Meet the Editors: The Griffin’s news section

By: Helena Kottas, Assistant Features Editor

Ever wonder who's behind your favorite stories in The Griffin? Meet the editors, get to know their personalities and find out what makes being part of the paper special. Each week, we’ll be highlighting a different group of editors who help bring The Griffin to life. To kick things off, we’re introducing our news editors, Javohir and Cooper! 

First off, meet Javohir Aminov, a sophomore Animal Behavior, Ecology and Conservation (ABEC) major from Queens, N.Y. This is his second year on The Griffin staff, but this year he serves as the news editor. Additionally, he is involved in Model United Nations, in which he is on the executive board. He is also a United Students Association (USA) senator and a member of Unity. He chose to join The Griffin because it was something different. Aminov said he wanted a fun way to expand his writing skills, which perfectly encapsulates what The Griffin is all about. Specifically, he chose news because of his interest in politics and government, as well as his desire to keep others informed about current events. 

During his time at The Griffin, Aminov has grown as an editor and writer. He worked last year as the assistant news editor, where he made lots of new friendships. His favorite memory from The Griffin comes from last year when “everyone would throw the bouncy stars at each other." As the news editor this year, he previews articles, uploads stories to the website and comes up with ideas for the storyboard. His advice for students is to analyze their priorities; like work, academics and social life, and understand their importance before taking action. For students involved in The Griffin, he reminds us that this is “not homework or a competition; it is just for the love of the game.” Aminov emphasizes the importance of not overworking yourself to avoid burnout and asking for help when needed. 

In his free time, Aminov enjoys gardening and planting. He likes taking care of things and spending time with nature. From his interest in politics to his passion for writing, Javohir Aminov is excited to help keep the Canisius community informed. Have a news story you think The Griffin should cover? Reach out to Javohir Aminov!

Next up, meet Cooper Hillman, the assistant news editor. He is a sophomore marketing major from Lancaster, N.Y. Additionally, he is involved in CrescenDONT’s, and is Treasurer Elect for the Blue and Gold Brigade. He is also a member of Little Theatre, where he works on production and stage crew and plays in the orchestra. 

When Hillman was younger, he attended a summer program at Canisius for many years. He always enjoyed it and attending Canisius for college was something he had considered for a long time. When he looked at colleges he really liked the business program here and has loved Canisius ever since. 

Last year, fellow staff members, Andrew Nowel and Aminov, encouraged him to join. He chose news because it is a broad section that allows him to write literally, which Hillman really enjoys. His favorite memory from his time with The Griffin thus far is getting ice cream with Aminov and Madison Howard. He encourages students to join staff if they enjoy writing for fun, while emphasizing the importance of time management. 

If you have ever seen Hillman around, you would know his favorite color is orange. He also wanted to mention his love for McDonald’s chicken nuggets over Wendy’s. From attending Canisius programs as a child to becoming part of The Griffin staff, Hillman has found plenty of ways to be involved on campus. If you have a news tip, be sure to share it with Cooper Hillman!