By Alexandra Salerno
Advisory Editor
My first story for The Bona Venture was a review of the MTV Video Music Awards, featuring student reactions. As a freshman undecided major, I took the story assignment so incredibly seriously that I even penned a headline for my 700-word masterpiece — “VMAs fail to ‘Meat’ Students’ Expectations.” My cringe-worthy attempt at a pun on Lady Gaga’s now-infamous meat dress made it to print, and features editors Emilee Linder, Kait Lindahl and Elizabeth Grady were not shy in showering me with unmerited compliments.
The trio, called the feats girls, gave me more than just the confidence to write a story for The BV each subsequent week. They instilled in me a desire to find a passion while at college and to find others who were passionate too. I would leave the newsroom jealous of the cool, older editorial staff who seemed to have hours of hilarious antics ahead together telling stories, playing music, and of course, making fun of one another while somehow putting together a newspaper for Bonnies to read every Friday.
Following my first-ever Christmas break at college, spring semester began with a new, declared journalism major on my degree audit and a change from writer to editor in my BV byline. As Elizabeth Grady’s assistant features editor, it only took a week or two for our conversations to turn from layout and story ideas to boys and Bonaventure gossip. Elizabeth showed me the ins and outs of not only how to be a fantastic writer and editor, but also a best friend.
My two semesters in upper management were a blur that I’d consider the most rewarding of my college career. As managing editor alongside then Editor-in-Chief Tyler Diedrich, I learned how to juggle a never-ending list of BV responsibilities during the maddest March of my life. Tyler taught me how to make it look effortless and remain calm amid crushing deadlines and A-10 championships as I prepared to take over the paper once he graduated. I’m forever humbled to be among such an incredible list of student-journalists who have been EICs of The BV since 1926 including my classmates Kevin Rogers, Samantha Berkhead and my managing editor Mary Best.
One my favorite moments as an editor took place when my biggest BV supporter outside of the newsroom filed in among the ranks of editors in Rob 111. As my roommate and friend since day one at Bonas, Kerri Linsenbigler became a features editor during my sophomore year. She taught me that The BV is fun, but it’s truly nothing without your friends.
The greatest reward of becoming a BV editor is watching younger Bonnies climb the ranks and make their own mark upon the paper’s legacy. Watching Matthew Laurrie join the paper as a freshman BV secretary to later become one of the most dynamic editors I’ve ever seen is what makes The BV so special. Matthew taught me the importance of innovation as an editor all while being one of the greatest friends I’ve ever had and often making me laugh so hard I worried that I’d never stop.
Becoming an editor at The BV means joining something that is so simultaneously terrible and wonderful that often you’re not sure whether to hysterically laugh or sob. It’s a place where hard work and passion for the paper bind us editors together. It’s a place editors lovingly refer to as hell even though we secretly believe it to be our own slice of heaven on campus.
A big thanks to all of the other editors; like Kyle Zamiara, my first BV friend back when we were awkward, quiet freshmen editors, and all of my other senior peers like Heather Monahan, who swore to me that she’d never become a journalism major. I’ve loved working alongside each of you throughout the years; and you are part of my most special Bonaventure memories from 3:00 a.m. newsroom antics to post-semester banquet celebrations.
A final thanks to the readers who constantly challenge us as editors to work harder every week all while reminding us to remain grounded — I mean, we’re only a college newspaper after all.
