With the 2020-21 academic year coming to a close, The Hilltop Monitor honors its senior staff members, who each have taken time to reflect upon their experience at William Jewell College and share their plans for the future. During their time at Jewell, these staff members have all contributed their time and talents to make the Hilltop Monitor successful.

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Christina Kirk, Oxbridge institutions and policy and international relations major, served as the Editor-in-Chief for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic years. After graduation, she plans to work in a clinical setting before taking the MCAT and applying to medical school. Kirk said she is grateful for the opportunities to authentically engage with the Jewell community.

“I will miss a lot of little things like coming to the PLC early in the morning on a cold winter day, grabbing a latte from the Beak and working on homework for a few quiet hours,” Kirk said. “I will deeply miss people like Kiki, Dr. Wilkins and Dr. Lisenby – brilliant individuals who are inconceivably caring and friendly and always make an effort to check in with students.” 

Kirk began writing for the Monitor in fall 2017 with an urgent news story about the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. As an exceptional writer and leader, Kirk helped to uphold The Hilltop Monitor’s prestigious local reputation during both her years as Editor-in-Chief. In April, for the third year in a row, The Hilltop Monitor won first place in the Missouri College Media Association (MCMA) Sweepstakes category for its competing division, winning 21 individual awards along the way. During her time as a writer and editor, she authored 74 stories. 

Kirk won first place in Investigative Reporting at the 2021 MCMA competition with her article “Jewell uses Intercultural Development Inventory to assess cultural competence;” first place in the Sports Column category with her article “Opinion: Enough with the looks-policing in women’s sports;” and second place in the Information Graphic category with her graphic “Intentions for Re-Opening: National Statistics.”

Kirk said she enjoyed seeing new writers develop their journalistic styles and interests over the years.

“The Monitor is not only a great creative outlet for students, but it is also indispensable to the ‘critical thinking’ core of Jewell as an institution because it allows students to critically evaluate and question how well the College serves its community,” Kirk said.

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Catherine Dema, Oxbridge history of ideas and physics major, served as the 2020-21 Features and Investigations Editor. She will be attending the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School next year to pursue public interest law. Dema is grateful for the friends and professors who have supported her during her time at Jewell. She stated that The Hilltop Monitor provided her with many opportunities. 

Dema began writing for The Hilltop Monitor in fall 2017 with an opinion piece about the politicization of science. True to her inquisitive nature, Dema never hesitated to dive deep and provide the community with stories that mattered, be it timely updates on Jewell’s COVID-19 response or an objective examination of diversity at Jewell. She wrote 88 stories.

“Hilltop has served as a constant throughout my time at Jewell and it’s helped me develop friendships I wouldn’t otherwise have,” Dema said. “Also, the Monitor has let me dig into the problems, events and news that I’m passionate and curious about at Jewell.”

Dema won an honorable mention spot in In-Depth News Reporting at the 2021 MCMA competition for her article “Jewell overhauls orientation mentor program in radical inclusivity efforts, COVID-19 response;” second place in Investigative Writing for her article “Jewell cuts 2021-2022 tuition by 45% to increase price transparency,” which was co-authored by Kirk; and honorable mention for Feature Writing for her article “Students and alumni attend local protests in opposition to racism and police brutality,” also co-authored by Kirk.

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Hannah Koehler, psychological sciences and English major, served as the 2020-21 Arts and Culture Editor. She plans to work in the nonprofit sector before attending graduate school for psychology. Her favorite part of college was the support system she built. 

Koehler began writing in fall 2017 with a lifestyle piece criticizing small talk and, with an impressive eye for photography, supplied the Monitor with stunning photo features ever since. In total, she wrote 53 articles, ultimately gifting many of them with unforgettable snapshots into the beauty of all things arts and culture.

“From writing about picnics to Jewell’s historical ties to slavery, the Monitor has allowed me to write about things that matter to me without having a grade attached to it,” Koehler said. 

