Welcome, one and all, to the opinions desk. Whether it’s a thoughtful column detailing why your humanities degree is a worthwhile pursuit, a peculiar reflection on why tarantulas make the best pets or witty commentary on controversial legislation around the country in the form of a well-written satire, the opinions desk offers its writers and readers a chance to explore the world in a way other desks can’t. 

The opinions desk is responsible for producing columns for our Monday, Wednesday and Friday publications, as well as The Pitt News editorials that editors write during the week. Each editorial reflects an opinion on a current issue or topic, ranging from the Bigelow Bash to the monetization of everything — including The Pitt News Editorial Board’s beloved “Wordle.”

And as columnists graduate and move on from their days at the paper, the beginning of the semester is always a great time for recruiting and hiring new columnists who can contribute to the legacy of opinions. The opinions desk is always looking for enthusiastic writers with interesting and passionate views to share. If you or someone you know is looking to apply to become a writer, click here for more details. 

And remember, the opinions desk isn’t just for opinions writers. Letters to the Editor and Op-Eds from students, staff, faculty and anyone else connected to the Pitt community are always welcome. We are happy to review anything you send, as long as it’s within the submission guidelines, if you email us at [email protected].

Now let’s meet the people running the show. 

Rachel Soloff, Opinions Editor 

Hey everyone! I am Rachel, a political science major with gender, sexuality and women’s studies and English literature minors. I have been working for The Pitt News since 2019, when I was a first-year, and I love the opinions desk! My favorite part of being an opinions editor is learning what other people think of different important topics and the conversations that opinions columns foster. I’m so excited to be an editor for the second year and meet all the amazing new people who join and are a part of our desk. Outside of The Pitt News, I am a big movie buff, I teach Hebrew school and I love to collect vinyl. 

Grace DeLallo, Assistant Opinions Editor 

Howdy! I’m Grace, a senior public and professional writing major and political science minor. I joined The Pitt News as a columnist at the beginning of my junior year and began working as an editor in January during the beginning of the spring semester, and have quickly come to love all parts of the writing and editing processes. I love the freedom opinions allows its writers, enabling them to choose topics that have substantial impacts on our lives in a variety of facets. Outside of The Pitt News, I can be seen roller skating around campus or tending to my plants and animals.