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Zoom Screen Capture of HC McMaster virtual meeting
Zoom Screen Capture of HC McMaster virtual meeting
Original photo by Hilary Menezes
Life

Chapter Spotlight: An Interview with CCs Hilary Menezes and Thalia Stybak of HC McMaster

Hannah Hippensteel
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Winona chapter.

As someone who has spent the last four years writing with Her Campus Winona and the two most recent years as a co-Campus Correspondent (CC), this club has been near and dear to me for what feels like forever.

 

Located in Hamilton, Ontario, Hilary Menezes and Thalia Stybak are first-time co-CCs of Her Campus McMaster. As their first venture into the wonderful world of Her Campus, I interviewed both of them about their leadership roles in the chapter and future plans! 

 

*Note: HM is Hilary and TS is Thalia after their initial reference in the interview log*

 

Hannah Hippensteel (HH): Can you tell me a little about the exec board who helps you lead the HC McMaster chapter?

 

*the names are as listed in each row of the Zoom window*

Zoom Screen Capture of HC McMaster virtual meeting
Original photo by Hilary Menezes

Hilary Menezes and Thalia Stybak (HM and TS): The top row is Hilary Menezes, the Co-CC (Co-President); Emelia Da Silva is the Co-Social Media Director; and Saachi Bami is the Senior Editor. 

 

The second row is Sarah Slasor, the Entertainment Editor; Meghna Varambally is the Health Editor; and Laura Ferlanti is the Beauty Editor. 

 

The third row is Ally Turkstra, who is News Editor; Thalia Stybak is the Co-CC/Co-President/Editor-in-Chief; and Harene Buvanesan is the Co-Social Media Director. 

 

The fourth row is Florence Campbell, who is the Life Editor; Suruthi Nithiyanandan is the Co-Marketing and Publicity Director; and Lauren Kay is the Career Editor. 

 

The fifth row is Julia Cara, who is the Sex & Relationships Editor. 

 

Those who are not pictured include Samitha Vasu as Co-Marketing and Publicity Director; Nina Liu as Co-Events Director; Shayna Sujanani as Co-Events Director; and Meiqi Wang as Style Editor.

 

HH: Although you are a new chapter, what does being a Campus Correspondent mean to you?

 

TS: To me, being a Campus Correspondent means that I get to bring this amazing community of female writers and entrepreneurs together at McMaster. Hilary and I founded the McMaster chapter, so to be able to give girls at Mac the opportunity to write for and work with Her Campus has been extremely rewarding.

 

HH: Do you have any standout articles from the first few weeks of publishing?

 

TS: I have absolutely loved all of the articles our writers have written so far. Some of my favourites are the ones where the writers go above and beyond with their creativity and create a playlist or Pinterest board to accompany their article.

 

HH: With the ongoing pandemic, how has your chapter hosted events?

 

HM: We just hosted our first team bonding event with our exec members. Our event coordinators, Shayna and Nina, set up fun trivia games for us to play… and we even managed to sneak in a round of the video game Among Us.

 

HH: What kinds of events is your chapter most looking forward to this semester? 

 

HM: We are really looking forward to the holiday season! Not only is it a nice break from classes, our events team has organized some fun initiatives and events. We are really looking forward to participating in a full-team “Secret Santa.” Despite being located around the province, this will be a fun way to exchange cards, messages and small gifts.

 

HH: What has been a favorite team memory so far?

 

TS: Our first Zoom bonding night is definitely my favourite memory so far! It was so nice to get to know our team outside of a rigid meeting setting. I am immensely excited for classes to finally be in-person again so we can make memories in real life!

 

HH: What is one goal you have for HC McMaster?

 

TS: As a new chapter, we are looking to establish ourselves within the McMaster community and work towards becoming ratified as a club next year. We hope that everyone can find joy in reading our articles and interacting with our social media.

 

HH: What is something unique about HC McMaster?

 

HM: We are located in Hamilton Ontario—known as the waterfall capital of the world! Hamilton is home to over 100 waterfalls, and McMaster students love exploring them one-by-one!

 

HH: How would someone who is interested in HC McMaster go about joining the chapter?

 

HM: Great question! Social media is the best way to get in contact with us! We can be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. New students can also contact our email, which we check daily! Regardless of how you reach out, we are committed to responding promptly. 

 

HH: Where can people find HC McMaster on social media?

 

HM & TS: Our social media is as listed below! We also have Spotify. 

 

Bonus Questions

 

Are your writers more into…

  • Hot or iced? Iced!
  • Winter or summer? Summer!
  • #TeamEdward or #TeamJacob? Jacob… although it was almost a tie!
  • Cats or dogs? Dogs… although, it was a close race again.

 

If you’re reading this and are a fan of the content from HC Winona, HC McMaster has more great and diverse articles to check out. 

 

Thank you again to Hilary and Thalia—hearing you talk about your newfound passion for HC reminded me of my own, and I know you’ll do great things together! 

 

HCXO, 

A fellow Co-Campus Correspondent

 

My name is Hannah Hippensteel, and I like to say I'm a Chicago city-slicker, but I'm actually from the 'burbs. I'm currently a senior at Winona State with a major in mass communication-journalism and a minor in sociology. Catch me enjoying all Winona has to offer: the bluffs, the incomparable Bloedow's Bakery, and not to mention, Minnesota boys. With a goal of working at Teen Vogue, Seventeen or Glamour magazine, I'm soaking up every opportunity to keep my finger on the pulse and share my personal voice!