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Articles by Anna Westbrook
Senior Reflection
The Campus is defined by the people who love it, who care for it day-in and day-out and who carry on its legacy by donating hours upon hours of their time each week. Not because they’re paid, but because this is how they serve their community. The Campus might seem like it is a given part of Allegheny’s community — after all, it’s been around for 150 years, and it magically shows up on newsstands each Friday morning.
Ben Stavnezer and Aubryanna Snyder to serve as next Campus editors-in-chief
Categories: Ben Stavnezer, ’27, and Aubryanna Snyder, ’27, were elected to serve as the next co-editors-in-chief of The Campus during the 2026-27 academic year. Stavnezer and Snyder bring to The Campus a combined ten years of newspaper experience. Stavnezer joined staff as a layout editor in spring 2024. Since then, he has contributed to The Campus in a variety of ways, including by serving as news editor for one year and as co-editor-in-chief during the spring 2025 semester.
External Speakers policy to be updated, enacted
The final version of an External Speakers Policy drafted last fall has not been yet adopted according to Dean for the Student Experience Ian Binnington. The goal, Binnington said, is to have the final version in place by the end of May. The policy was first shared with the Allegheny community via GatorHub in late October, and interested parties were invited to attend a meeting of the Student Enrichment Committee on October 29, to share their feedback on the proposed policy.
Malfunctioning rooftop HVAC motor prompts fear of structural fire at Brooks Hall
Categories: Brooks Hall, Brooks Dining Hall and Walker Hall were evacuated shortly before 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 12, after a burning smell in the Brooks dining room prompted Parkhurst employees to contact the Office of Public Safety, who then made the decision to call 911. Vice President for Enrollment Management Jennifer Winge, ’96, was eating dinner in Brooks at the time of the emergency.
Allegheny student abroad in Jordan affected by Iran conflict, forced to leave
One Allegheny College student was recently forced to leave Amman, Jordan, where she was studying abroad this semester, due to U.S. military action against Iran that has escalated into a wider regional conflict. Chloe Snyder, an international studies major with a focus in Middle East and North African studies and a minor in political science, arrived in Jordan in mid-February. kAm%9C66 H66<D =2E6C[ @? u63] ag[ E96 &]$] 2?5 xDC26= =2F?4965 E2C86E65 2EE24<D @?
Student abroad in Jordan affected by Iran conflict, forced to leave
One Allegheny student was recently forced to leave Amman, Jordan, where she was studying abroad this semester, due to U.S. military action against Iran that has escalated into a wider regional conflict. Chloe Snyder, ’27, an international studies major with a focus in Middle East and North African studies and a minor in political science, arrived in Jordan in mid-February.
Severe weather damages campus infrastructure
Categories: A utility pole leans toward the Lawrence Lee Pelletier Library after a severe weather emergency on Wednesday, March 11. East College Street and the library were closed starting in the early evening, and students were warned to avoid the affected area until the pole was repaired on Saturday, March 14. (Anna Westbrook) A pine tree lays on a utility line on Sherman Street after being toppled by severe weather. Damage from the storm led to brief power and internet outages.
College prepared for measles
Categories: As the number of measles cases increases across the country, the college’s top expert on infectious diseases is recommending that Allegheny students get the measles vaccine and double-check to ensure that their vaccination records on file at the college are up-to-date.
The Campus celebrates Student Press Freedom Day by hosting a newsroom open house
Categories: Snacks sit on a table outside the newsroom, inviting people to stop by a Newsroom Open House on Wednesday, Feb. 25, to celebrate Student Press Freedom Day. (Anna Westbrook) ‘Ask Allegheny’ Producer & Host Emma Conti-Windle, ’27, looks at old issues of The Campus with Professor of Communication, Media, & Performance Michael Keeley during the Newsroom Open House.
Door wrap, wall display brighten Campus newsroom
Categories: A door wrap and wall display for The Campus newsroom were installed on Thursday, Feb. 12, and Wednesday, Feb. 18, in celebration of the newspaper’s 150th anniversary. The elements were created by Director of Design & Publications Brian Martone, Graphic Designer Sarah Swanson and Archives and Special Collections Librarian Chris Anderson. (Anna Westbrook) The door wrap features a background of headlines, graphics, advertisements and photographs from The Campus over its 150 years in print.
Former third- and fourth-year class dean dies at 40
Categories: Jonathon May remembered for positivity, work as an inaugural class dean Former Third- and Fourth-Year Class Dean Jonathon May died on Dec. 9 at the age of 40. May worked at Allegheny from February 2022 to May 2024 and was one of three inaugural class deans, a position instituted by former Allegheny President Hilary Link.
