Ruby Poffinbarger
Ruby Poffinbarger joined The Courier as a contributing writer in January 2025 and was promoted to staff writer last August. “With a [communications] minor, you need a workshop and I love writing. I knew I would prefer journalism over radio, and I was correct. I loved it so much, I decided to keep writing after the journalism workshop ended,” said Poffinbarger.
Her favorite memories are sitting with copyeditor Mikaela Avery and editor-in-chief Dawsyn Wilson and writing while they edited stories. “They aren’t extravagant moments by any means, but they are special to me.” said Poffinbarger. As a staff writer, Poffinbarger has grown more confident in her writing and interviewing people, learning how to ask better questions.
“Take the feedback and ask the questions. It is okay to be wrong, it is okay to be learning, that is the point of being on the courier. Without stepping out of your comfort zone, you will never improve, and even if you think you don’t need to, you can always improve,” Poffinbarger said.
Seamus O’Sullivan
“I have always enjoyed writing and wanted the opportunity to write outside a strictly academic setting,” said Seamus O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan joined as a contributing writer in August 2024 and became a staff writer the following semester. Last August he was promoted to features editor.
“It’s a lot of fun, especially when we meet and lay out paging. There was always plenty of banter between myself, our advisor Chris Goble, and the Editor in Chief Dawsyn Wilson. It’s something I will miss a great deal when I graduate,” O’Sullivan said. In February, O’ Sullivan’s article won first place in the Small Schools: Sports Game Story category at the annual ICPA convention in Chicago. O’Sullivan notes the accomplishment as his favorite memory on staff.
“Don’t be scared to talk to people and get quotes, especially on a tight-knit campus like Monmouth. Sure, at the start you may have some awkward interactions or have people ignore you, but its like any skill where the more you do it, the bigger your network grows, the more trust you build, and these interactions become easier,” said O’Sullivan.
Patrick Curry Jr.
Pat Curry started working with the Courier his sophomore year while taking a journalism workshop. He joined as a staff writer in junior year, and has become the sports editor this semester when Phillips graduated in December. “I joined because I have always had a passion for sports coverage and this allowed me to do what I love,” said Curry.
During his time with The Courier, Curry has learned how to write stories that readers can envision. “It was unique because it allowed me to have excuses to go to sporting events across campus and talk with players after the game to highlight their performance,” Curry said. His favorite moment is getting to see his teammates’ reactions when they see themselves featured in his stories.
“Always be curious and ask questions on what you can do to get better. Never feel like you know everything because there is always more to learn,” said Curry.
Neilly Cole
Neilly Cole joined The Courier this last semester as the photo and graphics manager because of her interest in graphics marketing and how the position worked in an organization. “I joined the Courier beginning of my senior year, just as I was figuring out what I want to do after I graduate,” said Cole.
Cole has learned a lot about the production process and how to use Adobe software. “I learned a lot about the newsletter production process, which felt really important to me going into public relations work after college,” Cole said. Her time on staff has given her the opportunity to learn and experiment.
“My advice to interested writers or editors would be to try everything out and don’t be afraid to take risks. That’s what doing this in college is all about, figuring out what you want to do,” Cole said.
Ryan Phillips
Ryan Phillips first joined The Courier as a contributing writer in Fall 2024 before he was promoted to sports editor shortly after. “I got involved because I knew I would be a great fit. I was motivated to not only create a new era for The Courier but help make the vision of bringing our newspaper to a magazine style format,” said Phillips.
It all comes down to how creative you can become while staying as professional as possible,” Phillips said. His favorite memory with The Courier was the annual trip to the ICPA convention in Chicago. In February, he won first place for “Snow Game,” a documentary he shot about the football team’s NCAA tournament game at St. John’s University in Minnesota.
“To the next editorial staff, never let anybody control the news you find and publish. The world is full of journalism that represents a specific side. Always stay independent and be understanding. If you can’t do that, journalism is not for you,” said Phillips.
Maya Dickerson
Maya Dickerson joined the Courier her freshman year after being encouraged by Lena Wickens. “[Wickens] was one of the first girls in my sorority I connected with. We talked about how I was involved in my high school newspaper and she urged me to continue this journey in college.” said Dickerson.
Sophomore year she became a staff writer and then the news and opinion editor her junior year. Her last year on staff, Dickerson has been The Courier’s web and social media manager. “I like being able to interview people I might otherwise not talk to everyday. I loved being able to sit down with President Draves and talk to her about the new schools they implemented this year,” Dickerson said.
Dickerson has enjoyed writing about books, movies, and TV shows. Her favorite memory working at The Courier has been working with other staff members, in addition to going to meetings to hear the banter between O’Sullivan and Phillips.
Kelsey Moersfelder
Kelsey Moersfelder has been working as The Courier’s distribution manager since Fall 2024 and cites an invitation from editor-in-chief Dawsyn Wilson as her motivation to join the publication. “They needed a new distribution manager, and I was happy to step up to the task,” Moersfelder said.
Her favorite part of her job being the privilege of being the very first to see the new editions before the rest of campus did later in the day. Moersfelder found it very rewarding having another way to help the campus community and getting to see the results of the staff’s work.
“My biggest piece of advice for anyone in college is to be willing to try new things. It was what helped me get involved with The Courier, and I am so glad I was willing to take on something new,” said Moersfelder.
Dawsyn Wilson
Dawsyn Wilson has been a part of the staff since August 2023, dedicating two years as the copyeditor before becoming the editor-in-chief during her senior year. “My friend, Karli Strom, suggested me to Chris when The Courier was looking for a new copyeditor. It felt like a no-brainer to me, and it’s been fun ever since,” said Wilson.
During her time on staff, Wilson has sharpened her eye for detail and has grown more confident in her creative decisions. Her favorite memories have been annoying Chris in his office about various late story submissions and bantering with Phillips and O’Sullivan during staff meetings. “I’ve really enjoyed getting others involved, too,” she said.
To those interested in the news: “Don’t be afraid to reach out and talk to people. As someone who considers herself introverted, talking to strangers is something I’ll always struggle with. The bravest thing I did on staff was getting out of my comfort zone and approaching people I didn’t know.”