Forever Bennies and Johnnies: an ode to the graduating seniors

Dear Seniors,

Before you put on your gown and throw your cap into the air next weekend, The Record Editorial Board wants to take a moment and say thank you. In your four years here, you have left a profound impact on these colleges, leaving behind a legacy of patience and a commitment to making our community the best it can possibly be. After all, you’ve had what can only be described as a tumultuous four years. You had just gotten a taste of college when the COVID pandemic interrupted life as you knew it—and the years that followed were full of adapting to a block schedule, Zoom classes and remote meetings. Add that to the massive amount of institutional change (Stronger Integration, the first joint president in CSB and SJU history and the reduction of academic programs) and notable events (Pat Hall, Sen. Tina Smith lecture protest and the last Johnnie-Tommie game) that happened in your time here and the more in-your-face impacts (limited dining hall hours, reduced services), and it’s safe to say that you spent much of your college career adapting.

But, we’re sure you’ve heard a version of the above paragraph a couple of times now and are probably due to hear it many more times in the next two weeks. Your tenure will be remembered for more than just persevering. You helped CSB and SJU rebound from COVID and flourish in the face of transition at all levels of our institutions. After just a semester of in-person experience on campus, you were thrust into the leadership positions of clubs, sports and on-campus jobs—and thrived. You have propped up the cultural and social life of the colleges over these past couple of years. These contributions don’t go overlooked.

The bottom line is that our schools wouldn’t be where they are today without you. Every underclass student has a senior to thank for the impact they have had on their college experience. The two junior members of the Editorial Board also want to take a moment to say thank you to Kate Fenske, Emmett Adam, Hailey Johnson, Capri Potter and Morgan Kuzara, The Record’s five graduating seniors.

Kate: Thank you for constantly working in pursuit of the truth, for having the tenacity to hold everyone accountable and for never shying away from a challenging story or situation. You stepped up to the plate whenever issues arose, and you made sure we covered topics that would otherwise fall unnoticed.

Emmett: Thank you for providing principled leadership, an endless supply of story ideas and ways to improve the newspaper and the discipline required to contribute thoroughly to the Our View week after week. You’ve been a champion for The Record since you joined the staff, and we know you’ll apply that passion to whatever comes next.

Hailey: Thank you for your dedication to the sports section each week and desire to tackle enterprising stories that were so relevant to the CSB+SJU community. You started off like a seasoned editor from week one and never let up.

Capri: Thank you for gracing us with your photography expertise and patience in explaining how cameras work more than a few times. Your ability to take quality, professional photos at all sorts of events made the visual content part of our editors’ lives much nicer.

Morgan: Thank you for jumping into a role that had been previously unoccupied and making it your own, with significant success. As Business Manager Andrew Adams recently said, “Morgan makes my job very easy.”

In large part because of all of you, this newspaper has grown, improved and produced high qualityjournalism week after week.

And, as we said above, the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University have benefitted from the contributions of every member of the senior class. In your last few days here, don’t be afraid to share your stories, lessons and anecdotes with juniors, sophomores and first-years. Perhaps more importantly, don’t be afraid to come back. As the saying goes, once a Bennie/Johnnie, always a Bennie/Johnnie. You will always be a member of the CSB+SJU community. Continue to spread the lessons you have learned here throughout the world. Best of luck in all of your future endeavors.

Sincerely, The Record Editorial Board