Tripod Staff: Fall 2025
Editor-in-Chief
Savannah Brooks ’26
she/her
Savannah Brooks ’26 is the Editor-in-Chief for the Tripod. A history major with a minor in community action, Savannah hails from the great town of Crofton, Maryland (famous for its invasive snakehead incident in 2002). She formerly served as a News Editor for the Tripod before becoming a Managing Editor in the fall of 2023. While she writes for every section, her biggest reporting interests include reviewing theatre, interviewing compelling people about their passions and highlighting student activism on campus. Her most notable reporting includes covering George Will’s ’62 50th anniversary with the Washington Post, the Trinity encampment in 2024, and featuring Robert Pingpank ’59. When not obsessing over the Tripod, you can catch Savannah in theatrical productions, working at the Watkinson, giving a campus tour, or working the scoreboard for a Trinity sports game. Her favorite activities include spending all of her money on Broadway shows and going to baseball games. The Tripod is one of her greatest passions and she believes in the sustaining power of the written word.
Managing Editors
Bella Chirkis ’27
she/her
Bella is a junior at Trinity from Albany, New York. She is a double major in English and theatre & dance! She wrote as a staff writer for the Trinity Tripod in the Arts & Entertainment section her first year, spent her sophomore year as the Executive News Editor before becoming a Managing Editor her junior year. In her free time, she likes to read, shop, craft and listen to music (specifically Lana Del Rey.) Bella is so excited to be a part of the Tripod this year.
Nick Cimillo ‘26
he/him
Nick Cimillo is a senior from Rutherford, New Jersey double majoring in English and public policy & law. He is proud to be one of this year’s Managing Editors for the Trinity Tripod. Having written his first few articles for the paper at the start of his sophomore year, he has since written several pieces pertaining to the events and people of Trinity and Hartford as a Features Editor, including the debut of WRTC’s new radio station and the story behind a local Black-owned digital bookstore, as well as countless senior and professor spotlights. He particularly enjoys features writing for how it combines the subjectivity of peoples’ experiences with the objectivity of fact-based reporting. Beyond the Tripod, Nick serves as the Business Manager of the Accidentals, the Secretary of the Chapel Singers and works at the Watkinson Library. He enjoys listening to and performing music, reading, chugging coffee and watching YouTube video essays about TV shows he’s never seen.
Talia Cutler ‘27
she/her
Talia Cutler is a Managing Editor of the Trinity Tripod this year after previously serving as the Executive Opinion Editor. She hails from D.C. and West Virginia, and she is majoring in English. A tried-and-true complainer, she loves the Tripod because of its commitment to amplifying student voices. On campus, Tally is a Managing Editor of the Vernacular, a member of the English Department SAB, dabbles in book club, and is fanatic for community engagement. You can find her frowning in Peter B’s, frowning while doing crosswords, or frowning while eating hot fries. For the 2025-2026 year, she will be frowning overseas while attending the University of Oxford.
News Editors
Iqra Athar ’26
she/her
Executive News Editor
Iqra Athar ’26, a Pakistani-American from Manchester, New Hampshire, is pursuing a double major in economics and political science at Trinity College with a deep-seated passion for journalism. Starting from poetry and short stories in middle school, she advanced to leading a writing club and contributing to student magazines in high school. As a News Editor for the Tripod, she focuses on institutional accountability, diversity, politics, and international news. Beyond journalism, Iqra works at the Fitness Center, is active in the Trinity College Student Investment Fund, and enjoys exploring markets, history, and activism. Her personal interests include music, matcha, and podcasts.
Ini-Oluwa Adegbayi ‘28
she/her
inioluwa.adegbayi@trincoll.edu
Ini-Oluwa Adegbayi ’28 serves as a News Editor for the Trinity Tripod and is deeply engaged in student leadership and community action at Trinity. An economics and public policy & law double major, Ini-Oluwa is passionate about exploring the intersections of governance, justice, and social change. On campus, she serves as Class President for the class of 2028 in the Student Government Association, working to amplify student voices and advocate for inclusive policies. Beyond student government, Ini-Oluwa is active in the Trinity African Student Association (TASA), where she contributes to community events such as the annual Fashion Show. She is also part of the Faith Inspired Students at Trinity (FIST), where she contributes to helping other students build their faith on campus. Additionally, she works at the Writing Center and as a First-Year Pride Leader.
As a writer, Ini-Oluwa is particularly interested in reporting on campus news, including student events, emerging traditions, and feature stories that highlight the ways Trinity students engage with the broader Hartford community. Outside of academics and leadership, Ini-Oluwa values attending cultural events, reflecting through journaling, and participating in thoughtful dialogue about the role of young people in building more equitable futures. For Ini-Oluwa, storytelling and advocacy go hand in hand, and she sees the Tripod as an opportunity to uplift underrepresented voices and spark meaningful dialogue across campus.