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Savannah Hawley, Oxbridge literature and theory and French major, served as both the 2020-21 Managing Editor and Chief Copy Editor for the Monitor. Hawley plans to work in journalism after graduation and said her favorite thing about Jewell is the connections she made.

“The relationships I have with my professors and the lifelong friendships I’ve made here were worth every second,” Hawley said.

Hawley began writing for The Hilltop Monitor in fall 2017 with a story about Jewell students fostering animals from local shelter KC Pet Project. As a walking aesthetic, a connoisseur of Kansas City’s culinary arts and an intellectual, she wrote a total of 58 stories, featuring anything from reviews about local vegan cafes to collaborating on investigative pieces about Jewell’s historical ties to slavery.

She said she enjoyed the articles she wrote and will miss the tight-knit team. 

“My favorite memory from the Monitor would probably be going around Kansas City [my] first-year to review coffee shops with Hannah [Koehler] and Catherine [Dema],” Hawley said. “It was so fun to spend time with them while working on an article.”

Hawley won first place in Sports Writing at the 2021 MCMA competition with her article “Recap of the Current Athletic Season,” and third place in the website design category alongside Kirk.

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Madison Carroll Porth, Oxbridge institutions and policy major, will be attending Vanderbilt Law School next year. She said she cherished her time at Jewell and is grateful for the lasting friendships she has made the past four years. 

Carroll Porth began writing in fall 2017 with a news article about criticism surrounding former president Donald Trump’s response to a fallen U.S. soldier. Carroll Porth authored 49 articles on a remarkably comprehensive range of topics, frequently reporting on hard-hitting issues like gender inequality in sports one week and publishing Buzzfeed-like quizzes the next.

“I enjoy writing stories and getting to have a creative outlet when I’m bogged down with school,” Carroll said. “My favorite memory was writing the story about the Jewell 2017 lawsuit with Christina [Kirk] and Sofia [Arthurs-Schoppe]. It is also my most stressful monitor memory.”

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Minnie Goodbody, digital media and communications major, plans to pursue a career in audio/visual editing or social media marketing. She said her college experience was challenging due to the pandemic but she will miss Jewell greatly. Goodbody’s favorite part of her college experience was the lifelong friends and mentors she met. 

Goodbody began writing for the Monitor in winter 2020 with an advice piece about how to start off a new year stress-free. She wrote 14 stories, enriching the Monitor with posts about anything from conspiracy theories to senior features to infographics.

Goodbody won first place in the Nonpolitical/Entertainment Cartoon category at the 2021 MCMA competition with her piece “Cartoon: 2020’s New College Reality.”

“I will miss working on such an inviting and inclusive team of creatives,” Goodbody said. “My favorite memory has to be writing about the Rat King.”

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Junior members of the Oxbridge Honors Program will also be bidding The Hilltop Monitor farewell: Michaela Esau, Oxbridge literature and theory and communications major, and Kyler Schardein, Oxbridge institutions and policy and international relations major.

Esau will be studying literature abroad her senior year at the University of Oxford. She describes her Jewell experience as a time of personal growth. She said her favorite part about the college experience was living on campus with friends.

Esau began writing for the Monitor in fall 2018 with an Arts and Culture story highlighting Jewell students’ international summer plans and authored the much-needed college advice series “Call Your Mother.” She never failed to provide the community with both trendy lifestyle pieces and impactful news stories, writing a total of 62 articles during her time on staff.

“I’m going to miss the people on The Hilltop Monitor,” Esau said. “It’s truly an incredible community and I’ve been so lucky to get to write with an amazing staff. My favorite memory would be writing my April Fool’s Edition story about editorial staff’s various issues with dining services.”

Esau won first place in Editorial Writing at the 2021 MCMA competition with her article “The impact of community on learning,” and third place in the Column category with “How to be good when the world is bad.”

