Mary Prahinski (CAS ’85) served with THE HOYA as a staff writer in 1981 before being named Assistant News Editor and then News Editor. In 1984 she was elected Editor in Chief. Prahinski is currently Director of Development at the Office of Alumni and University Relations.

What do you remember most about production? What was it like then?

When I started, THE HOYA had only one typewriter in the Copley Basement office. We worked hard to save money to buy then state-of-the-art IBM Selectric typewriters for use by the staff. Before I finished my term as editor in chief, we had at least four brand new Selectric typewriters. Production then was a different adventure than it is now. We typed copy on paper, edited it and then took the edited versions to a graphics firm who created type on M Street. Editors took turns doing “Graftec runs” at certain times, and we’d spend Thursday evenings at Graftec, pasting up the flats for the paper and doing final edits. I can particularly remember some very late nights when we were still at Graftec until well after midnight, finishing late news, particularly after GUSA elections, or for other late breaking news. We also had some adventures delivering the paper after picking it up at the printing company.

In the time you have witnessed, how have you seen THE HOYA change?

THE HOYA has continued to be the newspaper that those on campus turn to for information. It has taken on the character of the school at the time, and reflects some of the editors’ interests at the time.

What have been some of your favorite stories, either that you have read or that you wrote or worked on?

So many stories bring back memories. Some of the most fun to produce were the April Fools’ issues that we had a great time creating. On a more serious note, it was a real experience to be able to produce a Final Four issue when we won the National Championship, with some of the staff reporting in from Seattle, as well as doing two other Final Four issues during the four years. Also, some of the student politics stories were interesting to cover at the time and fun to think about now. It was interesting to cover the planning process for new facilities on campus, including plans for the Leavey Student Center, and some of the then new residential facilities including Nevils, Alumni Village, Village C, and how those complexes would change the nature of the on-campus living experience.

– Interview by Hoya Staff Writer Aaron Terrazas