Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
May 6, 2025
May 6, 2025 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

News & Features



Hopkins community remembers Bradlee LaMontagne

The Hopkins community is mourning the death of Bradlee LaMontagne, who passed away on Dec. 10. He was a junior studying Biology in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, as well as a PILOT leader, NextOneUp tutor in Baltimore, First-Year Mentor and 2020 captain of the Hopkins wrestling team. 


COURTESY OF TEDxJHU
Four students gave talks at TEDxJHU’s annual salon event. 

Seniors share stories of navigating struggles at TEDxJHU

TEDxJHU hosted its salon 2020 event, “Business as (Un)usual,” on Dec. 11. Four students — seniors Anjali Kashyap, John Min, Isabel Rios-Pulgar and senior Serena Wang — gave talks on topics ranging from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the immigrant experience over the course of the night. The event was organized independently from TED Talks. 



COURTESY OF EMERGENCE BALTIMORE
Emergence Baltimore initiatives are supporting local businesses in Baltimore as holiday shopping commences. 

Hopkins alum works to support Baltimore businesses

Emergence Baltimore, a non-profit that promotes local stores, is working to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 shutdowns on Baltimore’s small businesses. The News-Letter sat down with Emergence Baltimore’s President Kevin Carter and Social Media Lead Ali Rachidi to hear about its programs. 




COURTESY OF KENNA LOWE
Daniels stated that the 10% tuition reduction will remain for the spring if the University reopens online-only.

Daniels speaks to student concerns in a time of uncertainty

In an interview with The News-Letter on Wednesday, University President Ronald J. Daniels discussed progress on the University’s Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion, the future of the private police force, plans for the spring and safety measures being implemented in anticipation of resuming in-person activities. 





FILE PHOTO
Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police sparked nationwide protests against racial injustice this summer.

George Floyd's family reflects on his death and legacy

Peabody Student Affairs hosted members of George Floyd’s family — including his uncle Selwyn Jones and aunt Angela Harrelson — on Dec. 3 to discuss his death, police brutality and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. The event was moderated by Nyle Fort, a youth pastor and Master of Divinity candidate at Princeton Theological Seminary. 



COURTESY OF RUDY MALCOM
SLI leaders described the procedures they have in place for limited in-person student group gatherings this spring.

University expects most spring events will remain virtual

Student Leadership and Involvement (SLI) hosted a webinar for registered student organizations (RSO) on Friday, Dec. 4. The event outlined procedures that the University plans to implement regarding in-person gatherings for student clubs in the spring semester. 




COURTESY OF CHRIS H. PARK
Panelists discussed Sino-American relations on technological developments such as TokTok and WeChat.

Sino-American relations are unlikely to change under Biden, according to SAIS panelists

Global China Connection (GCC) held a seminar discussing the ongoing U.S.-China technology competition on Dec. 1. The seminar featured Nathaniel Ahrens, a fellow at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Foreign Policy Institute, Terry Thompson, a cybersecurity expert and SAIS lecturer, and Rui Ma, the host of the Tech Buzz China podcast. The event was moderated by Robert Barbera, an Economics professor at Hopkins.


COURTESY OF CHRIS H. PARK
Senior Class Senator Julia Zeng and Junior Class Senator Megan Chien presented possible improvements to SGA’s public input periods.

SGA changes funding policies for student groups

The Student Government Association (SGA) held its weekly meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 1, where the senators proposed changes to Student Activities Commission (SAC) Funding Policies and discussed changes to its meetings’ public input periods. 


COURTESY OF CHRIS H. PARK
The report contains recommendations for improving the undergraduate experience at Hopkins.

CUE2 finalizes recommendations for undergraduate learning

The Second Commission on Undergraduate Education (CUE2) released its final report on Nov. 20. The report made a wide array of recommendations to improve the undergraduate experience at Hopkins, including replacing the distribution requirements to obtain a degree. CUE2 was formed in 2017 to promote interdisciplinary learning and mental health on campus. 


PUBLIC DOMAIN
The panelists noted that local governments play an overlooked but crucial role in the political landscape.

Panelists explore how grassroots groups shape politics

IDEAL, a nonpartisan, student-run political organization, held a virtual panel on the role of grassroots organizations in the 2020 elections on Nov. 19. The webinar featured Monica Trejo, Arizona state director for Care in Action, and Melissa Walker, director of Giving Circles.


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