” Perhaps the most impressive imagery, however, is in the descriptions of time, as protagonist Paul Atreides adjusts to his prescient abilities: “In grasping the present, he felt for the first time the massive steadiness of

time’s movement everywhere complicated by shifting currents, waves, surges, and countersurges, like surf against rocky cliffs.” Toward the end, Paul’s ego inflates and he muses on thoughts like “I cannot do the simplest thing without its becoming a legend.” The relationship between Paul and his mother, Jessica, change drastically as they both evolve into their roles: “Jessica glared at her son, shocked by the profound change in him.” I hope the second movie accurately captures this dramatic shift, because it was an essential part of the novel. Paul says to Jessica: “You should fear me, Mother.” The only reason “Dune” doesn’t score a 5/5 for me is because it is so information dense. Yes, this density of information is part of what makes it so incredible, but it was just too overwhelming sometimes.

With time jumps back and forth along with a wide array of worlds — each with its own political structure, military hierarchy, traditions, religions and languages — reading this book felt like navigating a maze sometimes. But I assure you, it’s so worth it! This is one of the most interesting books you’ll ever read. I’ll leave you with the very last line of the book, which struck me for two reasons: It borders on Oedipal in suggesting Paul’s mother becoming a wife figure, and it firmly states that Jessica and Chani, Paul’s concubine, still hold great power, even with all the chaos that’s occurred. “Think on it, Chani … we who carry the name of concubine— history will call us wives.” Natalie Bricker is a senior studying English. Natalie can be reached at natalie.bricker@tufts.edu.

THE TUFTS DAILY

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Fun & Games

F&G

Late Night At The Daily Julieta: “Mike, are you doing something important?” Mike: “I’m literally making the newspaper.”

SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

daily for 2/22 ACROSS 1 Jean-Claude Van ___ 6 Stick around 10 Angers 14 "Gotta go!" 15 Suffix with billion 16 Period of penitence 17 Competitor with 27, 34, and 50 across 19 "Sock ___ me!" 20 Camera part 21 Poem of praise 22 Correo ___ (Spanish airmail) 23 Baby docs 24 Really impressive 27 Competitor with 17, 34, and 50 across 29 Play a role 30 French summer 31 "___ Is Born" 32 Phone no. add-on 33 Plural of 21 across 34 Competitor with 17, 27, and 50 across 38 Domino dots 41 Sphere-shaped lip balm 42 Outspoken 46 "Don't ___, real ones know what's up" 47 Believer's suffix 48 "Rad!" 50 Competitor with 17, 27, and 34 across

Fun & Games

53 Double-helix module 54 Spanish appetizers 55 "2001" computer 56 "___ there, done that!" 57 Bullfight cheers 58 Old-timey exclamation 61 Silver of FiveThirtyEight 62 Golfer Aoki 63 Philosopher Diderot 64 Snake sounds 65 Farm building 66 "___a time" DOWN 1 Graduate's document 2 Pink and purple biology sisters 3 Lunar disappearance 4 GE and GM 5 Young newt 6 Told 7 Fork features 8 Braz. neighbor 9 "For sure!" 10 Fibber's admission 11 Gave it another go 12 International agreement 13 Moe, Larry, and Curly 18 60 minutes 22 Picnic pest 24 Spanish "other" 25 Curbside call 26 When Hamlet dies 28 Drains

14 17

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37 42

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32 Chicago trains 33 Barcelona bears 35 Informal meeting 36 Reusable bag 37 Happily ___ after 38 Radiation particles 39 Classic Chevy models 40 Big Bird, Ms. Piggy, Ernie, e.g. 43 Cough syrup ingredient 44 Loss of memory 45 Most economical 47 Connections 48 World's largest river by volume 49 In good health 51 Alleviates

30 33

52 "Word on the street is..." 56 Good, in Guatemala 58 Triangular sail 59 Spanish "that" 60 Prefix with meter

Puzzle By Ezra Holzapfel Interested in submitting a puzzle? Reach out to production@tuftsdaily.com

WHERE YOU READ IT FIRST.

