As this year opened, the 'Prince' was presented with the tremendous opportunity and difficult task of selecting new columnists to fill the ranks of graduated writers. This year is the first in recent memory to present would-be columnists a rigorous selection process; interested students were asked to submit a sample column and a list of ideas for future pieces, both of which we judged without knowing even so much as their names or class years.
Out of 34 applicants, we were able to offer only 10 students a spot in our regular rotation. Those new columnists are: Joseph Barillari '04, Laura Berner '07, Fernando Delgado '04, Anna Huang '07, Karen Karniol-Tambour '06, Cullen Newton '04, Matthew Schonfield '04, Sanhita Sen '07, Janani Sreenivasan '04 and Emily Stolzenberg '07.
Among this stable of new writers are interesting personalities and fascinating commentators; there are students whose lives offer tremendous perspective and those whose insights make the mundane suddenly fascinating.
Barillari's columns will offer his take on everything from global development to Princeton's obsession with communal dining. Berner's pieces are likely to be lighter; she aspires to be the campus' own Carrie Bradshaw, offering quirky, tounge-in-cheek style commentary on topics such as competition on gym ellipticals.
Both Stolzenberg and Huang will seek out the extraordinary in everyday experiences. Sreenivasan is interested in using this space to playfully apply what she learns in the classroom to the analysis of everyday life. Sen will touch on such issues as gender roles and religion.
Delgado wants to use the platform to burst the Princeton bubble, discussing topics that are relevant not only to the campus but also to the broader community. Both Karniol-Tambour and Schonfield are likely to focus on political and international issues.
Newton, the ever-modest comedian of the bunch, said, "I can't promise I'll beat the football team's score as the funniest thing in the 'Prince' this semester, but I'll sure try!"
These new columnists will become a central part of this page — a place they no doubt deserve. At Princeton, good writers are in no short supply, but good columnists are harder to come by. Their work demands more than a good vocabulary or a quick wit. They must maintain a closeness to this University that allows them to speak to its members with relevance, but also a distance that allows them to speak to the same group with weight.
Congratulations to all! — David Robinson and George Spencer Co-Editors, Editorials & Opinions
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