Brenston Barks Goodbye
Nico Schmitz – Editor-in-Chief
Nico started working for the Rover in the spring of his freshman year after realizing he should probably get involved with something before his first year of college ended. Three years later, he has now served as the culture editor, managing editor, and Editor-in-Chief. The biggest question remaining for him after graduation is whether his weekly Rover dreams (nightmares) will go away. In the meantime, he will be moving to New York City shortly after graduation to begin an internship in venture capital and hopes to remain in that industry before evidently ending up in law school. While he has covered a variety of topics from drag shows to admission changes and made lifelong friends throughout his time with the Rover, he is proud that his time will always be measured by his contributions to the ongoing debates on the political implications of the Cars universe.
Paul Howard – Executive Editor
In his sophomore year, Paul began his career as a Rover staff writer with a fun, low-stakes assignment: an hour-long interview with Cardinal Gerhard Müller about the problems plaguing both the modern world and the Catholic university. In the spring of his sophomore year, while spending a semester abroad, Paul was placed in a pleasant enough mood to accept the position of religion editor, after the smashing success of his initial article. He followed upon a successful year editing religion—the religion section, that is—by serving as the Rover’s executive editor. In both of these roles, he brought his characteristic sophomoric jocularity [editor’s note: he’s not that funny] to such opinion pieces as Answers Uncalled For? and The Wrongs of ‘Rights.’ Paul’s wit makes him a natural roommate for the Rover humor editor, with whom he will live next year as an M.A. student in the Program for Early Christian Studies.
W. Joseph DeReuil – Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, Opinion Editor
W. Joseph DeReuil worked for the Rover for all four years of undergrad, moving from covering an abortion clinics’ lawsuit against the state of Indiana as a freshman staff writer to becoming much more personally involved in similar matters as Editor-in-Chief his junior year and during his semi-retirement as opinion editor his senior year. The Rover has led to friendships with many administrators and faculty at Notre Dame, and has taught him that journalism is basically just learning how to hold a conversation and a recording device at the same time. Working for the Rover has perhaps closed many career paths that he will never know about, but has also opened many others, none of which he will embark on. He will instead be entering the postulancy for the Norbertines of St. Michael’s Abbey in Southern California, where he will learn how to wake up earlier than the typical Rover publishing night ends and go to bed before Rover editors are done with the first round of edits. He hopes the staff will subscribe the abbey to the paper so that he can keep an eye on what Michael Canady and the new Rover staff are up to.
Luke Thompson – Campus Editor
Luke always knew there was something missing in his life. He looked and looked but just couldn’t find what was missing. Even at Notre Dame, he could not find a place that was just right. That’s when he found a newspaper that was perfect for a rover like him. Though he was not Irish, he figured that this was good enough and finally put his feet in the ground. Ever since that fateful day, Luke has dedicated gallons of blood, sweat, and tears to the smooth running of this fine publication. The world would never be the same. As he moves on from this position, he looks back. Will it ever get better? Is this it? Probably, but they won’t let me stay. Remember me, Rover readers. Remember my idea. Hold it in your heart. Don’t ever let the notion that Cars is an apolitical movie rest in your head for more than a moment ever again. After graduation, Luke will finally become (somewhat) Irish, just as he ceases to be a rover, after he marries a nice Gaelic girl and settles down.
PJ Butler – Politics Editor
PJ arrived at Notre Dame with the intention of following in his father’s footsteps and going to dental school. But public health officials—likely bought and paid for by the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government—had other plans. Desperate to slow the spread of improved oral health, the experts mandated that he reorient his career prospects. During his studies in the College of Arts & Letters, he staged a renegade trip to Washington, D.C. in the middle of January and participated in more GroupMe debates than he would care to admit. His first contribution to the Rover did not come until his junior year, but he eventually decided to take up journalism more seriously at the encouragement of the seasoned members of the masthead. He is grateful for the camaraderie and free entertainment that the Rover has provided him throughout his senior year. Ignoring the age-old wisdom of the man who said, “Never fight uphill, me boys. Never fight uphill,” he will be working on Capitol Hill following graduation.
Madelyn Stout – Layout Manager
Madelyn originally wrote for the politics section of the Rover, covering the Italian elections and liberal education. However, she answered the call for Layout Manager upon hearing how desperate the staff was for someone with knowledge of one of Adobe’s most frustrating softwares. Many a night she has spent working on the Rover’s layout in InDesign and learning how to skillfully tune out the men’s conversations. But, at the end of the night, she’s proud to have been a part of an incredible staff and will dearly miss the late nights, endless laughs, and friends she has found. This summer she will be moving to Kansas City, where she will continue advocating for strong, liberal K–12 Christian education with the Herzog Foundation.
Contrary to popular belief, Brenston is a fierce dog that not only barks, but also bites. In fact, he wrote this piece from the pound. His lawyer from Bob Lobb Law is currently working to secure his timely release.
Photo Credit: Matthew Rice, the Irish Rover
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