Loyola’s award winning newspaper, The Maroon turns 99

The Maroon has worked diligently to be a voice for the university since 1923, all while shaping and equipping hundreds of young journalists to become accomplished professionals. The Maroon has been serving the Loyola and New Orleans community as a student-run news outlet, expanding and growing alongside the world around it.

The Maroon has witnessed and reported on some of history’s most significant events, including the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, and Hurricane Katrina.

Fall 2022 editor in chief Gabby Killett said that leaving a legacy behind at the Maroon might be just as good as winning a Pulitzer.

“The Maroon saved my life – and changed it – all for the better,” Killett said. “To be a part of an organization that is responsible for chronicling nearly a century of history in a city that so desperately deserves kickass reporting is one of the things I will always be proudest of,” she said.

Killett hopes to inspire everyone she encounters at The Maroon to believe in themselves, and at the very least, consider how they may fit into the larger objective of journalism.

“The Maroon is the real deal. Legends were and are and will be born here, and I don’t want anyone to ever think otherwise,” Killett said.

Previous Maroon staff have gone on to work for the New York Times, CNN, The Washington Post, The Times-Picayune, The Advocate, and the Associated Press.

“Being part of a newsroom with such a lasting legacy gives me a lot to live up to. I have very big shoes to fill, but The Maroon makes me feel like I’m definitely capable of doing so,” said sports editor Abigail Schmidt.

Maleigh Crespo feels privileged to be a part of The Maroon and to be able to have a hand in the award-winning work the newspaper produces.

“I came to Loyola for The Maroon, so just being here and having this community of writers and people to support me has been the most incredible thing I could have ever experienced,” Crespo said.

Crespo is the Maroon’s equity and inclusion officer. She is using her position to foster a sense of community in the newsroom by engaging with and introducing aspiring writers and photographers to the team.

Maroon managing editor for digital Domonique Tolliver and Maroon Minute executive producer Devin Cruice hope to leave a blueprint for successful and seamless content across all of The Maroon’s platforms.

Tolliver said that she wants to prioritize content that showcases the diverse backgrounds of its audience.

“The online reach we have now I’m sure was unimaginable to the editors who started The Maroon in 1923,” Tolliver said. “The digital landscape allows The Maroon to create more diverse content and hear directly from our audience on what we can better do to represent and celebrate their communities, cultures and backgrounds.”

Although the newsroom has a sizable staff made up of a diverse range of individuals and viewpoints, everyone is given the chance to voice their perspectives without worrying that they won’t be seen or heard.

“I want each person who will ever work at The Maroon to understand that their voices and ability to tell stories is indispensable,” Killett said.

Michael Giusti, the head of the journalism department and the advisor for Loyola’s student media, has been with The Maroon for 22 years and hopes to leave behind a successful newsroom that takes pride in serving its community.

“Serving The Maroon and Loyola is my life’s work. The Maroon makes Loyola a better place, and I only hope to play a small part helping it be the best it can be,” Giusti said.

Giusti said that his favorite aspect of being a part of The Maroon is seeing his students be so enthusiastic about the newspaper.

“The students are why I keep doing this. I absolutely love working with energetic, passionate, young journalists. They love The Maroon, and I love them for it,” Giusti said.