DSpace offline as major upgrades occur
For just over two weeks, DSpace has been unavailable due to several software issues that unexpectedly emerged while the college was in the process of switching the platform’s service provider. DSpace — Allegheny’s online repository for items such as meeting minutes and senior comprehensive projects — has been a feature of the college since at least 2009, when Director of Resource Management Brian Kern started at Allegheny.
Former third- and fourth-year class dean dies at 40
Jonathon May remembered for positivity, work as an inaugural class dean Former Third- and Fourth-Year Class Dean Jonathon May died on Dec. 9 at the age of 40. May worked at Allegheny from February 2022 to May 2024 and was one of three inaugural class deans, a position instituted by former Allegheny President Hilary Link. Dean for the Student Experience Ian Binnington hired May, and in an interview with The Campus, fondly remembered how excited May was when Binnington called to offer him the job.
Class registration hits snags
Groggy, still laying in bed and blearily blinking at their laptops, dozens of students across campus eagerly awaited for the clock to strike 7:30 a.m. It was the morning of Monday, Nov. 10: the first day of class registration for the spring 2026 semester. But when mid-hour arrived and students who had landed in the coveted first registration slot rushed to click the “Register Now” button on Self-Service, error messages crowded their screens.
College to adopt External Speakers Policy
The college will soon adopt an External Speakers Policy outlining the proper procedures to follow when members of the Allegheny community invite an individual to campus to speak. The move comes six months after a controversial speaker visited campus to host a discussion about preventing transgender women from participating in women’s sports; however, college officials said the creation of the new policy is unrelated to that event.
Jacy Diaz shatters Allegheny volleyball record
The team needed a timeout. After jostling with Hiram College for a leg up on the court on Friday, Sept. 19, the Allegheny volleyball team was slipping further behind on the scoreboard. Right as Head Volleyball Coach Kelly Barzak gathered the team on the sidelines, a loudspeaker rang out across the gym, packed with families and alumni visiting for Blue & Gold Weekend. Jacy Diaz, ’26, a libero, had just broken the Allegheny program record for career digs.
Pine Market closes briefly due to accident
Pine Market closed for just over 36 hours last weekend after an accident left a grab-and-go refrigerator shattered on the floor and sent a Parkhurst employee to the emergency room. Parkhurst General Manager Maria Foxall said that on Saturday evening, around 8:30 p.m., a Pine Market employee who was restocking one of the grab-and-go refrigerators stepped up into the fridge to reach the back of a shelf, which caused the fridge to tip forward.
President Barack Obama speaks at Erie JES event
More than 8,000 people flocked to the Erie Insurance Arena on Tuesday to listen to a conversation with former President Barack Obama that touched on a wide variety of topics like the state of democracy, rising global tensions, the future of artificial intelligence and his advice for younger generations.
TPUSA holds vigil for Charlie Kirk; students discuss political violence
Categories: Approximately 30 students and Meadville residents gathered at the Murray Hall firepit on Monday night to honor Charlie Kirk, the conservative media figure and Turning Point USA founder who was assassinated at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. The vigil, organized by Allegheny College’s Turning Point USA chapter, was the group’s first public event of the school year.
Class of 2029 poised to make an impact
Energetic, smart and funny are the three words First Year Class Dean Aacha Brown-Gregg uses to describe the Class of 2029. “I really feel like the class is going to be very, very involved,” Brown-Gregg said. Brown-Gregg has worked closely with the Class of 2029 during Orientation Week, the Weekend of Welcome and the first few weeks of the academic year. The first-years, she said, have largely dived headfirst into their college careers.
Caflisch lawn developments yet to materialize
More than two years since the college solicited student opinion about what to do with the area where Caflisch Hall formerly sat, the lot has still not seen any major developments. Caflisch was demolished in August 2023, just six years before its 100th birthday, after the college determined that lack of student interest in living there and the cost of upkeep did not justify maintaining the building.
Campus community celebrates the life of Coach Ben Mourer
“Never settle.” This was the guiding ethos that Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Ben Mourer, ’07, brought to his work with Gator student-athletes for over a decade. And it is the ethos he will be remembered for by friends, families and colleagues for many years to come. Mourer, 40, unexpectedly died on June 15, while chopping down a tree on his property, “a place where he found peace, purpose, and connection to nature,” according to the obituary published by Stephen P.
