From The Spartan to Mass. newspaper editor

Aloisio poses with a copy of his paper after being named editor, bottom right

Wyatt Aloisio is a 2012 Castleton graduate who majored in communication with a focus in journalism – and recently climbed the ladder from staff writer to editor in four years.

Aloisio started writing and doing photojournalism for Journal Register in June 2015, then became the editor of the Sentinel and the Town Reminder, all newspapers published through Turley Publications in Massachusetts.

Overall Turley’s newspapers cover 50 counties in the state.

Aloisio said it was “a stroke of luck” to land the initial job at the Journal-Register, allowing him to stay local in his hometown of Monson, Massachusetts.

“It let me stay in the same community I grew up in.  And I get to report on it, and everyone knew me already,” Aloisio said.

When the previous holder of his position left, there “wasn’t anybody else within the company and we really thought he was ready,” said Eileen Kennedy, a fellow member of the Turley editorial staff representing the Quaboag Current and the Ware Rivers News.

Kennedy has been working with Aloisio for four years and spoke very highly of him as a writer and a person. Kennedy broke her leg in the line of duty reporting on a puppet show at a local library and in her time of absence, Aloisio stepped up to the plate and helped carry some of her workloads, she said.

But before Alosio was a paid big shot reporter for Turley publishing, he was a then Castleton State College communication student.  Writing for the Spartan student newspaper helped prepare himself for the profession and learn the craft in a proper environment.

One article for the Spartan Aloisio fondly remembers writing was about a campus-wide nerf war, fought with nerf guns. Aloisio also excitedly remembered writing about the band ‘Reel Big Fish’ in Killington.

But writing about the campus being a Nerf battle zone and ska bands aren’t all he talked about of his time at Castleton. He also said he is appreciative of newspaper advisor Dave Blow’s teachings.

“I hear Dave’s voice in my head as I edit papers,” Aloisio said.

Blow had vivid memories of Aloisio too.

“He was a hustler, more of a photographer than a writer,” Blow said of his memories of Aloisio. “I don’t know if I saw editor coming and that’s what makes it so much cooler.”

Aloisio came into Castleton knowing he was going to pursue a career in journalism and spent a lot of time applying himself.

“No was not a part of his vocabulary,” Blow said.

And though the desire to chase a career in journalism is what mostly brought Aloisio to Castleton, he confessed, “I went there to ski too.”

  It was also those college days where Aloisio also began dating his now wife.  Erica Aloisio and Wyatt both came from Monson. The two initially met in high school.

In the days as a staff writer, Aloisio was responsible for writing 7 to 12 stories per issue.  One of the first stories he did in the professional world is one of his favorite stories.  It was a feature on motorcycle stunt performer from Wales, Massachusetts named Doug Danger, who broke Evel Knievel’s jump record.

He said he loves to write feature stories and human-interest pieces.  He wrote another memorable story trying to get the word out about Carolyn Boucher, who was running the Boston Marathon to fund-raise for Flying Kites Academy in Kenya.  She has done volunteer work around the globe, including in Haiti after the earthquake and at schools in Africa.  While in Africa, she also climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.   

When Kennedy is asked about any stories that stuck out in her memory, she answered so quickly. It was a story he wrote that brought a family back together.  A daughter who had been estranged from her father wanted to get the word out that she was looking for him.

“The way he framed it, you really felt for her and her wish to connect with her biological father,” Kennedy said.  “He did a follow up because she found him.”

Kennedy remembers how the biological father was “so over the moon about finding her.”  The reunion also led to the happy realization that he had a granddaughter too!

Aloisio came to Castleton with a goal, to learn the craft of journalism and to ski, and he accomplished that – and during those years he also ended up connecting with the love of his life.

Aloisio said he is “very thankful for my education, especially being at Castleton.  It turned me onto the career I’m in now and very much enjoy.”

 

Aloisio photographs a Rutland parade, top, while at CU.

 

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