About Us
The Front is the official, independent student newspaper of Western Washington University. News and opinion content is written, edited and published by students. Staff reporters are enrolled in a course in the department of journalism, but any student enrolled at Western may offer stories, photos or guest columns to the editors. The Front is primarily supported by student fees.
Please contact The Front’s editors with any questions, comments or concerns about this site or our coverage of Western, Bellingham and Whatcom County.
Want to submit a guest piece?
Check out these guidelines we created to help start a guest piece. After review of the above guidelines, submit this form indicating your agreement to The Front's guest piece guidelines. Please submit the final piece to westernfront.opeditor@gmail.com.
Want to advertise?
Direct inquiries to our advertising department. advertise.thefront@gmail.com
Kie Relyea relyead@wwu.edu
Official social media accounts
Facebook: The Western Front
Instagram: @thefrontonline
Editor-in-Chief
Mia Limmer-Lai (she/her) is the editor-in-chief of The Front this quarter. She is a third-year environmental studies and journalism student at Western with a minor in honors interdisciplinary studies. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and listening to punk music.
You can reach her at mianlimmerlai.thefront@gmail.com or eic.westernfront@gmail.com
Managing Editors
Oren Roberts (they/them) is one of the managing editors for The Front this quarter. They have a professional background in sustainable agriculture and will graduate with a degree in news/editorial journalism this year. Oren's writing has been published in The Front and The Salish Current. When they aren't locked into the editing process, you can find them cooing at their fermentation projects or photographing the beauty of Bellingham.
You can reach them at orenroberts.thefront@gmail.com or me.thefront@gmail.com
Jenna Millikan (she/her) is one of the managing editors for The Front this quarter. She is a Senior majoring in journalism news/editorial and minoring in political science. When she's not writing, she enjoys cheesy movies, reading and drinking too much coffee. You can reach her at jennamillikan.thefront@gmail.com
You can reach her at jennamillikan.thefront@gmail.com or me.thefront@gmail.com
City News Editor
Ayden Sweat (he/him) is the city news editor for The Front this quarter. He has previously been a reporter and the photo and video editor for The Front. Ayden is in his fourth year at Western, studying visual journalism and minoring in anthropology. Outside of the newsroom, he hosts a radio show at KUGS-FM Bellingham, cooks, and explores the outdoors.
You can reach him at aydensweat.thefront@gmail.com
City Life Editor
Madelyn Jones (she/her) is the city life editor for The Front this quarter. She is a fourth-year journalism news/editorial major and anthropology minor, and has previously reported on campus life and city life for The Front. When she's not writing, she likes reading, listening to music and hanging out with her cat.
You can reach her at madelynjones.thefront@gmail.com
Campus News Editor
Austin Wright (he/him) is the campus news editor for The Front this quarter. He is a third-year journalism news/editorial major and previously reported on campus news for The Front. Outside of the newsroom, you can find him playing ultimate frisbee, watching soccer or hiking.
You can reach him at austinwright.thefront@gmail.com
Campus Life Editor
Larson McDonagh (they/them) is the campus life editor for The Front. They are a senior majoring in environmental journalism. Outside of the journalism library, Lars can be found at Western's Performing Arts Center singing with the Advanced Treble Chorale, playing wheelchair basketball at the Wade King Student Recreation Center, or mending all their darn socks.
You can reach them at larsmcdonagh.thefront@gmail.com
Sports & Recreation Editor
Meladie Young (she/her) is the sports and recreation editor for The Front. She is in her third year at Western, majoring in visual journalism. Meladie has published work in The Front and Klipsun Magazine, as well as working with WWU Athletics as a photographer. In her free time you can find her with her camera or watching hockey.
You can reach her at meladieyoung.thefront@gmail.com
Opinion Editor
Mars Wetzbarger (they/them) is the opinion editor this spring at The Front. They are in their fourth year studying environmental studies/journalism and this is their third quarter with The Front. In their free time you can find them climbing rocks, biking and being near water. You can reach them at marswetzbarger.thefront@gmail.com
You can reach them at marswetzbarger.thefront@gmail.com
Copy Desk
Zen Hill (he/him) is a copy editor for The Front. He is a senior journalism news/editorial major at Western, who has had his writing published in The Front, Klipsun Magazine, The Northern Light and Cascadia Daily News. He has had his photography published in the Bellingham and Everett Heralds. He has worked as a sports broadcaster for WWU Athletics for the last three years and is the voice of the Bellingham Bells. In his free time, he collects sports cards and plays the guitar.
You can reach him at zenhill.thefront@gmail.com or copydesk.thefront@gmail.com
Aiden Luhr (he/him) is a copy editor for The Front this quarter. He is a senior majoring in journalism news/editorial. In his free time, Aiden likes to hang out with his friends, watch and play sports and play video games.
You can reach him at aidenluhr.thefront@gmail.com or copydesk.thefront@gmail.com
Maven Neumiller (she/they) is one of three copy editors for The Front this quarter. She is in her final quarter at Western studying linguistics and Chinese. In their free time, you can find them lost in fantasy novels and hunting down new cafes.
You can reach them at mavenneumiller.thefront@gmail.com or copydesk.thefront@gmail.com
Diversity and Inclusion Outreach Editor
Neisha Gaskins (she/her) is a third-year student at Western studying news/editorial journalism. This is her fourth quarter with The Front, previously working as a campus life reporter and now as the DIO editor. When she isn’t writing, Neisha spends her time at the gym, identifying moon phases and dancing with her friends.
You can reach her at neishag.thefront@gmail.com
Photo and Video Editor
Caitlin Grygorcewicz (she/her) is the photo and video editor for The Front. She is a freshman majoring in visual journalism. This is her first quarter on The Front. In her free time, you can catch her cleaning up her camera, climbing up rocks, and cooking good food.
You can reach her at caitlingrygorcewicz.thefront@gmail.com
Visual Artist
Kristina Mendoza (she/her), from Lynnwood, Washington, is in her fourth year at Western Washington University. Mendoza majors in visual journalism and has been an illustrator for The Front since fall of 2024. She strives to make contemporary work for a wide range of audiences, through her graphic design and illustrations. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading and drawing.
You can reach her at kristinamendoza.thefront@gmail.com
Social Media Editor
Morgan Merriam (she/her) is the social media editor for The Front this quarter. Morgan is in her final quarter at Western, wrapping up a Journalism-Public Relations degree with a minor in Sociology. When she isn't in the newsroom, Morgan can be found baking, reading a good book, or hanging out at a local cafe.
You can reach her at morganmerriam.thefront@gmail.com
