StudentMay 16, 2018Campus News
By: Laura Freedman '19

Student Spotlight On Catie Bombard '18

Aquinas Editor Discusses Majors, Magazine.
Student Spotlight On Catie Bombard '18

Catherine Bombard ’18, from Wayne, New Jersey, is the outgoing editor-in-chief of The Aquinas. Bombard began her career at the University as an English literature major minoring in communication. However, after taking a communication ethics class taught by Matthew Reavy, Ph.D., Bombard decided to declare a second major: strategic communication with a track in public relations.

“It’s really about trying to bring out the best in people and bring out the best in a company or whatever organization you’re working for,” Bombard said. “I really think I have this drive. I want to see people being the best they can be.”

Bombard started writing for The Aquinas during her sophomore year at the University after a friend of hers reached out about writing for the Arts and Life section of the paper. Not long after she began writing for the paper, Bombard began getting more involved in The Aquinas. Anytime a new position opened, Bombard would jump to take it. Over the past three years, Bombard was involved in copyediting, the Campus Commons and co-editing the Arts and Life section before ultimately becoming editor-in-chief for the 2017-18 academic year.

The Aquinas has had a very positive impact on Bombard, so much so that she has the publication engraved on her class ring.

“I really met some of my best friends in this club,” Bombard said. “I think that’s one of the great things about joining organizations at the University. If you really find something you’re passionate about, and you join an organization for that, you’re surrounded by people who are the same as you. It’s so crazy how one common interest can bond people together.”

Throughout her time working on The Aquinas, Bombard has seen the publication go through a variety of changes. Last spring, the publication went from publishing a weekly newspaper to only publishing content online.

“There was a lot of confusion on campus,” Bombard said. “People were confused as to why we’d do that. A lot of professors were bummed out. A lot of students were bummed out.”

During the summer before her senior year, Bombard came up with the idea to put out a monthly magazine in addition to the weekly content The Aquinas published on its website. At first, Bombard only thought of the magazine as a “distant idea.” However, after gaining support from her advisors and staff, Bombard soon realized that her idea was not as distant as it originally seemed.

“If one or two people disagreed with the magazine, I don’t think I could’ve followed through with it,” Bombard said.

For Bombard, the first great moment in the creation of The Aquinas magazine was the very first staff meeting she had with her editors. Everyone was looking forward to contributing to the magazine.

“I really think the best moments are when you see your staff excited and when everyone’s ready to put in the work,” Bombard said.

However, there were some minor bumps in the road that the staff had to overcome as they began working on the magazine.

“There was definitely a learning gap,” Bombard said. “Not everyone really knew how to use InDesign software.”

Making deadlines was another challenge Bombard and her staff faced as they worked to produce the magazine.

“Students in general love to procrastinate,” Bombard said. “I know I do.”

However, all that hard work paid off. In November 2017, The Aquinas released its first magazine to the public. The publication produced two more magazines during the spring 2018 semester and will release a senior edition for the Class of 2018 during Senior Week.

Looking ahead, Bombard hopes to one day become an editor of a magazine after she graduates. Her time working on The Aquinas has truly helped develop her love for editing.

"Overall, I love having the opportunity to lead such an important publication in the University's history," Bombard said. "This is the official student publication. Although it comes with a lot of pressure, I think that it's a gift more than anything. Having the potential to provide something that the University community can treasure and enjoy is really cool."

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