Difficulty Level: Being Merry. 2 draft 3 ACROSS 1 _____ & Eve 5 Have the skills to do 9 Extra things one can pay for 14 Harmful ingredient now banned in Sunscreen 15 Charles Le ____, according to Louis XIV, greatest French artist of all time 16 Tree's offspring 17 Egyptian God of air 18 South African money 19 Van _____ & Arpels 20 Arguably best way to combat 35-. 27-, down and 40- across. Or one of the many daily chores farmers have. 23 Go in 24 Suffix with Ball & Bass 25 By way of 28 Places 33 Friend in French 36 Obsessed fan 37 Heroic holy person 38 A time to give up something for Christ 40 Opposite of asleep 43 1,102 in Roman numerals 44 Fools 46 Herculean love interest 48 Poetic contraction of ever 49 Warning Florida was given when Ian came along

53 Gong x2 54 _ __ for Alibi, Sue Grafton book 55 "Ta-da!" 59 No matter the moral implications, it must be done 64 Baby chicken 66 Vogue rival 67 ____- Flush, toilet bowl cleaner 68 What you wear to fix teeth, posture, broken bone etc. 69 Southeast Asian flatbread 70 Chemical Suffix 71 Interior design 72 Typing oopsie 73 Director, Gus Van ____

LAST PRINT’S SOLUTIONS:

DOWN 1 Swiftly 2 Voice behind Gorillaz's 2-D 3 Approximately 4 Controlled by man 5 French shelter 6 Good source of fiber 7 What smoking turns black 8 Finishes on 9 Rises 10 Proofreading mark 11 What Morgan Freeman is famous for 12 ___to joy 13 Letters on a rubber check 21 Uno + Dos = ? 22 Home Owner's Association 26 Naval type 27 Excitedly up and about 29 Train stop Abbr

A D A M

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D E C O R 30 Game where you shoot marbles 31 Where birds spend most of their time 32 Cartesian conclusion 33 Lets not have to use _ ____ resort 34 Perle ______, American diplomat 35 Sleepless person 39 Dutch painter, Gerard ___ Borch 41 _____-Tiki expedition 42 Famous QB who played for the Giants 45 One who smacks 47 One of the deadly sins 50 Michelle ___, pro golfer

C L

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51 Give the green light 52 Halloween impersonation 56 Trump's 1st ex 57 Summer clothing fabric 58 The paper you when grocery shopping 60 Big shoe brand 61 Knight when confronting a dragon 62 "Take __ ____!" PE teacher probably 63 City in Nevada 64 Along with THC, commonly found in cannabis products 65 Holy Roman Empire

CROSSWORD

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SUDOKU

10 Opinion

THE TUFTS DAILY

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Opinion VIEWPOINT

Local news is dying — we can’t let it Reya Kumar

Deputy Opinion Editor

By the end of this year, the U.S. will have lost one-third of the news publications it had in 2005. Major publications such as Time Magazine and the Los Angeles Times laid off scores of journalists last month, an event journalist Paul Farhi called “especially ominous.” Farhi himself was laid off by the Washington Post last year. Most of the defunct publications, however, are smaller weekly newspapers that are often the only source of reporting for local communities. Northwestern University’s local news initiative found that there is little to no reliable local news reporting in over half of U.S. counties. There are many reasons for this steep decline. Ad budgets, inflation and lack of innovation are part of the problem. Another issue is the consumers themselves. Americans have lost trust in news media as polarization continues to characterize American politics — in October of last year, only 32% of Americans reported trust in the mass media per a Gallup poll.

News consumption data mirrors this reduction in trust: The circulation of daily news publications, including digital, has fallen 32% over the last five years. People also simply feel overstimulated. To many, it feels like there’s too much news to bother keeping up with, that it all concerns issues that are depressing and that we are helpless to change. Local news has also suffered in our Tufts host communities of Medford and Somerville. As reported in the Daily in 2022, the Medford Transcript and Somerville Journal were merged by their parent company, compromising a large portion of their local reporting. And earlier this month, the Somerville Wire, a digital publication, shut down. The only remaining local paper is the Somerville Times. While the Daily has stepped up its local news reporting in order to bridge the gap left by these closures, professional reporting for every community is important and impactful. Reduced access to robust journalism has real consequences. PEN America’s report, ”Losing the News,” found that corporate and government miscon-

Newspaper racks in Davis Square are pictured on Feb. 7, 2023.