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Schardein served as the 2020-21 Perspectives editor. He will be studying abroad next year at Mansfield College at the University of Oxford. Schardein said he is grateful for the friendships he has made, as well as the different perspectives and processes of thought he has been exposed to during his time at Jewell. 

Schardein said he will miss the Hilltop community and has fond memories of his time working with the Monitor. He began his journey with the Monitor in fall 2018 with an opinion piece on the impact of former President Donald Trump’s trade policies, and he overall utilized his interest and natural talent in policy- and news-writing to deliver 44 imperative and thought-provoking articles to the local community.

Schardein won second place in News Writing at the 2021 MCMA competition with his article “The Movement to Remove a Confederate Soldier Statue from Liberty.”

“My favorite Hilltop memory is also my first one,” Schardein said. “At the first-year organizations fair, the older students working the Hilltop counter were so friendly, enthusiastic, and kind, and as a shy and partly overwhelmed first-year, that struck me and helped inform my decision to initially join the staff.”

Marvel Studios’ “WandaVision” is the first of Marvel we’ve seen since “Spiderman: Far From Home” was released in 2019, and it was certainly worth the wait. The show is Marvel’s first time including its primary characters and storylines in television shows rather than feature films. With several more Marvel shows on the way – including “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “Loki” and “What If?” – “WandaVision” set the stage for the superhero power-company to usher in a new age of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“WandaVision” rightfully shocked and impressed audiences with its uncomfortable nostalgia. The show focuses on Wanda Maximoff, or the Scarlet Witch, and the Vision. Despite both characters being Avengers in the last several Marvel films, neither had previously received extensive focus and character development. “WandaVision” explores the power and depth of both characters with more emotional force than Marvel audiences have seen in a while.

The show transforms throughout the series and harkens to sitcoms of decades past, but it does so with a level of unease. It recognizes its audiences didn’t actually watch television sitcoms of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s so it creates a nostalgia that recognizes its own inauthenticity. “WandaVision” plays with expectations, characters and settings like only the product of blockbuster film-level funding and production can. 

Full of twists, turns and questions, “WandaVision” keeps audiences constantly figuring out what each episode means before realizing the ground is falling out from beneath them. While not everything is shocking or unpredictable, the show plays with the expectations of die-hard Marvel fans and cultivates a sense of discomfort and fleetingness. 

Elizabeth Olsen as Maximoff and Paul Bettany as Vision shine as they show range and vulnerability. Olsen specifically steals her own show with skill and depth she hasn’t previously had the opportunity to show in the Marvel Universe. Her emotional and relatable performance made the large-scale production come together.

Fan-favorite side characters – including Darcy Lewis of “Thor,” played by Kat Dennings; Jimmy Woo of “Antman,” played by Randall Park; and Monica Rambeau of “Captain Marvel,” played by Teyonah Parris – return to play central roles. However, Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness gave a performance rivalling Olsen’s. She stole the hearts of audiences and facilitated the greatest surprise of the series. 

Hahn and Olsen are captivating, and I cannot wait to see them continue exploring the depth of these characters in future Marvel projects. 

“WandaVision” truly vaulted over my expectations and somehow felt exactly like a Marvel movie without feeling too comfortable or familiar. It sets an intriguing base for future Marvel TV shows and the coming phase of Marvel generally. If “WandaVision” is a good indicator, I anticipate this phase will develop a new age of Avengers with more emotional complexity, nuance and cinematic skill than audiences typically expect from superhero films.

All in all, “WandaVision” was a 10/10 and a delightful highlight in these dreadful pandemic times.

To the delight of students over 21 from Melrose to Senior House, the cafeteria will now provide White Claw on tap. After shooting to popularity in recent years, White Claw – a spiked sparkling water – has become a staple for college students everywhere. Through some silent pleading and the cafeteria staff’s uncanny ability to know what students want, the beverage will now be available to accompany a nice Tendy-Tuesday lunch.

It remains unclear which flavors will be available and whether the Claw will replace the new favorite, Bubly, in the soda fountain. Regardless, this legal adult is anxious to try mixing the DIY flavoring with the boozy option. 

