On April 28, history was made as Naomi Lin ’24 was announced as the new and first female Editor-in-Chief of The Crusader newspaper, along with Talia Bumanglag ’24, the new managing editor, and Addison Hwang ’24 as the new Editor in Chief of The Shield magazine for the 2023-2024 school year.

This marks the first time in the history of The Crusader in which all the top leadership positions will be filled by girls. They will take over from Joseph Zuloaga ’23, the current Editor-in-Chief of The Crusader, and Angelina Ning ’23, the current Editor in Chief of The Shield.

Since Riordan first opened its doors in 1949 and through its transition to a coed school, all the editors in chief of The Crusader have been male. However, with the first wave of female students entering the school in 2021, it has opened up new opportunities for female students at Riordan, including leadership positions on The Crusader.

Zuloaga stated, “The newspaper is entering a new era. The first wave of girls that entered the new co-ed Riordan freshman year will become seniors next year, opening up positions for them in clubs, like the newspaper.”

Now, Lin has made history as the first female Editor-in-Chief in the history of The Crusader. Upon finding out that she had won the position, she expressed her disbelief, stating, “It felt so surreal in the moment, and I am still so incredibly honored to hold the title of Editor-in-Chief of such an esteemed newspaper.”

She added, “This is especially meaningful to me as the first female EIC at this school and publication to hold this position.”

Zuloaga added, “Naomi has been one of the most reliable editors during her time on staff, being tenacious and dedicated. Ms. Sutton and I are confident that she will be a successful Editor-in-Chief.”

Alongside Lin, Talia Bumanglag earned the role of Managing Editor, where she will assist Lin in ensuring that The Crusader maintains its high standards. She also hopes to produce more issues and strives to “create the best and most authentic work we can.”

She stated, “The more organized and overall evolved we become, the more we can write, promote, and create real impactful change.

Additionally, Addison Hwang will succeed Ning as EIC of The Shield. Ning played a vital role in bringing her idea of a school magazine to life during her senior year and was the first EIC. Now, Hwang will be taking the lead as the second EIC of The Shield. She stated, “I hope that I can improve the recognition of the magazine and encourage more people to become involved.”

Ning concluded, “I hope The Shield grows, flourishes, and wins an award in the future. I want to see how new minds take it and how far we can take it.”

As the 2023-2024 school year begins, Lin, Bumanglag, and Hwang will step into their new roles, representing a new generation of Riordan leaders who will continue to break barriers and shape the future of the school.