Helena Likus ’26
she/her
Helena Likus ‘26 is a News Editor from Kraków, Poland. She is pursuing a triple major in political science, philosophy and German studies. Her academic focus, paired with her international student status, informs her interest in social justice, which she finds especially important under the current political climate. This is what motivates her Tripod engagement. Involved both on and off campus, in her free time she enjoys staring blankly at the wall.
Opinion Editors:
Alex Gervais ’28
he/him
Executive Opinion and Design Editor
alexander.gervais@trincoll.edu
Alex Gervais ’28 is the Executive Opinion and Design editor for the Tripod. He is a public policy & law and economics double major from Westwood, Massachusetts. He first joined the Tripod as a design staffer, but got involved with opinion to satiate his itch for argument in the wake of the 2024 election. His favorite activities include annoying everybody he meets about politics, doing the New York Times crossword and performatively using Photoshop in the library. You can often find Alex organizing for Trinity College Democrats or working out with friends in the gym.
Features Editors
Lily Mellitz ’26
she/her
Executive Features Editor
Lily Mellitz ’26 is this year’s Executive Features Editor. Born in China, Lily has called Connecticut home for most of her life. Prior to her current role with Features, Lily served as the Executive Arts & Entertainment Editor, former Executive Features Editor and a staff writer for the Arts and News sections. Currently pursuing a major in theater and dance and a double minor in classical tradition and English, Lily’s academic pursuits reflect her diverse interests in the arts and humanities. Outside of her studies and journalistic endeavors, she enjoys reading, writing, dancing, obsessing over musicals and spending time with her family. Lily’s decision to join the Tripod was driven by her love for writing and she is excited to shed light on the vibrancy of Trinity’s community.
Sara Zahoor ’26
she/her
Sara Zahoor ’26 is a Features Editor for the Tripod. She is a public policy & law major with a concentration in policy analysis. Sara lives in Massachusetts, where she enjoys reading and working out.
Arts & Entertainment Editors:
Hannah Smith ‘26
she/her
Executive Arts & Entertainment Editor
Hannah Smith ‘26 is an editor of the Arts & Entertainment section of the Trinity Tripod. She began her work with the Tripod in 2023 with an article diving into the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon that took the world by storm the previous summer. From then on, she’s written film reviews for new releases, watchlists filled with hidden gems, and reports of art events put on by Trinity. As a film studies and English double major, the list of film recommendations just keeps growing. Hannah (obviously) loves film, but she’s also interested in sports — basketball in particular, literature, and music.
Maya Sasaki-George ’28
she/her
Maya Sasaki-George ’28 is one of the Arts & Entertainment Editors at the Tripod. She is a proud Pomona, Californian who double majors in film and international studies with a minor in Japanese. Her interests include film, literature, music, and finding weird secret places at Trinity to hang out.
Sports Editors:
Ashley McDermott ‘26
she/her
Executive Sports Editor
Ashley McDermott is a sophomore from Rockland County, New York. She began as a staff writer and has since become a Sports Editor. Some of her reports include a survey on queer students and their relationship to Greek Life, interviews with Trinity athletes and coverage on the UConn National Championship win. Ashley is majoring in public policy and also enjoys taking anthropology and writing courses. She is a mentor for the Venture Women’s Leadership Orientation group and is a member of the Stella Society, where she serves as their current Panhellenic Delegate. Ashley wants to use her position on the Tripod to give the student body a voice and to get to know her peers better via interviews.
Annika Haley ‘26
she/her
Annika Haley is an English major and environmental science minor from Marblehead, Massachusetts. She plays softball at Trinity and is the sustainability representative and SAAC representative for the softball team. Annika has always loved sports and joined the Tripod this year to express her love for sports by writing about the sports teams and events at Trinity! She is a sports editor for the Tripod and looks forward to keeping the Trinity community updated on the sports events on campus!
Bits & Pieces Editors:
Angelica Gajewski ‘26
she/her
Executive Bits & Pieces Editor
angelica.gajewski@trincoll.edu
Angelica Gajewski ’26 is a Bits and Pieces Editor from Connecticut. Trained in comedy by a Polish Catholic upbringing and a relentlessly one-upping older brother, she has a knack for delivering laughs and leaving people with a cosmic sense of unease. Majoring in English and film studies, Angelica joined the Tripod in 2024 to put her highly refined people-watching skills to good use—and to have something to do on Monday nights. When not writing, you can find her taste-testing non-FDA-approved gas station caffeine products or striking up existential conversations with stray cats.
Staff Photographers:
Curtis Casey ’28
Sajja Ranjit ’29
Staff Writers:
William Friedman ’28
Leon Hu ’29
Connor Tuttle ’27
Fields Thomas ’29
Social Media Team:
Tabby Hill ’28
Brooke Potter ’29