The Olaf Messenger

10/24/2024

With election day approaching, it is important to know who is on the ballot. Read about the different candidates in the article on the website at the link in our bio!

✍️: Alli Hering

10/24/2024

The Olaf Messenger is very excited to announce that our new website has dropped today! The url is http://www.olafmessenger.com/ which can be found at the link in our bio.
We also want to give a special thanks to Student News Organization for their help in making this possible! Make sure to check out all the new stories this week!

09/22/2024

It’s the opening Meet the Mess post of the 2024-25 year!- first up we have our wonderful exec team!

Kenzie Nguyen is a junior English major with a concentration in International Relations from Brooklyn Park, Minn.. When not in the office, Kenzie enjoys walking around town, exploring Content Bookstore, watching reality tv and movies, and chatting with her friends. She dreams about owning her own little breakfast and coffee nook. In the future, Kenzie hopes to be a news and politics reporter.

Alli Hering is a senior social studies education and political science major from Apple Valley, MN. It is common to run into Alli outside or in the cage reading books instead of doing classwork. She also is a avid sports fan and loves trying new sports and activities! In the future, Alli hopes to combine her passion for writing and politics in the education realm.

Vera Sablak is a senior biology and art history major from Concord, Massachusetts. She loves coffee, chatting, and chilly weather. After college, Vera hopes to be a science teacher and the owner of a combined coffee-and-flower shop.

Make sure to join us tonight for our first pitch meeting at 7:30 PM! 📰🗞️

09/22/2024

Today marks the first pitch meeting of the year! It will be held in the Mess Office (Rolvaag 100)- all are welcome!! Check out our story or pinned post for directions

09/03/2024

The Olaf Messenger is hiring Illustrators and Photographers this 2024-2025 season! If you are interested in applying please contact [email protected]

05/16/2024

Happy Messies Season!!

The Mess held the 55th Annual Messies, a silly goofy celebration of everyone’s hard work throughout the year. Congratulations to all of our amazing Mess staff!! Good luck on finals, and see you next year! 🗞️

05/02/2024

The health of college journalism: student journalists under fired
By Alli Hering and Kenzie Nguyen, Executive Editor and News Editor

Letter from the Editor: St. Olaf administration must end restriction on student journalism
By Charlotte Smith, Supresvising Editor

Letter from the Editor: A student journalist’s perspective on freedom of the press at St. Olaf
By Caroline Geer, Executive Editor

Pick up a copy of The Olaf Messenger in Buntrock Commons or read on our website theolafmessenger.com. Links to the articles will be found in our story highlights.

Photo: Rolvaag Memorial Library, where The Olaf Messenger reside Megan Lu/The Olaf Messenger

05/02/2024

Student expression on campus: SJP hosts rally for Palestine
By Kenzie Nguyen, News Editor

Pick up a copy of The Olaf Messenger in Buntrock Commons or read on our website theolafmessenger.com. A link to the article will be found in our story highlights.

Photo: Students on Mellby Lawn gather in support for Palestine Megan Lu/The Olaf Messenger

04/28/2024

Happy Section Sunday! Shoutout to our amazing copy editors!

Elias Hanson is a sophomore Environmental Studies major who works as a copy editor for the St. Olaf Messenger. They enjoy working for the Mess due to their desire to keep up to date with campus news in advance, and an enjoyment of going over spelling mistakes in red pen.

Riley is a sophomore Creative Writing and Environmental Studies double major from Minnesota. She enjoys working for the Messenger because she loves supporting student journalism and student expression!

Callista is a sophomore SOAN major and environmental studies concentrator. Her favorite part about copy editing for the Mess is getting to read and support everyone’s awesome work each week!

Ashlyn Wuench is a sophomore environmental studies major from Springfield, Missouri. She is a big fan of working with the other lovely copyeditors and openly geeking over grammar with them, as well as getting a sneak peek into the soon-to-be published stories for each issue. This is her second year as a copyeditor, and she has adored how welcoming the Messenger staff have been towards her since she was a wee tot of a freshman

03/19/2024

The Olaf Messenger staff members had a great time meeting Mónica Guzmán last week. We had wonderful conversations about student journalism and Mónica’s important work. Thanks Mónica for joining us!

02/28/2024

On Tuesday, St. Olaf Administration sent an update to students about the Lion’s Pause / Bon App situation. We have included part of the message below. The Olaf Messenger will continue to report any updates and livestream/archive any townhall meetings.

02/23/2024

Last month, the Minnesota Newspaper Association recognized Charlotte Smith ‘24, Kenzie Nguyen ‘26, and John Emmons ‘23 for their work at The Olaf Messenger. The three were awarded in the hard news category of the 2022-2023 Better Newspaper Contest. Emmons, Nguyen, and Smith’s article placed first, and an article by Emmons and Smith placed third. Congratulations!

📸 Megan Lu ‘24

11/14/2023

A huge thank you to Renée Jones Schneider ‘01 for sharing her work with Mess staff members last week.

Renée is a multimedia journalist at the Star Tribune and a St. Olaf 2023 Alumni Achievement Award winner. She was also a Mess staff member during her time on The Hill. And thank you to Alumni Relations for connecting us with professional journalists!

📸: Victoria Campbell

10/14/2023

Want to support the Mess, but you’re not on campus?

