by Ian Gualtiere ’27 on September 17, 2026
Editor's Column
Whether you’re a long-time reader or just starting your first few weeks of freshman year, welcome to The Cowl! Words can’t describe how excited I am to be back on campus and to see everyone after such a long summer. I feel like everyone is still shaking off that summer dust and getting back into the rhythm of school; I’m finding I have to force myself to sit down and do work, and I’m thinking about how soon I can start chalking things up to “senioritis.” My thought while I was in the corporate legal world these past few months were: “How much sooner?” And now that I’m here, I want things to move as slowly as possible, delaying the inevitable “postgrad.” Looking back on the past three years has been both a blessing and a chore, filled with stress and fun, worry and laughter. I guess those are the ebbs and flows of being a senior in college; it’s a weirdly entertaining feeling, that’s all I can honestly say.
I’ve been with The Cowl since the first week of my freshman year. I don’t know why I signed up. I wasn’t even in my high school newspaper, but it has turned into a three-year love (or obsession); you can be the judge of that one. The people, the Wednesdays in the office, and the actual work—that’s what this newspaper means to me. And now, being able to have a place to air my thoughts on things, maybe you can see just how amazing The Cowl is.
I guess I also want to introduce myself since I’ll be popping up in this column often and here and there in other sections. I am an English and political science double major with a minor in history. I have three brothers and two dogs; growing up, it was a household where broken bones, plates, and windows were the norm—I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I am currently juggling learning to be co-editor-in-chief, researching a political science honors thesis, filling out law school applications, and tending to schoolwork, so I apologize in advance if you see me around and I look frazzled. I was the co-editor of the Arts & Entertainment section last year, where I subjected everyone to articles about music from the Roosevelt administration. That is why I was so graciously given a superlative at our Cowl Banquet, which states, “Most Likely to Write About Something from the Last Century.” Another awarded superlative states, “Most Likely to Start a Wednesday Party in McPhail’s;” do what you want with that information.
I am so excited to be working with my co-Editor-in-Chief, Sydney, who is literally the best, and shares this interesting experience with me as we step into this role. Sydney and I, along with our fantastic writers, section editors, and copyeditors, are going to be working around the clock this entire year to make sure that you are able to read The Cowl every Friday. Have a great start to the semester, and join The Cowl if you’re interested!