For the 2025 Best Of Edition, the Daily Nexus Opinion section heard from members of our editorial staff about the very best of the best: our 2025 seniors.

Hey Maddy,

You have been a constant presence in the Photo section ever since we both joined as staff photographers two to three years ago. Whether serving as the assistant or stepping up as the full photo editor, your leadership has always stood out. This past year on the Photo team with you as Co-Editor and Assistant Editor has been incredibly meaningful and we are sad to see you go. You have been a great mentor, showing us the ins and outs of running the Photo section, working with other sections and, most importantly, having fun along the way. From photo walks with our photographers to simple conversations before our section meetings, your impact has been felt in both big and small ways. It’s been a great pleasure working with you. We will keep capturing campus life with everything you have taught us, and we hope the next chapter brings you nothing but exciting opportunities and success. You will certainly be missed!

Wesley Haver, Photo Editor, and Sherine John, Assistant Photo Editor 

Lizzy and Anushka, 

Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to the News section. We have learned so much from your leadership, and it has been a privilege to work alongside you as a team. We’ll miss having you for the late-night Arbor trips and long print nights. We hope to keep up the extensive coverage you spearheaded this year and wish you the best in your future endeavors! 

Michelle Cisneros and Jack Dindia, Co-Lead News Editors 

Dear Emily,

I’ll never forget how relieved I was when I found out you were working as a copy editor at the Daily Nexus. I was just hired as an assistant editor winter quarter freshman year, and I thought it would be nice to know at least one person in the office on my first day of work. 

Little did I know the Nexus would become integral to our friendship — late night prints, rapping at ACP, lunch in the Artsweek office. Working together in a dingy office under Storke Tower allowed our beautiful, strange bond to flourish.

Your intelligence, humor and creativity make you an incredible leader. Even though your time as EIC has ended, I’ll always look to you for your guidance. The Nexus has been changed for the better (read that in the tune of “Wicked” please) because of all you have given to it. You will be missed by all of us next year, and we’re so excited to see what you go on to do in the future! 

I’ve gotten a lot out of this job. You definitely have as well (boss). But I think the best thing working at the Nexus has given me is you. 

Congratulations, old ass.

Lauren Chiou, Artsweek Editor

Old MacDonald :(

Referred to affectionately as “My Boss Jesse” with my friends and family for two years, Jesse MacDonald is one of the greatest minds of our generation. Who else could operate a full escape room out of an Isla Vista apartment? Play the drums in a band with people old enough to be his grandparents? Give up Spotify altogether (for YouTube Music, at that) over a snafu involving Sabrina Carpenter?

Thank you for hiring me into your benevolent regime and preparing Copy well with an incredible staff and grand knowledge on this whole operation. Don’t worry about the time it took me four attempts to calculate the payroll, it’s all going to be [[ok]]. 

I will miss your ominous green default Slack profile picture and your pragmatic presence in the office as I lose my mind on Tuesday nights. All the best as you start your next journeys in academia and tomfoolery at the University of Washington, take good care of yourself (and my hometown). You are destined for greatness far beyond unaired episodes of “Survivor Santa Barbara” and this grimy, quaint dungeon of a newsroom. 

Alicia Siebers wants Jesse MacDonald to know that Seattle’s Space Needle was actually inspired by Storke Tower.

Alicia Siebers, Chief Copy Editor 

We are so lucky that we had the chance to work with Bridget at the Nexus. From getting hired to our last social meeting, she’s always been such a light. Bridget is bubbly and kind, but also incredibly driven. She took us under her wing this year and helped us grow into our roles with so much encouragement and support. She always made us feel like we knew what we were doing — even when we didn’t. Bridget made every meeting and event feel fun and welcoming. We know she’ll do amazing things in the social media and marketing world — she knows how to get things done. The Nexus won’t be the same without her energy, but we’re so excited to see what the future holds for her. We love you, Bridget! Congrats! 

Aidan made the Nexus such a fun and supportive place. At first, he seemed quiet, but it didn’t take long before he was cracking all the right jokes. We don’t know what we’d do without the chaos and laughs in our Social group chat. Even after being phased out this spring, he still steps in to get posts up for us when we’re busy — just out of the kindness of his heart. Aidan is a great leader who knew how to keep things light while getting stuff done. No one could run the Nexus Sports page like he did. If you haven’t checked it out, you should. We’ll miss you, Aidan! Can’t wait to see what you get up to next. 

Shawn Wilke, Sofia Eden and Carina Cho, Social team 

Amitha, 

I vividly remember the first time we met — we were both late to my first ever EdStaff and you helped me get into the office when I struggled with the door code. I was so so nervous, but your helpful, cheery attitude put me immediately at ease. Since then, my respect for you has only grown. You seem to do 1,000 different things, and you do them all well. You lead the Nexus with a steady hand and a watchful eye, and I truly admire how you never falter on your standards or morals. I have no doubt that you’ll go on to do some incredible things, and I can’t wait to see all you accomplish! 

Sneha Cheenath, Managing Editor 

Faith is one of the best types of editors I know. She is hilarious, a great teacher and she makes it to print even when her bike gets taken by corrupt CSOs. I recently had the honor of seeing her play, “How to Say Bowl in Spanish,” which was an excellent and thought-provoking semi-autobiographical telling of Faith’s high school life. It explored how people had to defend themselves around such an angry young woman.

Okay, in all seriousness (something rare for Faith and I), I love Faith. If I wasn’t already aware enough of her talent, her play only solidified how gifted and hardworking she really is. I am so proud of her for her stewardship of Nexustentialism and I am so excited to see what she accomplishes post-grad! 

Juliet Becker, Nexustentialism Editor 

Erick and Nadia, thank you so much for being both welcoming and kind from the very beginning. You’ve done an amazing job as Editors, pouring love and passion into all that you do, which is something we admire about you two. Thank you for passing along this section to us, which was built with so much care. It is what it is today because of you two. We will honor what you have contributed to La Vista and we’re truly grateful for the opportunity to continue this legacy. We hope to live up to the expectations you’ve set. Despite the short time together, we will hold dear the friendships that have come from this. From the bottom of our hearts, we wish you all the best in your future endeavors. May luck and prosperity come your way, and may you succeed in accomplishing your dreams. We love you two.

Nestor Manzanares, Sofia Benitez and Azucena Sanchez, La Vista Editors

A version of this article appeared on p. 17 of the May 29, 2025 edition of the Daily Nexus.