A Goodbye to Our Seniors as We Welcome the 129th Editor-In-Chief

By Noelia Veras

As we conclude our 99th year and usher in our 100th, we want to thank the graduating class of 2022 and welcome our new Editor-in-Chief, Jacqueline Jedrych. 

On the editorial board, there are seven individuals graduating and on the staff at large, there are more than 10, all of whom have contributed their time and effort to ensure the continuity and legacy of The Tower. 

“Throughout my time at CUA, the two organizations I had the opportunity to be part of were The Tower and Navy ROTC,” said Theresa Whitfield, senior staff writer, and previous news and copy editor. “While they seem very different, I learned valuable lessons on leadership, communication, organization, working with others, and more that overlapped in both.”

Many of the senior editors joined The Tower earlier in their college careers, dedicating years to the publication.

“I joined The Tower late in my sophomore year, surprising myself in my decision to begin writing for a student newspaper,” said Jeremy Perillo, the politics editor. “It was not something I had ever thought I would do, but I know now that it was one of the best decisions I’ve made on this campus.”

Our editor-in-chief, managing editor, and editor-at-large are all graduating and they have done so much work for the publication.

Editor-at-Large Thomas Holmes conceptualized and planned the first-ever Tower Gala, celebrating 100 years of publication, which will take place at Heritage Hall at 6 p.m. on Friday. Managing Editor Garrett Farrell consistently made sure that all articles were published on the website and oversaw the completion of all articles on a weekly basis. Editor-in-Chief Noelia Veras renovated The Tower’s website, was in charge of the creation of the newsletter, and oversaw all of the staff and editors throughout the school year.

The senior editors, Perillo, Kat Kaderabek, Caroline Morris, and Eva Lynch kept The Tower afloat every week. Senior editors have been the lifeblood of the publication, making sure to have story ideas for writers every week, training writers to grow and hone their craft, and editing articles. Many seniors even developed a deeper interest in journalism after joining the publication.

“I discovered a passion for journalistic writing that I had insisted I didn’t have,” said Copy Editor Morris. “Being able to pursue this love of journalism alongside a group of writers and editors who have become some of my best friends was a phenomenal part of my college experience that I will always treasure. Also, I simply never laugh harder than in a Tower meeting.”

The publication’s editorial board has also encouraged writers’ distinct interests within the journalistic space. 

“The group of people I’ve gotten to know from The Tower have become my friends and the traditions of The Tower have become a special part of who I am as a Catholic U student,” Perillo said. “As the politics editor for the past two years, it’s been my absolute privilege to serve the CUA campus, providing independent coverage of political news to our community and maintaining an outlet for CUA students to explore political reporting.”

There is always a real emphasis on community in The Tower, but this senior class has grown even closer than anticipated.

“Being a part of The Tower has enhanced me as a writer, a student, and a friend,” Kaderabek, the arts and entertainment editor, said. “I am so grateful for my time on the staff and I will cherish the fond memories we’ve made together. This is truly a wonderful group and I wouldn’t want to leave a legacy with anyone else.”

Veras has known many of the senior editors for years and has been able to see them grow as writers and editors throughout her four years of being on The Tower.

In terms of next year’s editor-in-chief, Jedrych is the 129th chief and she is excited to start this position. She has spent the last semester abroad in France and helped the publication even from such a far distance.

“I am so proud of the previous editor-in-chief, Noelia, and the whole Tower team for the amazing strides that they have made in the past year,” she said, “and I am so excited to continue that work in the next year!” 

Jedrych is a politics major with a minor in French and a certificate in intelligence studies. She is currently a junior at Catholic U and plans to graduate in the spring semester of 2023. 

“My experience with The Tower has defined my time at Catholic U, and has made every part of it more enjoyable,” Jedrych said. “It gave me the ability to hone my writing skills while having a blast, and I hope to continue to provide that for students.”

The rising senior aims to focus more on local and on-campus news so that the publication is even more relevant to members of the Catholic University community.

“Over the coming semesters, I will focus The Tower’s work to better serve the student body on the topics that matter to them, as well as create a more interactive organization that collaborates with other groups to really gauge the opinion of Catholic University,” Jedrych said.

Jedrych was previously the editor for the news section of the publication. She has written a wide variety of articles for The Tower and has a writing internship with Alchemical Records, writing about news and entertainment in the Washington, D.C. area.

Jedrych has worked with multiple editors-in-chief at The Tower who have seen her progress as a writer, editor, and leader. 127th Editor-in-Chief Jess Fetrow promoted Jedrych from writer to editor during the rising senior’s sophomore year of college.

“I am incredibly proud to have seen how Jaci has grown into the role of editor-in-chief of The Tower,”Fetrow said. “From writer to editor, she has been a significant and well-rounded part of The Tower team during her tenure on staff. I’m excited to see what direction she takes The Tower in as she assumes her new role.”

Jedrych is a dedicated member of the publication and is ready to start her new role on The Tower in order to help it grow and maintain its legacy. 

“By the end of my tenure, I hope that The Tower will be a tightly bonded organization that maintains the high quality of writing that Catholic U is accustomed to while progressing alongside the social media age and needs of the student body,” Jedrych concluded.

As we welcome the new editor-in-chief, we thank all of the graduating seniors for their hard work. The Tower would not be the same without them.