Former Spartan editor lands reporting job
During her four years at Castleton, Megan Davis told many stories. She wrote that living in Ellis hall isn’t all that bad, that just because we are adults doesn’t mean we aren’t bullies and she gave us secrets to staying in love.
She interviewed professors and the president, sled dog racers and students who are parentless. Now, the former editor of The Spartan has landed herself a job.
Davis entered CSC in 2008 and quickly became a part of the community. She worked at the college’s radio station, on the Student Orientation Staff member and was a reporter for The Spartan.
She became managing editor her senior year, and according to Jess Lawrenson, Davis’s good friend and former Spartan online editor, it was that drive that made her not only skilled and likeable.
“I thought Megan was a great editor. If you were chill and got your stuff in, she was wonderful. She would put you in line if you didn’t though,” she said.
Being in charge helped Davis when it came time to enter the workforce.
“I feel like being editor of The Spartan definitely helped me more than it would have at any other school,” said Davis.
She began applying for jobs before she graduated, but the road to employment was rocky. Davis applied for a paginator position at the Post Star, but didn’t get it.
“The copy editing test terrified me,” Davis nervously admits.
The rejection didn’t defeat her. She applied for nearly every job she found. Then the call finally came.
Davis applied for a reporting job at the New Cannan News and was contacted by the paper’s editor Ashley Varese, whose best friend attended CSC.
“Castleton is really the reason my resume stuck out to Ashley. In my interview she was like ‘I saw that and was like ‘Oh! That hippie school,'” said Davis.
Varese called again saying she had an opening for not one position, but two and that she would like to bring her and two others in for another interview. That also went well and Davis got yet another phone call. This time, Varese had a compromise request. Davis’ trademarked bright colored hair was a problem.
“I think I told Megan that was one of the worst phone calls I’ve ever had to make,” said Varese. “I so did not want to do that.”
Davis agreed to change her hue and after reviewing her work, Varese offered her a position at the Darien News. Now, Davis works with five other people at the weekly paper. She hasn’t forgotten her roots though.
“I feel like without the background I have from Castleton, I wouldn’t know what to do,” she said.
Varese was instantly impressed with Davis’ background.
“In the interview, she was sharp. She had all the right answers. I knew she would hit the ground running,” said Varese.
Davis continued to awe the editor, even after her interview.
“She called two days later asking if we had found someone yet for the job. I was impressed with her persistence. I thought it was good because I knew if I was the town manager avoiding her calls, she wouldn’t stop until she got me on the phone,” said Varese.
When a New Canaan man was killed in a rock-slide near Aspen, Davis got right on the phone calling people while her colleague called the victim’s parents. Davis is no stranger to mourners. She covered the memorial for Brian Dagle, a student who committed suicide last November. That story turned out to be one of the most valuable experiences she had at CSC.
“As weird as this sounds, it was covering the Brian Dagle memorial… I got to experience talking to sobbing people out of the way early so I feel very lucky about that. I feel more prepared now because every journalist is going to be faced with that someday,” she said.
Now, Davis writes about stolen BMWs and school lunches. But she is happy with her new position in a place she calls “a smooth transition from Castleton.”
“The hours go by so incredibly fast. That’s how I know I’m doing something I want to do,” she said.
Ten years from now, Davis hopes to be reporting still, but she’s more than content for now.
“I feel so lucky because I know there’s so many people out there who graduated in May that are still looking for jobs and I found one in the field I love,” she said. “It’s really quite awesome.”