duct flourishes when the quality and quantity of local reporting declines. Meanwhile, citizens become less politically informed and engaged, which also impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of local governance. In addition, they found communities that were already underserved by local media, like low-income, rural communities and those which are majority people of color, are the most impacted by its decline. Besides the local impact, the absence of local news means many are primarily consuming national news. This shift has been shown to increase polarization. For example, polarization in Congress has increased in the past 20 years. Without local news, people are more likely to rely on partisanship alone to vote, resulting in less split-ticket voting and fewer wins for moderate candidates at all levels of government, meaning more potential wins for extreme candidates. Another major factor in this issue is social media: 50% of U.S. adults “sometimes” or “often” turn to social media rather than traditional publications for their news. In one survey of journalists,

the vast majority said that social media harms the industry, blaming digital platforms for spreading misinformation and delivering unbalanced views. While some of the news consumed on social media is from the accounts of reputable publications, much of it comes from content creators who may not have the credentials to report accurately on important issues or understand the reliability of posts they reshare. Misinformation, combined with engagement-boosting social media algorithms that group users into echo chambers, greatly augments polarization. The solutions needed to save local journalism, and traditional media as a whole, are twofold. First, we need to directly aid these publications through government action and philanthropic efforts before they go under. There is no point in having local news organizations if they do not have the resources for quality reporting and, unfortunately, many publications cannot support themselves in the short term. One way to accomplish this is to make it clear to your local representatives that the free press is important to

you — ask them to support bills at the state and national levels that will help the failing industry. Another is to donate to your local papers or to organizations working towards strengthening local news reporting nationally such as the Institute for Nonprofit News or the American Journalism Project. Finally, the best way to help is to be engaged! Buy a subscription to your local newspaper and read it regularly; you’re already doing well if you read the Daily. Reach out to journalists when you particularly enjoy or connect with their work. Next time you’re looking for a gift for someone, give the gift of journalism and buy them a digital subscription — my aunt once bought me an Atlantic subscription and it’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever received. When you vote, look to local coverage to inform your decisions, if you’re lucky enough to have it, rather than purely relying on partisanship. Local papers often endorse local and state-level candidates, providing unique insight into their platforms. Before putting all your faith in an Instagram infographic, open up your favorite news page instead.

CLINT CHEN / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free of charge to the Tufts community. The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily. EDITORIALS: Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily Editorial Board. Individual editorialists are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of the Editorial Board. Editorials are submitted for review to The Tufts Daily Executive Board before publication. VIEWPOINTS AND COLUMNS: Viewpoints and columns represent the opinions of individual Opinion editors, staff writers, contributing writers and columnists for the Daily’s Opinion section. Positions published in Viewpoints and columns are the opinions of the writers who penned them alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. All material is subject to editorial discretion. OP-EDS: Op-eds provide an open forum for campus editorial commentary and are printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length and submitted to opinion@tuftsdaily.com. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, space and length. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. Authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions. ADVERTISEMENTS: All advertising copy is subject to the approval of the editor in chief and business director.

THE TUFTS DAILY

Opinion 11

Thursday, February 22, 2024

VIEWPOINT

What I learned in a year at the Daily

Justin Hong

Deputy Opinion Editor

I’m not a very chatty person, but it’s here at the Daily I’ve found my voice — 500 to 800 words at a time. It’s been just over a year since my first article as a staff writer and as a senior, I can’t help but be sappy. Over my time at Tufts, I’ve had the opportunity to write and publish every type of article this section puts out: columns, viewpoints, op-eds and letters to the editor. It’s been eye-opening to experiment with both form and function. From pointed critiques of individual words and accounts of my family’s history to references of girl dinners and “quismois,” my time with the Daily has challenged me to think about how to effectively advocate for the things that I care about while keeping readers in mind. In essence, how do I articulate an argument that is both compelling to readers and authentic to myself? But above all, it’s made clear the importance of debate centered on fact. There’s a common refrain among lawyers that if you can’t beat your opponents with the facts or with the law, all you’ve got left is to beat the table. The Daily and other media outlets generally steer clear of this fallacy, but it’s a saying for a reason. With the widespread use of social media as a news source over traditional media, it seems that facts are under attack. Scour the comments section of any politician’s

RACHEL LIU / THE TUFTS DAILY

Archival issues of the Daily are pictured. social media posts, and you’re bound to see a smorgasbord of the day’s most popular baseless insults or outright lies. The press, even at the university level, must continue to be a bulwark against this kind of partisan punditry and petty pretense. Here at the Daily, we’re proud to say that we don’t traffic in this kind of fake news. It’s this lesson that’ll follow me far beyond the Daily office and even beyond my time on the Hill. As college students, and soon-to-be college graduates for some, we have a duty to stick to the facts. If we — the Daily, Tufts and yes, you and I — cannot be bastions of the truth, who will?

