The Hoya has selected Michelle Vassilev (CAS ’24) as its next editor in chief. 

Vassilev, an English major with minors in journalism and public health, is the 150th editor in chief to take the helm at The Hoya, which has more than 300 active members. Vassilev published her first print edition with The Hoya’s staff Dec. 1 and will continue to lead the paper for the remainder of the 2023-2024 academic year. 

Vassilev’s goals for the paper include implementing a new, more comprehensive breaking news coverage process, strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion and developing stronger relationships between the paper and student organizations. Vassilev also plans to improve The Hoya’s website and feature more student photography.

Vassilev has served as executive editor of The Hoya since April 2023. In this role, Vassilev conducted final edits on all content that the paper published within its news, features, opinion, sports, guide, science and multimedia sections. 

Prior to assuming her executive editor position, Vassilev served as senior news editor of The Hoya, overseeing the paper’s coverage of student life, academics, city news, graduate programs, campus events and the Georgetown University Student Association. While leading the news team, Vassilev also continued reporting, conducting investigations into the misappropriation of student scholarship funds, antisemitism on campus, student protests on issues like abortion rights and the university’s reconciliation efforts for descendants of the GU272+, the 314 enslaved people whom the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus sold to financially sustain the university in 1838. 

Vassilev has also covered new hires in the university administration and athletics program, including the firing of former men’s basketball coach Patrick Ewing (CAS ’85) and the subsequent arrival of former Providence Friars coach Ed Cooley. 

These accomplishments came after Vassilev transferred to Georgetown in the beginning of her junior year. Prior, Vassilev was a student at George Washington University where she worked at The GW Hatchet, the oldest newspaper in Washington, D.C. following The Washington Post. 

At The Hatchet, Vassilev started off as a reporter and staff writer, before ascending her way to health and sciences editor on the news team. 

As health and sciences editor in the height of the pandemic, Vassilev spearheaded coverage of the university’s response to COVID-19, students’ struggles securing tests and their experiences losing loved ones. Vassilev was also responsible for coverage of the nursing, public health and engineering schools, as well as the university’s sustainability initiatives and the Medical Faculty Associates, a nonprofit physician group affiliated with the university.  

Vassilev will bring her experiences from The Hatchet and The Hoya to her new role as editor in chief. 

The Hoya is Georgetown University’s largest and oldest student-run newspaper, serving as the university’s paper of record since 1920. The editor in chief is elected by the paper’s board of directors, as well as its former editor in chief, executive editors, managing editor and general manager. This promotions committee elected Vassilev as editor in chief Oct. 22.

To contact Vassilev with any questions regarding The Hoya’s coverage, please reach out to [email protected].