Adrianne Hutto [Asst. Production Editor, Production Editor, Senior Writer]

I remember in my first COMM class ever in college with Dr. Gencarelli, he told us to hold on to the next four years because you’ll blink and be graduating. At the time, being a freshman, everything feels so slow and I never would’ve imagined writing my senior farewell. I have been with The Quad since my first week of college in 2020 and I have read numerous farewell letters and even still I struggle with what to say. 

I have been so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful paper. The members of The Quadrangle past and present have helped to shape the writer and person I am today. I am grateful to Christine Nappi for encouraging me to join Her Campus, Jilleen Barrett for introducing me to Lotus Magazine and Anna Woods for being the reason I became a part of the production team, and was qualified for Lotus in the first place. I am grateful to Nick for being the best advisor for The Quadrangle for my four years. I am grateful to my other seniors Lauren Raziano, Kyla Guilfoil, Angelica Niedermeyer and Jocelyn Visnov for being some of my best and oldest friends at this college. And lastly, I am grateful to The Quadrangle for being the reason I met all those amazing people and was able to put my journalism skills to use while in college.

Clubs are the backbone of Manhattan College, giving every student their opportunity to shine and grow. Every skill on my resume can be traced back to my work with a campus organization. I truly hope that everyone has the opportunity to have the experiences on campus that I have after four years and that anyone who thinks about joining The Quadrangle or any other club does so. Thank you to Grace Cardinal, Angelina Perez, Mack Olmstead, Isaiah Rosario, Brooke DellaRocco and Angelina Persaud, I trust The Quadrangle will be as good to you as it was to all of us seniors and will be safe in your hands. 

Jocelyn Visnov [Staff Writer, Asst. Production Editor, Web Editor, Production Editor, Editor-in-Chief, Senior Writer] 

Before officially deciding to attend MC, I visited campus and sat in on a COMM class taught by Thom Gencarelli. Afterwards, we stuck around to discuss different clubs and opportunities MC had to offer, including The Quadrangle and The Quad Scholarship. It was later that day that I decided I would attend MC to study COMM and write for The Quadrangle. 

Through all the changes of the last four years, The Quad is the one thing thats remained the same. Regardless of what else was going on, I had a community of friendly faces and a place to be every Tuesday at 4pm, whether in-person or online during COVID. As a freshman I remember feeling so intimidated by the seniors, in awe of their talent and dedication, hoping one day I could be as good as they were. Interviewing sources and writing stories introduced me to so many people and parts of campus life I would never have known otherwise, and I’m so grateful to have been trusted to tell their stories.  

The Quad brought me to some of the most wonderful people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Adrianne and I spent nearly every Sunday morning together for two years doing production, yapping as we became InDesign pros. Kyla and I met via Zoom as freshman Quad scholars, then nearly two and a half years later, she showed me the ropes as I followed in her footsteps as EIC. Lauren became my go-to gal for all things web and social and always had my back. Jilleen Barrett ’23 was randomly assigned my Quad mentor, and has since become a close friend and one of my favorite people to talk to. And finally, Thank you to Thom and Nick for always supporting The Quad and reminding us all that student journalism plays an essential role on college campuses. 

Serving as Editor-in-Chief of The Quad is one of my proudest accomplishments. This role challenged and pushed me to grow as a leader and as a person in a way no classroom ever could. Being trusted with the responsibility to lead a group that meant so much to me was truly an honor and I’m incredibly grateful. 

Thank you to this wonderful publication and the people in it for shaping my college experience. Keep doing journalism. 

Lauren Marie Raziano [Social Media Editor, Asst. Sports Editor, Multimedia Editor, Copy Editor, Senior Writer]

As a biology major, why would I want to write for my college’s newspaper?

It is because we cover important topics, about student’s perspectives on the COVID pandemic, academic struggles and wins, the lore of the Manhattan College library rifle range (yes, that used to exist), the new beer pong team (Triangle), and even students’ fashion finds. 