That, to me, is the beauty of this section. Opinion writing invites us to slow down. I’ll always be amazed by fellow staff who can crank out articles in a matter of hours. I’ve yet to write an article that didn’t take multiple days. For me, writing has always been an iterative process and opinion writing is no exception. It’s a bold thing to share an opinion in a public forum like the Daily and to put your name behind it to boot. To those in our section, even those I disagree with, you’ve earned my respect. When we’re forced to sit and interrogate our arguments and our choice of words, we engage in the art of crit-

ical thinking — to poke and prod our argumentation until we can flush out its imperfections and arrive at a genuine conclusion. It’s an arduous process but you can’t rush to judgment in the press without running the risk of slander or defamation. It’s in this process that we can tease out the nuances of every argument. Few issues are without nuance, and we shouldn’t shy away from this complexity. Amid yet another pivotal election cycle here in the U.S. and a tense moment across the globe, it couldn’t be more important. When we rush to defend ourselves with cherry-picked, ideological tirades, we show just how fragile we really are. Facts, as it turns out, really don’t care about your feelings. With opinion writers, you can sometimes catch a whiff of the author’s sense of self-absorption or self-importance, and I’m no exception. No matter what we might claim, we aren’t all-knowing sages. If we did know how to solve every problem, there’d be nothing left for us to opine about. We’d be out of a job, or just a hobby in this case. Writing for the Daily over the past year has been far more meaningful than I ever could’ve imagined. The Daily’s 44th anniversary is a celebration of how far we’ve come as an organization and a window into who we’ll become in the future. Here’s to many more years as a light on the Hill.

VIEWPOINT

On the importance of conservative perspectives at Tufts Kevin Golub

Opinion Editor

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Daily Opinion section. I have learned a great deal about journalism, made great friends and written timely articles that have resonated with many members of the Tufts community. A large part of my Daily experience has also included butting heads on various issues with my fellow section members. As my imprint on the Tufts community became more prominent, I began receiving thoughtful feedback from my peers, many of whom wished they had seen articles and viewpoints like mine earlier in their time at Tufts. Their feedback eroded the internal stigma I had long felt as a conservative on a liberal campus. Because I am the only conservative staff writer for the Opinion section, I began to have a feeling of responsibility to my peers to continue speaking my mind and publishing pieces in the Daily. But as my time at Tufts comes to a close, it is worth posing certain questions: are there other conservatives on campus, and are they willing to voice their opinions in the Daily? At this semester’s DailyCon, the Daily’s semesterly training for new and existing staff, the Intentionality & Inclusivity Committee Chairs discussed their role within the Daily and yearly Diversity & Inclusion Report. At that moment, I became curious about the findings of past reports. No shock to me was this key data point from the spring 2022 report: nearly 50% of those surveyed felt that the Opinion section might not represent a wide range of viewpoints. However, it actually gets worse: the same report found that conservative voices on campus are few and far between. The data showed that just over 88% of the Daily’s staff “said they are very liberal, liberal or lean liberal” and only 0.85% of respondents said they are very conservative, conservative or lean conservative. The 103:1 ratio of liberals to conservatives within the Daily should not deter

VIA RAWPIXEL

American flags viewed over the U.S. Capitol. conservative students from expressing themselves. The Daily and the Opinion section are dominated by liberal voices, yet the sincere feedback I have received only motivates me to keep writing. As of now, I am alone in this journey. But come May, the Opinion section will lose its only conservative voice. What will become of the section then? For starters, conservative students should not be afraid to speak out. Liking Donald Trump or his policies should not warrant being called a racist or transphobe. Liking the Babylon Bee should not warrant instant pariah status. When I began writing for the Daily, I was extremely hesitant to assert my opinions because I thought I would receive immense retribution. Over time, my confidence grew, and I became less fearful of any potential consequences, whether that be lost friendships or harsh negative feedback. Sure, Tufts’ student body skews liberal, but that should not prevent the university from fostering a community of diverse

perspectives. In the classroom, diverse perspectives should be prioritized over partisanship. We came to Tufts to learn how to think, not learn how to politicize everything. Conservative students deserve to be heard. There have been times when telling people that I’m conservative provoked reactions such as “ugh, you’re one of those?” Behavior like this is unbecoming and immature. All students should be willing to hear and learn from one another. Civil political discourse is healthy for everyone, as it allows us to build bridges within our communities and learn about new perspectives you otherwise would not have heard. More conservative voices in the Daily will expose people to new ideas and attitudes, ultimately facilitating a more comprehensive dialogue at Tufts. Diversity of thought allows us to challenge our own conceptions and grow as thinkers and as people. I encourage all those who are afraid of openly sharing their views to do so. Maybe

