Meet News: The Spirit of The Griffin

By: Kaitlyn Belile, Features Editor and Madison Howard, Assistant Features Editor

This semester, the news section introduced a new assistant & found themselves a new editor! Madison and I (KB) decided that we should introduce our super close friends who also happen to be the editors of the section that delivers you news every week! 

The news editor: Katie Dusza is a second-semester staff member who was the assistant news editor last semester and is now the section editor! “I help come up with ideas for articles, I write them and I edit them.” Dusza is a double major in English and communication studies. 

Dusza’s favorite thing about The Griffin is the friendships she has made. Her favorite memory so far has been “by far San Francisco.” In San Fran, Dusza enjoyed “building a tighter relationship with my Griffin staff… and I liked Alcatraz and I liked walking everywhere.” My (KB) favorite part of the trip was when she got a mint coffee and was confused by the mint leaf that she got in her coffee. 

When she’s not in the office or singing with the CrescenDON’Ts, Dusza can be found painting, baking cookies or writing stories on Wattpad. As the director of public relations for the DON’Ts and an active member of Phi Sigma Sigma, Katie Dusza is an active participant in many different organizations on campus and can often be seen all around campus or on her house porch – and if you read “Meet The Features,” you will know that my (KB) favorite spot is Dusza’s house, especially her porch! 

Dusza enjoys writing about political issues for The Griffin – and her fanfiction, when she’s not working on her news articles. She frequently writes “Beyond the Dome” articles, which detail various issues around the world (AKA beyond the Canisius dome). In speaking about her time as a staff member on The Griffin, Dusza said, “I always look forward to Thursdays… It’s fun and everyone has similar senses of humor and everyone gets along well and it's just fun to hang out and work on something important.”

The assistant news editor is Javohir Aminov, a freshman animal behavior, ecology and conservation (ABEC) major on the pre-veterinary track who joined The Griffin to expand his writing skills and stay engaged with current events. As assistant news editor, Aminov helps cover a wide range of topics, from political and local issues, to campus-related news and broader public affairs.

On a typical week, Aminov can usually be found in the Griffin office around 5 p.m. on Thursdays working through assigned articles or finishing pieces in progress. “I edit my pre-written work if I already finished them prior, but if I don't get the chance to finish a piece, I complete it during Thursday afternoon,” he said, describing his routine as structured but manageable alongside his academic schedule. Aminov was drawn to the role because of his interest in informing others and exploring current events. “I like informing people about situations that they’re not so sure about,” he said, adding that he also enjoys learning about politics and improving his professional writing skills. 

Within the news section, one of Aminov’s favorite areas to work on is “Beyond the Dome,” a segment that allows writers to explore topics beyond Canisius University. “It has a broad range of many topics you can talk about that’s not only Canisius-based, but for the whole world” he said. When describing the section to new readers, Aminov explained that it primarily focuses on keeping students informed about both campus and broader current events. “In most cases, we talk about what is going on at Canisius University, and if not, we talk about ‘Beyond the Dome’ where we talk about other things, like politics, war, or the government,” he said.

Beyond The Griffin, Aminov is involved in several campus activities, including Little Theatre, U.S.A and pep band. Outside of academics and writing, he enjoys spending time alone to recharge, often relaxing in bed and reading webtoons or hanging out with friends. He also shared a personal hobby that keeps him consistent outside of school: Duolingo. Aminov is currently learning Russian and the piano, having a streak of over 800 days.

When asked about campus life, Aminov said one of his favorite spots is the grassy lot near Science Hall. “It’s such an open space, you get to see the sky and look at the birds hopping around" he said, noting it as a place where he often walks through and enjoys the environment.

Aminov appreciates the flexibility and support within The Griffin team. “They help you if you’re having trouble on it,” he said, adding that the collaborative environment makes the section easier to manage. For Aminov, the best part of being on the team is the sense of community built during weekly meetings: “We’re in close quarters together every week, and I believe that builds our bond even further.” 

You can always pick up a paper every Friday to see what Katie Dusza and Javo Aminov are working on in the news section!