Timelycare replaces 98point6
Out with the old, in with the new. A new virtual healthcare service for students is entering its inaugural year at Allegheny. The new service, TimelyCare, is a virtual care provider specifically designed for higher education, according to its website. “TimelyCare really embodied my values of trying to determine upstream solutions,” said Wellness and Life Design Case Manager Josh Guthrie, ’09.
Allegheny College signs letter opposing ‘government intrusion’ in higher education
Allegheny College President Ron Cole has joined over 350 college and university presidents nationwide in signing a letter condemning the Trump administration’s recent attempts to wield influence over higher education institutions by withholding federal funding.
Allegheny joins colleges in letter calling for academic freedom
Allegheny College President Ron Cole, ’87, has joined over 170 college and university presidents nationwide in signing a letter condemning the Trump administration’s recent attempts to wield influence over higher education institutions by withholding federal funding.
Allegheny Turning Point USA vice president to transfer
The vice president of Allegheny College’s recently established Turning Point USA chapter, Braeden Means, ’28, announced on April 1 that he will transfer from the college at the end of the academic year. Means announced his decision in a Facebook post that has since garnered over 160 comments and been shared more than 230 times. “I came to Allegheny College to play golf and earn an economics degree,” Means wrote.
Turning Point USA hosts controversial critic of trans women in sports
A recent talk championing the fight to prevent transgender women from participating in women’s sports was met with repeated applause from a sympathetic audience of just over 40 students and members of the Meadville region on the evening of Thursday, April 10.
Critic of trans women in sports draws small audience, little controversy at Allegheny
A talk championing the fight to prevent transgender women from participating in women’s sports was met with repeated applause from a sympathetic audience of just over 40 students and community members Thursday evening.
ASG Presidential debate highlights financial transparency and campus connection
Allegheny Student Government hosted its annual presidential debate in Quigley Auditorium on Tuesday, March 25. The two tickets faced off in an hour-long discussion that delved into topics ranging from mental health and campus accessibility to increased efficiency and transparency within ASG. Class of 2026 President Hailey Herring and Senator Gary Murray, ’26, are one ticket. This is Herring’s first year in ASG and Murray’s second as a senator.
ASG recognizes two clubs, denies another
Categories: Members of ASG and more than 10 constituents debated for over an hour during Tuesday’s General Assembly about whether the body should vote to award ASG recognition to an Allegheny College chapter of Turning Point USA. In the end, ASG voted against recognizing the club, leading the group to seek recognition through the college administration so that it can operate on campus anyway.
ASG hears bids for recognition from three clubs
A “sea” of constituents is how Allegheny Student Government Vice President Joe Leszczynski, ’25, described the student turnout at Tuesday’s General Assembly. Students sat on the floor, lined the walls of room 301/302 of the Henderson Campus Center and spilled out into the hallway during a nearly hour-and-a-half long GA. Most attended for one purpose: To watch the Allegheny Student Government consider whether it would award ASG recognition to a Turning Point USA club chapter.
Student struck by car on North Main Street
Categories: An Allegheny student was struck by a car while crossing North Main Street on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 14. The student did not suffer any major injuries and returned from the hospital just a handful of hours after the incident, according to Dean for the Student Experience Ian Binnington. “We are very grateful that this wasn’t worse,” Binnington said.
Volleyball wins PAC Championship
Tags: About the Contributor Anna Westbrook is a junior from the Washington, D.C. area. They are majoring in Environmental Science and Sustainability with a concentration in law & policy and a minor in Political Science. This is their third year on staff; they were first a News Writer, then served as News Editor, and now as Editor-in-Chief. In their free time, Anna likes to read, play the piano, go on camping trips with their friends, and drink a copious amount of coffee.
Trump wins presidency
Categories: In the early morning hours of Wednesday, Nov. 6, former President Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election against Vice President Kamala Harris, according to unofficial vote counts, setting him on track to be inaugurated in January as the 47th president of the United States. Trump’s achievement is historic, making him only the second president to ever serve two nonconsecutive terms and the first felon elected to the presidency.
Walz underscores 'opportunity economy' at area Puerto Rican restaurant
ERIE — Vilma’s Kitchen, a restaurant serving authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, hosted Democratic Party vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz and a small group of Erie County residents on Thursday. During the event, Walz spoke with residents, rebuked comments about Puerto Ricans made at a recent Trump rally and highlighted the “opportunity economy” proposed by presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
As one of two chambers in Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives plays a key role in U.S. policymaking. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, Meadville residents will have the opportunity to decide whether they want to once again send 12-year incumbent Rep. Mike Kelly to Washington D.C. or send Democratic candidate Preston Nouri instead. Editor-in-Chief Anna Westbrook, ’26, sat down with both Kelly and Nouri to ask about their top priorities and how they plan to best represent Pennsylvania District 16.