My favorite article I have written was with my best friend, Adrianne Hutto, “An Beal Bocht: The Poor Mouth Bar Rich in Arts and Spirits.” Writing about a future version of ourselves, “Two locals sit at the corner of the bar, sharing laughs and hugs. When The Quadrangle asked them how they knew each other, they explained they had known each other for years.”

Writing over fifty articles during my time at The Quadrangle, I am proud of my digital footprint. Every article is representative of the relationships and friendships I have made in my life. From Gabriella DePinho matching me up with Anna Woods and taking on the role as assistant social media, to Anna Woods trusting me with the social media profiles, to Kyla Guilfoil and Jocelyn Visnov granting me many leadership roles of sports, copy editing, and business duties, I have learned to have a new love for journalism. To my fellow seniors, I am honored to have written alongside y’all these past four years.

In my future, I hope to combine my passion for science and pursue medical journalism. My interest in medical journalism is not only motivated by my personal curiosity but also a public need to establish trust in medicine. 

I am most thankful for my family, my mom, dad, brother, sister, my grandparents and my too many to count cousins, aunts and uncles. I feel very fortunate for my education at Manhattan College and I am thankful for everything, every skill, and every friendship I have gained. 

Kyla Guilfoil [Staff Writer, Asst. News Editor, Editor-in-Chief, Sports Editor, Managing Editor, Senior Writer]

I came to Manhattan College with a dream I had held close for over a decade: I was going to move to New York City and be a writer. In an adolescence filled with self-doubt, confusion and uncertainty of what would come next, that dream was the one thing that always stood firm. Manhattan College proved to be the place where I would make real strides in turning that dream into reality. But it wouldn’t have been possible without this newspaper. 

I was named a Quad Scholar the summer I entered MC as a freshman–the first real moment I had where I said to myself, “I can do this.” I began writing for the paper the first week of school, and just never stopped. My mentor and incredible friend Anna Woods took a chance on me halfway through my freshman year, naming me assistant news editor. A year later, I would somehow find myself elected as The Quadrangle’s editor-in-chief. Being recognized as EIC sophomore year was the proudest moment of my life yet. I couldn’t believe that this staff believed in me to carry them through the year as their leader. I again was able to tell myself that perhaps my dream could really come true. 

       After four years with this paper, I’ve served as assistant news editor, editor-in-chief, sports editor, managing editor and, now, senior writer. The work I did at this paper enabled me to chase my dreams in this city I love so much. I will graduate having had opportunities to work and write at NBC News, CBS News, ABC News and POLITICO. None of those experiences could ever have been possible without this paper.  

        Thank you to Anna; to the incredible Cari McCarthy and Jilleen Barrett who pushed me, supported me and made me a better reporter ten times over; to Adrianne Hutto, a lifelong friend I wouldn’t have connected with without this paper; and to all of my fellow editors over the last four years. I am who I am today because of all of you. I leave this paper in the hands of Grace Cardinal, a spirited, determined and talented journalist who I am confident will navigate this newspaper into even more success in the months to come. 

       Thank you for giving me a place to blossom and to make my dreams come true. This newspaper will always be home.

Angelica Niedermeyer [Asst. Sports Editor, Features Editor, Senior Writer]

Dear Quad,

Wow, I can’t believe the time has come to write this farewell. I remember seeing the last seniors’ and feeling like it was so far away. Now, the time has come and I keep putting it off. Why must I say goodbye? 

You have taught me so much in the last four years, sorry to the communication department, but it will never measure up to any journalism class. I always remember being interviewed for The Quad my freshman year and immediately becoming intrigued. “I can do that,” I thought and I have been hooked ever since. The rush of having an idea, finding sources, and starting to see a story come together is like no other. Especially, when I fell in love with features: food, fun, profiles, what else could you want?

