Sadaf Sharifi As the graduation day approaches, the Mountain Echo newspaper spoke to several seniors at Mount St. Mary’s University, asked them to reflect on their experience and learned lessons the shaped their college years and offer their advice for other undergraduates who are preparing for a life after college. For any senior, being involved outside the classroom plays a significant role in their life and their personal growth as students and individuals who will lead

Kelby Chichester I hope everyone enjoyed the brief silence from my “annoying takes,” because unfortunately, reality has forced me back into your lives. And wow what a time to be alive, enrolled in college, and watching the news like it’s a poorly written drama that somehow got renewed for another season. Let’s start in January, because why ease into chaos when you can just dive headfirst into it? The United States decided to conduct airstrikes in Venezuela, capture Pres

Meghan J. Leavitt I started writing for the Mountain Echo in my second semester as a first-year student. Throughout my time with the Echo, I have served in multitudes of roles including a staff writer, the Opinion-Life editor, the Community Editor and now ending my tenure as the Managing Editor. During my four years at the Mount, I have served many roles but the most rewarding has been the one of Managing Editor for the newspaper. Associate Professor of Communication and t

Anna Hsia The war with Iran may be closer to the United States than many think, as Americans are already feeling its effects at the gas pump. As tensions rise around the Strait of Hormuz, prices have increased with no clear end in sight. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important waterways, carrying about 20% of global oil shipments and 20% of seaborne liquefied natural gas. Now largely closed to U.S. access, the disruption is already affecting gas prices natio

Audrey Owens The 98th Academy Awards were held March 15, 2026, in Hollywood, California. "One Battle After Another," a film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, dominated the ceremony, winning six awards, including best picture, best supporting actor, best director, best screenplay, best film editing and a new category, best casting. This makes "One Battle After Another" the first film in history to receive that honor. The only movie close to rivaling Anderson’s work was "Sinner

Kelby Chichester Black women pursuing acclaim in pop music have long been misunderstood throughout history. Many are overlooked or pigeonholed into R&B and soul. Others stumble on the path to stardom while still not being fully appreciated for their contributions. Black female pop stars pour themselves into an industry that does not always love them back. That reality is difficult to ignore when considering Manon Bannerman’s recent departure from the girl group Katseye. The

Audrey Owens Thanks to social media, many experiences have become performative. People post for social approval and extrinsic image rather than simply enjoying the experience. In many ways, holidays have amounted to this as well. Take, for example: Valentine’s Day. Feb. 14 was first declared a holiday in A.D. 496 by Pope Gelasius I as a feast day to honor Saint Valentine, but it didn’t become associated with love until the 14th century, when English poet Geoffrey Chaucer lin

Jasmin Sorrell No one wants to walk in the freezing cold or the blazing heat from their room to the ARCC. It’s not about being lazy; it’s useful. In case you didn’t know, Mount St. Mary’s University first placed its ban on e-scooters and other privately owned electric micro-mobility devices on Oct. 12, 2025. There was a follow-up email stating that the ban will continue to be in place on Jan. 16, 2026. The reasons for this stated by the university were because of a rise in

Jasmin Sorrell Feb. 1, 2026, began the celebration of Black History Month. BHM was officially created and recognized by the U.S. government in 1976 by President Gerald Ford. February marks the month to celebrate and recognize the important contributions to the nation made by historic Black figures. We shine the spotlight on civil rights trailblazers, innovators, doctors, educators, heroes and leaders, professional athletes and so many more who have paved the way for the follo

Audrey Owens On Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, America came together for the one thing the country has always agreed on: football. This year, though, was different. The Super Bowl halftime show, performed by artist Bad Bunny, sparked controversy and division, as well as an interesting conversation about what it means to be American. Save for one line, the performance was sung entirely in Spanish, with only a short song in English from guest artist Lady Gaga. Despite the language barr

Ahmad Mhusen I walked in thinking I wasn’t easily scared. Little did I know I couldn’t have been further from the truth. Field of Screams (FOS) was nothing less than a great time. Being my first time at FOS, I was really surprised by the environment. It felt like I was walking through a fall-themed fair. The music blared while people frolicked along the straw-covered ground, walking from attraction to attraction, waiting to get the scare of a lifetime. There were many differe

Nicole Campos Villaran A typhoon usually begins as a tropical depression that turns into a tropical storm when winds reach 39 miles per hour, then becomes a hurricane (typhoon) when winds reach 74 mph. The devastating storm happened on Sunday, Oct. 12, tearing through Alaska’s southwest coast. Many people believe that the storm was unusual because Merbok happened in 2022, but it’s similar to Halong. A week earlier, there had been a typhoon east of Japan, and the stream picked

Nicole Campos Villaran The kissing bug is native to the Americas, but its origin is in Central and South America. Due to its rapid population growth, its presence is considered endemic and is found in more states than many have thought. Many pet owners are alarmed for their pets’ health because these insects attach themselves and feed on blood; however, they do not cling to the skin like ticks. This can happen to humans too, not just pets. A bite from this insect can transmit

Anna Hsia Ciao from Florence, Italy! This past weekend, we traveled to Rome. Our day started early on Friday, Sept. 19, when we took a high-speed train into the city. After a short two-hour ride and settling into our hotel, we had some free time. My friends and I decided to grab lunch at a little panini restaurant and then headed to St. Peter’s Basilica. St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the most famous and important churches in the world. It is often considered the spiritual ce

Kandace Fernandez As someone who doesn’t quite fit the typical mold of a Mount St. Mary’s undergraduate student I came to the Mount with...

Kelby Chichester In yet another baffling display of ignorance and authoritarian fantasy convicted felon and former president Donald Trump...

Stacey May Historically McCaffrey has been first-year honors housing. This coming year McCaffrey and Horning Tower will be honors...

Colin Long The Mount has officially parted ways with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) causing great controversy and...

Nicole Campos-Villaran It’s officially been five years since our country announced a full shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19...

Kelby Chichester On March 4. 2025, President Donald Trump delivered his first address to a joint session of Congress in his second term...