Q&A with PA House candidate
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, Pennsylvania residents will flock to the polls to elect their next leaders. As part of Pennsylvania District 6, Meadville residents will choose their next representative to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. On the ballot are Michael Walker as the Democratic candidate and incumbent Representative Brad Roae as the Republican candidate.
Walz visits local Puerto Rican restaurant
Categories: Vilma’s Kitchen, a restaurant serving authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, hosted Democratic Party vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz and a small group of Erie County residents on Thursday. During the event, Walz spoke with residents, rebuked comments about Puerto Ricans made at a recent Trump rally and highlighted the “opportunity economy” proposed by presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Walz underscores 'opportunity economy' at area Puerto Rican restaurant
ERIE — Vilma’s Kitchen, a restaurant serving authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, hosted Democratic Party vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz and a small group of Erie County residents on Thursday. During the event, Walz spoke with residents, rebuked comments about Puerto Ricans made at a recent Trump rally and highlighted the “opportunity economy” proposed by presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Invite, Inspire and Invest
Categories: 5-year ‘In For Allegheny’ campaign aims to raise $250 million The lobby of the Henderson Campus Center was packed with students, alumni, faculty, administrators, family and friends celebrating the ‘In For Allegheny: Our Pathway Forward’ campaign kickoff on the evening of Friday, Oct. 18. “This is the most significant campaign in Allegheny College history,” said President Ron Cole, ’87, in an interview with The Campus.
Cybersecurity increases, ASG funds outdoor Wi-Fi
Categories: Students working, reading and hanging out with friends in the dozens of blue and gold adirondack chairs that are scattered across campus: it’s a common sight on warmer days at the beginning and end of the school year. Now, those students have an added bonus: outdoor Wi-Fi. Over the summer, the Information Technology team installed access points across campus in outdoor areas where students often congregate, as well as at the Robertson Athletic Complex.
Parkhurst returns as college’s dining provider
Categories: The beginning of the academic year marks the return of Parkhurst as the college’s dining provider, following a two-year stint with Aramark that left students deeply dissatisfied with the food options on campus. Parkhurst also served as the college’s dining provider prior to Aramark.
What we still don't know about weed diversity: A scoping review
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Supporting Information Filename Description wre12662-sup-0001-TableS1.xlsxExcel 2007 spreadsheet , 52.7 KB Table S1: Full data set (information extracted from 331 studies). REFERENCES , , , , & (2019) Mitigating crop yield losses through weed diversity. Nature Sustainability, 2(11), 1018–1026. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0415-y , , , , , et al.
IDEAS Center extension space remodeled
Categories: The third floor of the Henderson Campus Center echoed with the bumping bass and smooth vocals of 90s R&B and rap music on Tuesday, Aug. 27. The IDEAS Center was the source of the celebration, drawing dozens of students for its first day of school coffee and donuts event. With a remodeled lounge space and a new director at the helm, the IDEAS Center is poised to play a larger role in all students’ lives.
Former Allegheny student receives settlement from Meadville
Categories: Meadville City Council members authorized a $200,000 settlement award to a former Allegheny College student at its Tuesday, Sept. 3, meeting. The settlement is related to a 2019 incident in which Kobe Pinkney was arrested by Meadville City Police and wrongly charged for an assault at Julian’s Bar and Grill after the investigating officer demonstrated a “reckless disregard for the truth,” according to a recent court ruling.
Meadville to benefit from Resilient Communities program
Categories: Established in 1788, the city of Meadville has no shortage of old, historic buildings. But, with climate change driving increased flooding risk and a greater number of dangerously hot days each year, many of these buildings are not equipped to handle the mounting pressures of extreme weather. The city of Meadville is taking steps to strengthen the region’s resiliency.
Dark Botany: The Herbarium Tales:
edited by Prudence Gibson, Sigi Jöttkandt, Marie Sierra and Anna Westbrook Dark Botany activates the material and sensorial wonder of plants—their energy, their mysterious allure, their capacities and skills, their independent might. In this Wunderkammer of critical plant studies essays and plant+artworks, the herbarium emerges as a site of multiple materialities and reflexive forms of counter-narrative.
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