Students appear to be looking forward to the potential pick-me-ups Claws will provide. 

“Nothing sounds better than drinking an ice-cold black cherry White Claw with my beef sancho at 10:30 a.m. on a Wednesday,” said White Claw enthusiast and senior international relations and Oxbridge institutions and policy major Christina Kirk.

Keep an eye out for the new beverage in the caf and continue following this story to learn whether White Claw will be delivered to those unfortunate souls in quarantine, who are unable to retrieve their own drinks from the cafeteria.

Like many other students, I have hardly taken advantage of our first couple spring break days. They’ve been just as stress- and homework-filled as most other days. With our would-be spring break impending, I’ve decided to plan a Kansas City staycation so I can enjoy one of the upcoming days off. With that, I present my ideas for the best KC staycation. 

1. Start with a nice brunch in the park.

Whether you’re an early riser or a late-sleeper, brunch is a great way to start your day. To stay COVID-safe, you can pick up brunch and head to a park. My personal recommendation – and plan – is to stop by Crow’s Coffee to grab a specialty coffee and pick up a bagel from Einstein Bro’s. I may even bring a small, personal-sized bottle of champagne and some juice to make a little mimosa. 

With my little breakfast in hand, I will go to Loose Park, set up a blanket and have a personal picnic. I’ve found there’s nowhere better to spend a slow, lazy morning to myself than in Loose. I plan to get set up on a picnic blanket, have my brunch while listening to a podcast, then leisurely read a book. Maybe a dog will come over and greet me.

1. Grab some boba and a snack.

After spending several hours in the park, I’ll go for a walk around the park and head to the Plaza. I love window shopping and strolling around the Country Club Plaza, and having a nice drink makes the walk better. I just saw a new boba place, Bruú Café, opened on the Plaza. I personally love Taro bubble tea, and Bruú has a taro boba latte I cannot wait to try. 

If all the laying in the park and strolling have you hungry after brunch, there are plenty of places on the Plaza to grab a little snack or lunch.

1. Walk around the Nelson-Atkins or Union Station.

Depending on how you’re feeling, you can wander around the Nelson-Atkins sculpture park and art museum or check out Union Station. I am partial to walking around Union Station, seeing if the planetarium is showing anything and taking the streetcar, or walking, to the Crossroads, Power & Light and the River Market. The planetarium is potentially my favorite place in Kansas City and it has never let me down. I highly recommend stopping by whenever you have a chance.

My favorite walk in the city starts at the World War II memorial and goes to Power & Light. While it can be a long walk, it’s also just fun and allows you to wander all over. There are plenty of cafes, shops and benches to stop at and spend some time. The streetcar also runs along the walk so you can always give yourself a break as necessary.

1. Grab tacos, drinks and ice cream in the River Market.

After taking a long walk, I’ll hop on the streetcar to get the rest of the way to the River Market – maybe I’ll even walk all of the way there. I’ll get dinner at KC Taco Company. There are fantastic tacos, chips, salsa, guacamole, queso and margaritas that put together a perfect meal. I particularly like KC Taco Co. because the variety of flavors and tacos feel unique compared to the Mexican food I typically get. 

If you choose to spend your day with others, maybe check out Blue Nile Cafe for some delicious Ethiopian food. The food is served communally and is absolutely delectable.

Finish off the meal with ice cream from the newly reopened and improved Betty Rae’s.

1. Finish off with an evening walk at the River.

I’ll finish off my staycation day with a walk along the river. The path from the River Market to the river is beautiful and you will often see dogs, which makes any walk better. After walking as far as I like, I’ll ride the streetcar back to Union Station to pick my car back up.

Honorable mentions for activities to do on a staycation day include:

• Getting your nails done
• Finding new coffee shops
• Going to the KC Zoo
• Walking around Crown Center

Enjoy your days off, fellow Cardinals!