submit an op-ed on an issue you care about or join the Opinion section. Either way, the Daily and Tufts University have a responsibility to promote an ideologically diverse community and respectful culture where all opinions are accepted. I hope that I have sparked a flame inside the conservatives at Tufts. We are a larger population than meets the eye, and it’s time others take the next step and contribute their opinions to the Daily and to the wider Tufts community. Tufts and the Daily should be an open forum for students to voice their opinions, no matter if they are ostensibly partisan. When the members of the conservative opinion column ”MisCONceptions" left the Daily to found the New England Spectator, it showed me that they felt defeated and let down by the system. Conservative students deserve to share their opinions, no matter how much disagreement they cause. Diversity of thought is paramount to a successful educational experience.

12 Sports

Thursday, February 22, 2024

THE TUFTS DAILY

Sports Owen Short Moments ‘Til Madness

Looking back

hroughout its history, the Daily has primarily focused on coverage of professional or Tufts basketball. In celebration of Daily Week, I aim to reflect on how the Daily gave me the opportunity to write about a passion of mine, college basketball, and in turn, how my column has contributed to the sports section of the Daily. The 2023 NCAA Tournament was as exciting as the historic event had ever been, and I was enthralled by the players and teams taking part in the magic. Because of this, I looked into the possibility of writing for the Daily about anything college basketball. Looking at past articles, I couldn’t seem to find anything relating to Division I college hoops, so I thought maybe I could cover the topic in a column. Although it was already a few months into the semester, I was able to complete the application and was given the chance to write my first article, “March Madness: A tournament to remember.” The piece covered all of the exhilarating moments of March Madness with some thoughts on the offseason and the 2023–24 season. Unfortunately, since the season was over, there wasn’t much else to write about for the rest of the year. Coming into the next semester, I started up my column again. With no basketball being played at the time, I found myself looking for ways to continue writing about college hoops in the offseason. Luckily, there had been loads of big news in the summer to explore. New transfer rules and the emergence of name, image and likeness deals had resulted in a surge of players entering the transfer portal. Not only were teams stocking up on new talent, but they were also making significant personnel moves. But above all, there were the realignment plans of almost all the Power 6 conferences, which will change the landscape of the sport significantly in the latter half of 2024. This gave me a plethora of topics to discuss in “Moments ‘til Madness: An eventful offseason.” Following my first article of the school year, I pivoted in a new direction. I began writing mainly about my predictions for the upcoming season, which offered a whole new set of subject matter for me to share. This included my picks for the best teams, conferences, players and anything else in college basketball that I felt would be relevant for the 2023–24 season. Once it was finally November and games had begun, there was almost too much to write about. Whether it was the results from the opening week or the riveting games in the Thanksgiving tournaments, the first month of college hoops was living up to expectations. As the season progressed into December and on, it was time to start making some conclusions on teams, players and coaches. Is there a true top dog in college basketball? Who’s going to make the AllAmerican teams? What coaches might be out of a job by the offseason? All of these were topics for the column. Now it’s February and the tournament is just around the corner, and I can’t wait. “Moments ‘til Madness” has been enjoyable to write and I’m thankful that the Daily has given me the ability to express all of my thoughts on the college hoops world.

Owen Short is a sophomore who has yet to declare a major. He can be reached at owen.short@tufts.edu.

Ananda Kao, left, and Keila McCabe, right, are pictured.

COURTESY TUFTS ATHLETICS

Leading on and off the field, former executive sports editors share their Tufts journeys Bharat Singh Staff Writer

