Kira is a third-year Spanish and Recreation and Outdoor Education major from Littleton, Colorado. They’re also a tall ship sailor, bass player, language geek, and huge coffee enthusiast.

She’s currently studying abroad in Bilbao, Spain, where she teaches upright bass and English and helps with winter maintenance on a replica of the one boat from Magellan’s expedition that actually circumnavigated the world (while trying and mostly failing to learn Basque).

Lindsey is a freshman at Western. She is studying English with a Creative Writing emphasis. She enjoys various forms of writing, with a special love for poetry and dark fiction. When she was younger, Lindsey found that writing was the most efficient way to process her emotions and turn them into something beautiful for others to relate to.

Lindsey has spent most of her life with her stories and looks forward to learning how to better tell them. Writing is not the only hobby Lindsey has, however. She also enjoys books, movies, shows, listening to music, and watching the natural world around her. Lindsey mostly grew up in Colorado Springs where she discovered her awe of nature, which greatly influences her writing today.

Lindsey has had experience with several writing opportunities throughout high school. She looks forward to working with the Top o’ the World staff and using her past experiences to enrich her present.

Ilsa is a junior at Western Colorado University with a major in English and a concentration in Creative Writing. She serves as the managing editor for Pathfinder magazine. Ilsa comes from a family with an extensive history of studying literature and language. She is especially interested in mythology, folklore, and nature writings. A tea enthusiast with a penchant for gardening, Ilsa spends a lot of time reading, illustrating, tending to her vast array of house plants, and petting her cats. Ilsa’s hobbies include hiking, bird watching, mushroom hunting, and a wide variety of creative pursuits.

Kayla is a sophomore at Western studying Studio Art with the hopes to pursue a BFA in photography. She grew up in Denver and worked in the Taylor Park area for six summers. She finally decided to call this place home and moved to Gunnison in 2020. Her love for photography began with taking analog photo classes in high school and in her adoration for the ordinary and habitual. She is excited to contribute her love for Gunnison to the Top O’ the World team!

Abigail is a freshman honors student at Western Colorado University studying Geology. She grew up in Colorado Springs, where her love of photography began in middle school when she had photoshoots with her friends. This is her first year joining Top o’ The World and she is excited to be a part of the team! She enjoys trying new things, such as figure skating, skiing, hiking, and exploring the beautiful Gunnison Valley.

Matilda is currently a freshman at Western. She grew up in a small town out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her major is environmental sustainability, with a minor in photography. Matilda is an experienced photographer who has been taking pictures for 5 years. 

When she got to Western, Matilda saw the newspaper as a new opportunity to help her grow her photography skills and knowledge. She also loves the mountains and all the nature they hold within them. Matilda is excited to explore more parts of Colorado and expand her photography skills.

Emily Tanner is a sophomore at Western Colorado University. She is majoring in Strategic Communications with minors in psychology and business. She hopes to either work in the nonprofit or lobbying worlds, but has a second love for pet grooming. She has enjoyed writing and keeping up with current events for as long as she can remember. Photography is one of her favorite hobbies, and there is no better place for it than Gunnison.

Emily joined Top o’ The World in the Spring 2022 semester and will be covering mental health along with campus & community events.

Brian Wagenaar is a Master’s of Environmental Management student at Western Colorado University. He joined Top o’ the World as a writer in the spring of 2021, and immediately began adding unnecessary commas to the dismay of his editors. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, stopping by a few schools along the way.

He later served AmeriCorps terms in Massachusetts, California, and Missouri, where he worked on conservation and trail stewardship projects, prescribed burns, and emergency management. In his free time, he enjoys traveling around Colorado, hiking, volunteering on conservation projects, and embarking on a grand journey to soak in every hot spring west of the Mississippi.

Andrew is a second-year student in the Master’s in Environmental Management (MEM) program. As a graduate writing tutor and former curriculum editor for a global education foundation, he focuses on storytelling with a fine eye for detail and structure. However, his background as an English and geology major at the undergraduate level instilled a deep appreciation for diverse and creative forms of writing, particularly of the natural world. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Andrew is a former PCT thru hiker and will be studying sustainable development in Eberswalde, Germany for the second and final year of his program.