Graduation is nigh, so it is time to wish the opinions desk’s graduating seniors off. We worked with these writers for the last year, and a few even longer. From goofing around in the office, to complaining about the state of American politics, to commiserating about what is next after we all graduate, we hope you all had a wonderful time working for The Pitt News and writing for the best desk — the opinions desk.
Alaina McCall, Senior Staff Columnist // Thomas Riley, Opinions Editor
Alaina is weird. I would say this confidently, having only been their editor at TPN, but I have also had the privilege of being in Pitt Tonight with them, where they have written and performed things that this newspaper would never let see the light of day. When I submitted my application for editor, I did not expect to one day be leaving comments like, “The joke is better if you sacrifice a virgin for some mundane color like rose gold or matte blue” or “I can excuse ‘alcohol-maxxing’ and ‘rizzy,’ but I draw the line at ‘skibidi.’” And yet there I was every other week editing a satire that I could not possibly have mentally prepared myself for.
Alaina is truly a fascinating individual whom I’m very glad to have met. Alaina — even though it was quite literally my job for the past two years, I hope you never let anyone censor you. Keep writing weird things, and when you do, make sure to send them my way.
Jake Vasilias, Staff Columnist // Livia LaMarca, Assistant Opinions Editor
One of the last things Jake sent me on Slack was a meme of our hometown grocery store, Jewel Osco. While that might not mean anything to our friends out here in Pittsburgh, we Northern Illinois people know what’s up. Working with Jake has been an absolute pleasure these last two years, and it was always a joy to see his name pop up on our pitch lists every couple of weeks.
While admittedly his basketball columns went over my head, working with such a talented writer, no matter the topic, is always a treat, and having multiple people from the Chicago suburbs on the desk served as a constant reminder of TPN and the opinions desk’s reach. Jake — I am looking forward to seeing what you do next, good luck out there! I’ll always be rooting for you!
Emily O’Neil, Senior Staff Columnist // Thomas Riley, Opinions Editor
Emily was hired for the opinions desk the same semester that I was, but when you first join a new student group, you don’t always know who else is meeting 10 new people for the first time and who has been around for years. Even though we both published our first columns in the fall of 2022, I always imagined Emily as a veteran writer compared to me — someone who already knew the ropes and had years of experience under her belt, throwing her opinions into the world.
By the time I started editing her columns a year later, it became obvious why I thought that. She’s confident and nonchalant and was very reliable whenever we happened to be short a story for the week. Simply put, she made it look easy from the day she started. Emily — keep showing everyone how it’s done. I’m glad that nearly three years after we joined TPN together, we now get to join the ranks of terrified graduates together.
Delaney Rauscher Adams, Senior Staff Columnist // Livia LaMarca, Assistant Opinions Editor
Delaney graduated last semester, but it wouldn’t be right to not include my fellow pre-law buddy in our send-offs. Delaney was a fabulous addition to the desk, and she has been incredibly missed this last semester. The two of us grew close talking about the LSAT exam and law school applications. Working with her was always the best when I was scheduled to be her editor.
From her takes on media and television shows to her more serious topics, she always managed to blow me away with her writing ability and passionate voice. Delaney — I am so, so excited to see what you are going to get up to these next couple years. Good luck in law school, and if you ever want to commiserate about being a law student with someone, you know where to find me!
