The CT Staff
Executive editor
Andrew Kerley
Andrew is a senior double majoring in digital journalism and political science. He’s a lifelong Virginian dedicated to serving communities with quality, multimedia journalism that puts people first. Andrew formerly served as Audience Editor — as well as President of VCU’s Society of Professional Journalists Chapter and Senior Copy Editor of Ink Magazine. When he’s not in the newsroom, Andrew enjoys cooking big meals for his friends and playing artful video games. He intends to become a news reporter after graduation, and eventually start his own publication.
Managing Editor
Sarah Hagen
Sarah is a senior digital journalism major with a minor in political science. She is from the Richmond suburbs, but loves the city a lot more. If she’s not writing, she is probably knitting, rewatching sitcoms or playing trombone with the Peppas. Sarah graduates in the fall and wants any job that will let her write as much as possible!
Copy Editor
Sapphira Mohammed
Sapphira is a senior majoring in mass communications with a concentration in digital journalism. Born and raised in Richmond, one of her biggest passions is helping to tell the stories of people in her community. She plans on becoming a reporter in entertainment news after graduation. When Sapphira isn’t at work, school or any of her other countless side quests, you can find her at your local book store over-spending.
News editor
Molly Manning
Molly is a senior majoring in digital journalism and minoring in English and Spanish. She loves reading, her cats, and anything plant related. She can be found exploring Richmond, going to concerts and enjoying the outdoors most of the time. She hopes to travel the world while working in communications in the future, after a few years of graduate school.
assistant News editor
Heciel Nieves Bonilla
Heciel is a senior working on a political science major and a Spanish-English translation and interpretation certificate. He has hopped around Virginia for over a decade and is from Puerto Rico, but he now lives in the city. When not working in or studying public service and policy, he is playing music, gaming, drawing or hyperfixating on the subject of his most recently-watched YouTube video.
Sports Editor
Drew Thompson
Drew is a senior double majoring in digital journalism and English. He is from Front Royal, the West Virginia of Virginia, but loves Richmond as his home away from home. His first love in sports was — and still is — soccer, but he also enjoys American football, basketball and baseball. When he’s not on campus, you can often find him hiding in his room playing video games or jogging around Richmond. Drew hopes that after graduation he will finally come to a decision on if he wants to go to graduate school or get an adult job. As long as he can keep writing and editing he’ll be happy!
ASSISTANT Sports Editor
Alexis Washington
Alexis is a senior majoring in mass communication with a concentration in broadcast journalism and a minor in sports management. She is from Chesapeake, Virginia but instantly fell in love with Richmond. Her favorite sport is basketball, and she hopes one day she can meet her favorite player, Anthony Edwards. Alexis plans on pursuing a media career in sports after graduation.
Spectrum Editor
Maeve Bauer
Maeve Bauer is a junior majoring in Art History. She has been with Spectrum since her freshman year, and can’t wait to continue as editor. In her free time, you can find Maeve reading, knitting, styling a fit or brain-rotting with her friends. Post-grad, she wants to continue with journalism and write for a newspaper or magazine with dreams of becoming RVA’s Carrie Bradshaw.
assistant Spectrum Editor
Cora Perkins
Cora is a senior majoring in mass communication with concentrations in digital journalism and media production. She is originally from Williamsburg, Virginia but fell in love with Richmond the second she set foot in the city. She has a passion for all things music and is often at a concert.
Opinions & Humor Editor
Katie Meeker
Katie is a senior English and GSEX double major with a minor in professional writing and editing. When she is not agonizing over drafts she can often either be found absorbed in a political satire novel, playing a button-mashy combat video game, or arguing about the cultural significance of the oxford comma. Katie intends to pursue a graduate degree in English after graduation.
assistant Opinions Editor
Maya Sunderraj
Maya is a senior majoring in English. She enjoys any form of creative writing: fiction, poetry, journalism and writing for social media. A goal of hers is to start writing book and music reviews. Maya’s favorite hobbies include going to the movies, going to the beach or river and thrifting. She intends to work in the publishing or legal field post-graduation.
Audience Editor
Bilan Osman
Bilan is a senior digital journalism and media production major. Born and raised in the NoVa area, she has always had a passion for telling people's stories. In her free time, Bilan can be found journaling, watching movies, or exploring the city. Bilan plans to pursue a career in media as a news producer and documentarian after graduation.
Assistant Audience Editor
Ashley Davis
Photo editor
Kieran Stevens
Kieran is a junior majoring in psychology and minoring in sociology. He spent most of his life staunchly devoted to fiction writing, only to fall backwards into a love for photo work and cinematography. While unsure of exactly what he'll pursue out of college, it'll probably have something to do with studying the human condition; whether that be through words, pictures, music, psychiatry or some secret fifth thing he inadvertently falls in love with later.
Illustrations Editor
Zoë Luis
Zoë is a junior majoring in communication arts. She spends most of her time making silly doodles, but when she ventures outside she loves to play soccer, workout, explore and collect zines. She’s currently learning how to roller skate — a very tricky process to say the least.
Designers
designers@vcustudentmedia.com
Art Director
Milena Paul
Art Director
Zach Montgomery
Zach is a multidisciplinary designer and senior majoring in graphic design. His passion for design is specialized in publishing and traditional printing mediums.
Marty Alexeenko
Marty is a research based designer in their senior year of the graphic design program. She’s interested in general dissemination, and queering post-Soviet studies through publishing and installation. Marty’s vibrant illustrative practice has been exhibited across Richmond, and abroad.
Raya Freeborn
Raya is a designer and senior majoring in graphic design with minors in computer science and media studies. She is a side quest aficionado from Southwest Virginia who loves exploring the space where tech, design and narrative meet. When not behind a computer, she’s usually biking, kayaking or sitting on the lawn at the VMFA.
Quinn Lysek
Quinn is a visual artist and senior majoring in graphic design with minors in marketing and French. He enjoys working in different mediums and experimenting with materiality, textures and treatments, abstraction and cultural research through publication. Aside from art he likes spending time outside and cooking.
Staff Writers
Kyler Gilliam
Kyler is a senior majoring in mass communications with a double concentration in broadcast journalism and media production. He enjoys watching sports, especially college football. He started writing for The CT in the fall of 2023, and has won multiple awards for his past work with the publication. He plans to work in daily television after graduation.
Ethan York
Jenny Allen
Jenny is a senior majoring in mass communications with a concentration in journalism. Her love for playing sports sparked her passion to write about them. She enjoys attending live sporting events and being surrounded by the energetic atmosphere. She aspires to connect the community through creativity. In her free time, she likes to go outside, be active and spend time with family and friends. Jenny also loves going on shopping sprees.
Daijah Hinmon
