The Leader announces new editor-in-chief

The Leader elected Marisa Karpes to serve as the newspaper editor-in-chief for the 2020-2021 academic year. 

Karpes was elected after winning the majority vote where The Leader staff and editors voted in an online ballot. She ran against Gianna Montesano, 2019-2020 news editor. 

Karpes has been a part of The Leader team since 2017, her freshman year, where she began as a columnist. 

Throughout her years with The Leader, she has worked her way up to various leadership positions on the editorial board, serving as copy editor from 2018-2020 and managing editor during the spring 2020 semester. 

“Ever since I joined The Leader, I always had a desire to eventually become editor-in-chief,” Karpes said. “I have been loyal to The Leader over the years and have experienced some leadership positions already, so I wanted to fully show what I could bring to the table.”

After three years with The Leader, Karpes is excited to lead the newspaper for her senior year. However, with the uncertainty surrounding the global pandemic, she is preparing to produce news if the fall semester is online. 

“With these uncertain times, I am already working on plans in the event that we will have to continue working remotely,” Karpes said. “Hopefully a way to bring content right to our readers in lieu of a print paper.” 

Karpes will replace the current editor-in-chief and sports editor Josie Zabran who served on The Leader editorial board during the Spring 2020 semester. 

“My time as EIC was quite the challenge considering we had to switch from in-print to all online,” said Zabran. “I’m glad I had a team of editors behind me ready to jump at the next story.”

With the current state of COVID-19, Zabran knows that Karpes will successfully run The Leader during her term. 

“I think that it [being editor-in-chief] will be stressful either way since the fate of our future is in COVID’s hands, but I’m positive she will do great,” said Zabran. “Just gotta keep pushing forward.”

At the start of Karpes’ term as editor-in-chief, she wants to enhance the structure within The Leader to provide the best journalism for the campus. 

“I hope to continue to polish our copy flow while also providing the best possible working environment for The Leader staff so that we could give our readers the best that we can give them,” Karpes said.