Jenna McMurtry PO ’24, Larkin Barnard-Bahn SC ’24 and Mena Bova SC ’24 have been selected to lead TSL’s editorial board for the fall 2022 semester. Having officially taken the helm when the spring semester came to a close, the trio will lead the paper over the summer and throughout the fall.
McMurtry, named editor-in-chief, served as a news editor for the past two semesters. Before that, she was a staff news writer for a year.
“Being a part of TSL has been one of the best decisions I’ve made at college,” she said. “The paper has introduced me to some of my best friends and there would be a large hole in my college experience without them.”
A history major and an English minor, McMurtry hopes to shape an inclusive environment at TSL by “cultivating a space that is both fun and somewhere everyone belongs.” She also plans to revive the special projects desk and add a data team during her time as editor-in-chief.
“We started bringing special projects back this spring and were able to do a lot that we haven’t done before,” McMurtry said. “It’s exciting to see the breadth of stories we can cover together. I hope this year, we really cement the special projects desk into the fabric of our paper and I’m looking forward to seeing what our staff will bring to the table this fall. ”
McMurtry succeeds Jasper Davidoff PO ’23, who served as editor-in-chief during winter break and the spring 2022 semester.
“Jenna is an exceptionally talented journalist and dedicated leader,” Davidoff said. “In my time working with her, I’ve been struck by her determination to see that every story is reported and edited thoroughly and with integrity. I have no doubt that she’ll continue to push boundaries for the newspaper at large, and I’m definitely not the only one looking forward to the results of that work.”
Barnard-Bahn and Bova have worked alongside each other for nearly two years in the arts & culture section. Working on the desk since the online school year, they cultivated a section that spotlights campus culture with close to 10 articles each week.
Barnard-Bahn, the incoming managing editor for news and sports, previously served as an arts & culture editor for two semesters before returning as an associate editor last spring.
Before joining TSL, she was the online editor-in-chief of her high school newspaper. Eager to dive back into journalism after graduating, Barnard-Bahn reached out to TSL and joined its summer staff. She is, to current knowledge, the only person who has worked for TSL before starting college.
TSL has played a formative role in Barnard-Bahn’s college experience.
“I wouldn’t be who I am today without student journalism,” she said. “I’ve further developed my critical thinking, writing, leadership, conflict resolution, research and interviewing skills, and I’ve become a fierce advocate for the free press as the foundation of a just society. More than that, though, I’ve met so many amazing people who I otherwise wouldn’t have, and I love the community that student journalism brings.”
An economics major and a data science and Spanish double minor, Barnard-Bahn added that her time at TSL has given her an opportunity to combine her academic interests as demonstrated in her recent article on internship pay transparency. She intends to bring this perspective to TSL during her term on the editorial board.
“I love blending STEM with the humanities, so I’m looking forward to combining my data science, economics and journalism backgrounds to take important news stories to the next level,” Barnard-Bahn said. “Since I’ve spent two years in the arts & culture section, I can bring that human-centered approach to news and sports.”
Bova, the new managing editor for arts & culture and opinions, has been a staff features writer before her time as a section editor and associate editor for the arts & culture desk. One of her priorities in the new position is expanding the composition of TSL staff members to ensure it reflects the wider 5C community.
“I think TSL still has an important role to play as a space of connection,” she said. “I would love to get even more people from outside TSL involved with the publication this semester, in a variety of ways. I loved seeing the guest Opinions pieces last semester’s ed board brought in, and that is something I definitely want to continue.”
Bova, who is majoring in English, is looking forward to connecting with more 5C students and sharing their stories.
“My favorite thing about TSL has always been the people I’ve gotten to meet through it, both internal and external to the paper,” Bova said. “Everyone at the 5Cs has a fascinating story somewhere, and I’m grateful that TSL has repeatedly offered me the chance to get to know at least some of those stories.”
The new editorial board took office at 11:59 p.m. on May 13 and is already planning for the publication’s 10 weekly issues next semester.