Duck Diaries: Shaping Campus News

The Stute Editors 

News Editor: Benjamin Knobloch

Benjamin, Class of 2025, is a software engineering major. He started writing news for The Stute in his first semester and has served as news editor since his sophomore year.

What inspired you to get involved with The Stute?

On my first tour of Stevens, one of the things that caught my eye was the reams of papers on racks scattered around campus. A print student newspaper struck me as a creative artifact that helps connect the Stevens community and serves as a symbol of the school’s history and progress. My participation, I thought, would also track my own parallel path within it.

I had been casually interested in news writing since becoming a print subscriber to the Wall Street Journal in high school, and I joined as a contributing writer in my first semester, writing mostly news from the start. I really loved the activity and The Stute community. I stayed with writing news until I became news editor in my sophomore year. I hope I’ve helped further the aspect of community that a shared local source of news represents. 

How has working at The Stute impacted your experience at Stevens?

As I’ve written and edited stories for The Stute, I’ve discovered facets of our community that I would have otherwise missed. This includes interacting with the administration, talking with people across campus from music groups to the chief of police, and digging into campus issues. I’ve also had the privilege of feeling like a continuous contributor to our campus culture, something that’s emphasized when I see someone leaning over the new week’s edition in an academic building hallway or discussing the most recent puzzle section.

That’s a major benefit of a physical paper in a world where such a thing is increasingly an anachronism, and a difference I think The Stute team is proud of.

What is an article you wrote that makes you especially proud and why?

One article that makes me proud is a story I wrote about PSEG’s gift to Stevens that helped establish the new Center for Sustainability.

Our reporting on academic and administrative affairs is one of the most important ways the student body learns about Stevens’ actions that matter to them. With this article, I had the opportunity to write such a story, while also having the chance to chat at length with a dedicated and interesting faculty member who was embarking on this important new project.

Interviews are always fun for me because they help our articles to spread the word about campus activities that may not be available in any other place. Dr. Dibyendu “Dibs” Sarkar, professor and director of the Stevens Center for Sustainability, and Dr. Rosita Nunez, the center’s program director, were eager to share the word about the new center with as many students as possible. This is another reason I’m thankful that Stevens has an organization like The Stute. 

You can read Benjamin’s article here: “PSEG gift begets new Center for Sustainability.”

Science Editor: Riyana Phadke 

Riyana Phadke, Class of 2027, is a chemical biology major with a minor in science, technology and society. She started writing for The Stute as a first-year student.

How did you become involved with The Stute?

As a new student, I wanted to get involved as quickly as possible, so I signed up for The Stute Weekend, a three-day experience for incoming first-year students to help write the first edition of the year. It was there that I realized I really like to learn about different areas of science and more importantly, I love to share what I learn with others. I focused on writing articles in every area of science and occasionally ventured into some sports and news writing as well.

How has working at The Stute impacted your Stevens experience?

The Stute is where I am able to meet so many amazing people who are very involved on campus and learn from them. The organization has helped me to become more confident in my writing skills, something I felt was lacking when I came to Stevens. Also, The Stute has allowed me to hone my leadership skills. I am really grateful for my role as science editor. I have the opportunity to excite the student body and teach them about the newest scientific discoveries!

What is an article you wrote that makes you proud and why?

I’m especially proud of an article I wrote about a fellow Stevens student, Erin Kreis, who created SilverStrides, a walking app for older adults. Erin took her learning to another level by creating a company. I love that The Stute allows me to connect with ambitious students and share their stories with a larger audience.

You can read Riyana’s article here: “SilverStrides: A Stevens Innovation by Erin Kreis.”