There’s nothing like having a fully running newsroom that publishes every week. Learning the ability to figure out trends around campus and how to conduct interviews and form all that into a cohesive story will be an immeasurable life skill. How I will miss the hot gossip sessions, jaw dropping spills, and even the long hours of forever bonding moments with assistants and editors. I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity and the confidence to walk into a new Riverdale restaurant, interview the staff, try the food, and sit down and write a 500 word review, all in a week. I dream of the days someone will pay me to try their food and write about it. 

But for now, I want everyone to make sure The Quadrangle gets all the money they deserve. I hate that printing has become a thing of the past. I want the future newspaper enthusiasts to know the joy of smelling, reading, and holding a physical copy of your powerful words and sharing them with the school community, or mailing a physical copy to your extended family. For that reason, I will 100% be an alumni donor for The Quad and I look forward to reading a copy every now and then to see what the squad is up to. Will miss you the most.

Becca Kranich [Asst. Social Media Editor, Social Media Editor]

As a freshman, I had no idea about journalism at MC or The Quadrangle. When I joined during the Fall of my sophomore year, I was nervous and didn’t know how to get involved. Thanks to the guidance of writers from the Class of 2023, I found my second home in Kelly Commons  4.12. Standing here as a graduating senior, I would have never thought The Quadrangle would significantly impact my life. All of the students on The Quad are incredibly hard-working, and it has been a privilege to work alongside these amazing underclassmen. I am so proud to have served as your Social Media Editor, and I know you are in excellent hands with Mary Haley and those who follow. As a student body, we’ve weathered so many storms. From COVID-19 to budget cuts and layoffs, we have shown how strong we are. My time with The Quadrangle has shown me how vital student journalism is. In a time when student free speech is greatly limited, both in the U.S. and worldwide, writing and supporting local newspapers are crucial to understanding the truth. Thank you for the fantastic memories. 

Zoe DeFazio [Staff Writer, Asst. Arts and Entertainment Editor, Web Editor, Senior Writer]

My journey of being a journalist all stemmed from a broken bracelet. My grandfather always wore an evil eye pendant and when he passed away, I never saw that pendant again. During a family trip to Greece in August 2019 I was in awe of the number of evil eye jewelry and merchandise there was. I bought a bracelet in remembrance of my grandfather and I wore it everyday. 

A few months later, the bracelet broke and the beads fell to the floor. I truly believed that I had lost the only thing I had left to remember my grandfather, but after the bell had rang I went to the art room and I saw my quirky pottery teacher who I adored. She took all the beads and re-bound my bracelet as tears streamed down my face. She asked me where I was going to college to distract me. At that point I genuinely had no idea. She looked at me and she told me that a woman of nature has to dream big and go big. She told me that I am an eloquent speaker and an amazing writer. She advised me to be a communication major and lean into journalism.  In that moment, I always thought that was my grandfather telling me to write.

I applied to Manhattan College that very night and in a few short weeks I was accepted. The following week I received an email inviting me to apply for The Quadrangle scholarship. I kept my bracelet on the entire time I was writing a piece to demonstrate for my application. And sure enough, I became a scholarship recipient. 

Working for The Quadrangle has been one of the highlights of my time here at Manhattan College. I’m incredibly grateful to be surrounded by hardworking and driven people who have the same goals as me. I’m incredibly appreciative for every bit of knowledge I’ve learned throughout my four years here. I’m especially grateful to have been surrounded by those who have taught me more than what meets the eye with journalism. I’d like to give a special thank you to my freshman mentor, Nicole Fitzsimmons. In the face of grief, Nicole never lost sight of who she is and who she can be. I still hold all her advice very close to my heart and incorporate all the things I’ve learned from her in my own writing. She is who I aspire to be. A woman who never backs down and writes freely. 

It is with a heavy heart that I must say goodbye to The Quadrangle. It has been a true honor. Congratulations to my fellow senior writers of The Quadrangle; I’m so happy to have had the chance to work with you all. I can’t wait to read what’s next.