On March 22nd, Holy Cross’ HERCampus Chapter joined the student-run newspaper, The Spire, in celebrating its centennial year of publication. Both organizations welcomed alums to speak about how their involvement in student journalism shaped their career trajectories. The event facilitated opportunities for writers across clubs to connect and to learn about how their current endeavors on campus can open up future career opportunities.
Running for about an hour, the event featured h’dourves, three alumni speeches, and plenty of time for mingling. Dressed in their finest business-casual attire, HERCampus and Spire members were able to reflect on their accomplishments and tremendous growth over the past few years.
HERCampus Co-Chair, Ann O’Malley, was particularly impressed by the event’s turnout. She shared that “as Co-Chair this spring I was so proud to see how this event came together! Writing is the heart of our organization, and I was so thrilled to hear so many different journalistic perspectives represented with our HERCampus and Spire alums.”
While the alums who spoke at the event pursued different career paths, they expressed a similar fondness for their time writing at Holy Cross. They spoke highly of the community student journalism fostered, claiming that their fellow writers became their closest friends. Both HERCampus alums shared that writing about non-conventional, “girly” things helped them develop their voices as writers and articulate their opinions on subjects close to their hearts.
Social media coordinator, Danielle Ford ‘27, expressed a similar sentiment to O’Malley, sharing that, “I enjoyed how I was able to connect with alumni and see how their careers have been shaped by their activities in these clubs. I was particularly inspired by their willingness to return to their alma mater to answer questions and connect with current active members of the clubs.”
General member, Maren Baisley ‘27, felt that, “this event was a great way to gain some perspective about the role that writing plays and can play in your life. While writing can often feel like such an internal process, this event spotlighted the community of writers present at Holy Cross and the opportunities to become integrated in writing communities post-grad.” Nicole Ruiz de Rios ‘27 concurred that, “it was amazing to see a group of people come together for the purpose of journalism and to bear witness to the positive impact it has on campus.”As a member of both The Spire and HERCampus, I was delighted at how this event turned out. While writing can be therapeutic and rewarding, the obligations I have to both clubs can sometimes feel overwhelming. During stressful times of the semester, spending time with my fellow writers, whether it be at events, meetings, or dinners, reminds me of the reasons why I take on these responsibilities and just how much this community means to me. I am immensely thankful for the friendships I have developed through my journalistic pursuits at Holy Cross and am eagerly awaiting the opportunities that lie ahead of us.