Editor’s note: The Daily’s editorial department acknowledges that this article is premised on a conflict of interest. This article is a special feature for Daily Week that does not represent the Daily’s standard journalistic practices. Whether it’s on the field or in the newsroom, the Daily has been gifted with its share of writers who exhibit leadership qualities on multiple fronts. As sports journalists and varsity athletes, these writers are outstanding examples of passion-driven individuals dedicated to delivering quality work and lifting others around them. Ananda Kao (LA’22) and Keila McCabe, who served as executive sports editors in fall 2021 and 2022, respectively, shared their experiences with the Daily. Having captained her high school lacrosse team, Ananda Kao was always eager to transfer her skills to the collegiate level. At Tufts, Kao was a key member of the 2022 NESCAC Championship-winning side that finished the season with an incredible 19–4 record. One of those defeats came to a 22–1 Middlebury side in the National Championship final. Beyond her athletic focus, Kao found community through journalism. “I joined the Daily at the beginning of my sophomore year at Tufts. I always had an interest in journalism – I was involved in my high school newspaper and knew it was something I wanted to continue to pursue in some capacity at Tufts. I don’t think I had too many expectations when first joining, but I liked the community of people it provided me with,” Kao wrote in an email to the Daily. “Additionally, the flexibility with scheduling week to week was important for me as a student-athlete. I met so many people throughout my time at the Daily that I wouldn’t have met otherwise during college, and it proved to be a very important support system for me at times.” Beyond her stellar statistics and accolades, Kao is proud of the team she shared her college days with and is grateful for the bond formed over her college career. In terms of balancing her responsibilities as the executive sports editor, Kao reiterated the importance of teamwork and time management. Some of Kao’s other commitments included being a tutor and coach for Harlem Lacrosse and a member of Tufts Financial Group. Even

with all these commitments, she excelled at making an impact across communities she cared about. “Time management was one of the biggest skills I learned and utilized during my time as a student-athlete at Tufts, while being involved in other commitments like the Daily,” Kao wrote. “At first, this balance was something that worried me and was one of the reasons I allowed myself freshman year to get acclimated to classes, lacrosse, and college in general before joining the Daily. I found that communication, planning ahead, and not being afraid to ask for help allowed me to find the best possible balance between my responsibilities for the Daily and my team.” Kao further emphasized how her team shaped her college experience and the relationships she continues to foster post-graduation. “The women that came through our program are, to this day, some of the strongest, kindest, most inspiring people I know and I’m extremely grateful to have been a part of a community like ours. From freshman year to when I graduated, I grew as an athlete, teammate, leader, and person and got the privilege to learn every day from my coaches and teammates – some of my best role models to this day,” Kao wrote. “Now almost two years out of college, these bonds are still some of my strongest – I live with one of my former teammates, work with another, and see more of them on a weekly and monthly basis.” One of Kao’s favorite memories at the Daily was the creation of the social media account @roll.bos that provided postgame video interviews and reactions at the heart of Tufts sports. The page was an exciting addition to the sports section that increased interactions and brought students closer to athletes. Like Kao, Keila McCabe is another student-athlete who served as the executive sports editor. McCabe has been a core member of Tufts’ softball program and is one of the leaders as a senior this season. Having joined the Daily during COVID-19, McCabe hoped to continue her passion for journalism she had discovered in high school and was able to strike a balance with her athletic commitments. “Balancing the Daily and my sport is similar to balancing any time commitments with athletics. At first, it was challenging, but once

I figured out a good schedule the routine was very manageable,” McCabe wrote. “My role was certainly harder as the Executive Editor of the Sports section in the fall of my junior year, but I think that time commitment would be similarly difficult for any fulltime Tufts student.” Beyond her innate love for sports and independent journalism, McCabe’s decision to become the executive editor stemmed from a desire to impact the culture of sports writing and strive for more equal and diverse representation of athletes. “I really loved the autonomy each writer is given in the sports section. I think that facet might be scary initially, but once I felt comfortable, being able to cover anything and everything ended up being my favorite part of the sports section,” McCabe wrote. “I wanted to be an [executive editor] to get more involved in the Daily and also challenge myself with more responsibility. I also saw an opportunity to represent the section as a female athlete with hopes of diversifying coverage and leveling existing gender biases when it comes to sports writing.” As athletes, both Kao and McCabe talked about the inside advantage they held when it came to covering college sports. “I felt that I was able to ask in depth, thoughtful questions and find common ground with many of the people I interviewed, which helped me shape interesting stories and find unique angles,” Kao wrote. McCabe echoed similar sentiments by explaining the convenience of sourcing and the inside perspective she brought to her writing. “Having shared athletic experiences allowed me to ask better questions and pick more significant details to cover in games,” McCabe wrote. “It also just helped to get in contact with athletes for interviews. Since the athletic community at Tufts is very close, I was always one text away from getting interviews with an athlete.” The sports section continues to evolve at the Daily but has been shaped by passionate student-athlete leadership in recent years. Both Kao and McCabe have laid an incredible foundation for writers and future editors to follow and are excited to track the section’s growth in the future.