The Olaf Messenger is happy to announce that we are selling subscriptions and accepting donations for the 2023-2024 school year.

Please go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-olaf-messenger-subscriptiondonations-tickets-730952948947?aff=oddtdtcreator

Or address a check to “The Olaf Messenger” and mail to

The Olaf Messenger
1520 St. Olaf Ave
Northfield, MN 55057

Subscriptions are $75.

*Subscribers will receive all issues from the 2023-2024 school year, based on availability, no matter when they subscribe.

Email [email protected] with any questions.

Want The Olaf Messenger straight on your doorstep? Well a subscription to The Olaf Messenger is perfect for you.

08/14/2023

St. Olaf family, friends, and alum,

Do you want the Mess delivered straight to your doorstep?

Do you want to show your support for student journalism?

Pre-register today to be notified when subscription signup goes live!

Those who pre-register will receive an exclusive behind-the-scenes monthly newsletter.

Hello Mess Friends! We are updating our subscription system for the 2023-2024 school year. Sign up below to be notified when subscriptions can be ordered and donations can be made. As a special thank you, you will receive an exclusive behind-the-scenes newsletter from our staff members each month. A...

05/14/2023

Have you checked out Ainsley Francis’ article “Alum Spotlight: Becca Hart ‘14 stars in musical world premiere” yet? Hart shares how St. Olaf prepared her for life after college and current advice for Oles on the Hill. Hart is currently staring in the Children's Theatre Company production of “An American Tail the Musical.”

Read the story out now at https://www.theolafmessenger.com/2023/alum-spotlight-becca-hart-14-stars-in-musical-world-premiere/

Photo by Glen Stubbe Photography

11/09/2022

05/12/2022

The slogan is emblazoned on signage off the highways leading into Northfield: “City of Cows, Colleges, and Contentment.” Within 20 years of the city’s own founding, two colleges — then only three blocks from one another — had cropped up along the banks of the Cannon. Even before Jesse James and his gang tried to rob the First National Bank, the burgeoning institutions that would become Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges were educating the young city of Northfield.

Head to theolafmessenger.com for the whole story by Managing Editor Claire Strother, News Editor Jacob Maranda, and members of staff.
Graphics by Anna Weimholt/The Olaf Messenger

05/12/2022

The slogan is emblazoned on signage off the highways leading into Northfield: “City of Cows, Colleges, and Contentment.” Within 20 years of the city’s own founding, two colleges — then only three blocks from one another — had cropped up along the banks of the Cannon. Even before Jesse James and his gang tried to rob the First National Bank, the burgeoning institutions that would become the Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges were educating the young city of Northfield.

Head to theolafmessenger.com for the whole story by Managing Editor Claire Strother, News Editor Jacob Maranda, and members of staff.
Graphics by Anna Weimholt/The Olaf Messenger

03/18/2022

Happy St. Patrick’s day!

Head to the link in our bio to read our staff’s takes on Shamrock Shakes — the good, the bad, the festive.

Graphic by Andrew Mazariegos

02/21/2022

St. Olaf announced that it will switch to a Green Campus COVID Alert Level beginning Tuesday, Feb. 22, in an email sent to the student body by the Campus Reopening Team on Monday, Feb. 21. Students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors will no longer be required to wear masks in indoor or outdoor spaces, although mask wearing will still be required when using College transportation.

The move comes after the College reported a test positivity rate of 0.62 percent during last week’s round of testing, with 17 positive tests out of 2,739 tests conducted. This marks a continued decline in positive test results from baseline testing earlier in the semester, dropping from an initial 1.87 percent to 1.84 percent during the second week of testing to the new 0.62 percent during the most recent round of test results.

Teachers, coaches and other instructors will have discretion over requiring masks in classroom, sport and music rehearsal settings, and individuals can ask others to mask when entering their individual work spaces, according to the email from Campus Reopening Lead Enoch Blazis.

“We recognize that these changes will be welcomed by some in our community but may cause concern for others,” Blazis wrote in the email. “Adjusting — and then readjusting — our behaviors and expectations has been one of the most challenging parts of this pandemic. We are moving to a Green Campus Alert Level after consulting with our epidemiologist, and we will continue to closely monitor the situation on and off campus so that we can adjust accordingly.”

02/20/2022

Come to pitch tonight at 7:30 in the Mess office!!! Everyone is welcome!!

02/16/2022

Lila Graham

Warrenville, Illinois
Arts and Entertainment Editor

What do you like about working for the Mess?

"The mess is special to me because it's an opportunity to work on a team where we all strive for a common goal. So much work on this campus is private and lonely—getting to go into the office and work with other people in such a kind, welcoming, and collaborative community is a unique treat."

12/15/2021

Gus Emmons

Opinions Editor
Seattle, WA

What do you like about working for the Mess?

“Working on the Mess has been a great way to practice writing, get involved in student journalism, and contribute to campus culture on the Hill. I'm lucky to have such great coworkers at the Mess and would recommend going to any students interested in journalism or writing.”

12/13/2021

Get a Mess T-shirt!! We willing be tabling on Tuesday in Bunt from 3-6! If you cannot make the time but still want one dm us and we can arrange getting on for you. They cost 14$ and come in a variety of sizes! We will also be selling last years design for 10$.