Willamette’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1889:
Your College, Your Paper, Your Stories
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Meet the staff
Eleanor Hu (She/They)
Editor-in-Chief
Eleanor is the Collegian’s Editor in Chief and a fourth-year Spanish, English and Civic Communications and Media triple major. She is from the Bay Area in California and plans to pursue a career in nonprofit development. Some of Eleanor’s favorites include rock climbing, wearing too much jewelry, and trying new vegan food. She’s also a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo and a collector of piercings and teddy bears. She loves traveling to new countries and the Washington Post Crossword; she hates slow walkers and people who kill spiders. Eleanor believes that journalism is a powerful way of connecting with and understanding others and is proud to be a part of WU’s independent student newspaper. Around campus you can find her “studying” (talking) by the Millstream, Ford, and in the library as well as working in the Writing Center.
Elise Lien
(She/Her)
Visual Manager
TBD
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Robin Linares
(She/Her)
News Editor
Robin is excited to be the news editor at The Collegian. She is a sophomore at Willamette majoring in public health and environmental science and is from the San Francisco Bay Area. She is excited to bring informative news stories for the Willamette community and values journalism to learn more about the world around her. Outside of journalism, Robin enjoys walking through town, observing the ducks in the mill stream, exploring Oregon with her friends, and defending the reputation of Canada geese.
Priya Thoren
(She/Her)
Opinions Editor
Priya is a third-year Business major and English minor from the Bay Area, California. Having been with the Collegian from the beginning of her college career, this is her third year with the paper. She loves books (especially when they have a great plot twist) and enjoys both fiction writing and journalism. She finds that some of her best ideas come to her while she runs. If you stop her on campus and ask what she’s listening to, there’s a 98% chance that the answer will be Lana Del Rey. She looks forward to continuing to shine a light on the voices of her fellow peers at Willamette!
Natalie Pate
(She/Ella)
Journalistic Consultant
Natalie Pate is the Collegian's journalistic consultant. She works as the K-12 education reporter for Oregon Public Broadcasting. She's also a published author and the host and producer of the 2023 "On the Outside" youth with incarcerated parents podcast. Natalie is a Bearcat herself, having graduated from Willamette in 2015. She studied politics and French at WU before covering education for the Statesman Journal for more than seven years. Even if it was only about $10 an article, The Collegian was the first news outlet to pay Natalie for her work. Natalie now serves as a mentor for Investigative Reporters and Editors and is a member of the Education Writers Association. She loves spending her free time with her husband and their dog, Bandit. You can find her hiking, traveling, guzzling coffee, dancing and singing, or with her nose in a good book.
Bjorn Domst
(He/Him)
Managing Editor
Bjorn is a third-year Biology major from Silverton, OR, desperately trying to fit an English double major into his already busy schedule. Though there is rarely a moment wasted in his life, his interests in fantasy books and videogames means that you might find him delving deep into a Brandon Sanderson epic or immersing himself in the world of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind in his free time. Bjorn enjoys running and playing soccer, and you might find him passionately invested in a Portland Timbers or Tottenham Hotspur game when they are on. He also coaches a youth club team in his home town, allowing him to implement his "tactical knowledge" from all his time spectating. Though he can hardly afford the lost time on Sundays, he is a Buffalo Bills fan, and his usually even-keeled demeanor will swing wildly with Josh Allen’s highs and lows. Bjorn has tried his hand at several creative endeavors, from fiction writing to video game designing, but his tendency to lose steam for large projects has prevented him (so far) from becoming famous.
Rohan Srinivasa Babu
(He/Him)
Business Manager
TBD
.
Lee Parsons
(They/Them)
Lifestyles Editor
Lee is a native Oregonian from the Salem area and a third-year English major. This is their second year at the Collegian and their first as the Lifestyle's Editor. Lee is passionate about writing and helping others write; they hope to split their time between teaching and writing post-graduation. They enjoy painting, reading, and playing Minecraft poorly. Around campus, you can find them working at the Writing Center, rehearsing for Dance Co., or avoiding the Goudy pasta. They intend to bring life to the lifestyles section and enrich campus life through articles that are surprising and exciting.
Skeet Starr
(He/Him)
Sports Editor
Hailing from the misty depths of Portland, OR, Skeet Starr inhales sports and exhales recreation. A junior PPLE major and third year section editor, Skeet can be found slinking around town suspiciously when not holed up in the library. He loves the Portland Timbers and skateboarding. He strongly dislikes the creeping sense of dread which results from considering the existence of free will. His column, "The Fastbreak Sports Report," which covers university athletics, is released every Tuesday morning (roughly). Send him sports story tips for your chance to win an email response!
Eli Fukuji
(He/Him)
Digital Art Editor
Eli (he/him) is a sophomore and dual-majoring in Public Health and Biology. He is a big fan of animals, especially orcas and his two cats, Calvin and Rue. Eli’s main interest is diseases, and is very excited to be studying public health. He enjoys hiking, nature, mycology and knowing niche fun facts. He is an artist and especially likes creating comics. In his spare time he enjoys drawing, reading, and playing video games.
Alma Snortum-Phelps
(She/Her)
Layout Editor
Alma Snortum-Phelps is a second-year Cinema Studies major from the Bay Area of California. This is her second year on the Collegian staff and her first time in the Layout Editor position. Her dream future career is working as a cinematographer on small indie movie sets. She adores all things related to the visual arts, including photography, graphic design, and painting. In her free time, she enjoys grandma-esque hobbies such as baking, sewing, and crochet. When she goes out, it's to get a fun drink and go thrifting with friends. She is very excited to be able to continue working and growing on the Collegian staff!