Editor Remembers Mackenzie McDermott

For many of us at the Truman Media Network, Mackenzie’s McDermott’s death is deeply personal. During her freshman and sophomore years, Mackenzie was a columnist for the Index. She also wrote music reviews for KTRM. During the 2012-13 academic year, I served as the Opinions and Editorials Editor at the Index. Mackenzie was a member of my staff, and I have fond memories of working with her. She always was a lively participant during our weekly meetings, unafraid to interject her opinions. Though Mackenzie was already a good writer when she began at the Index, I enjoyed coaching her and watching her improve. Mackenzie enjoyed writing about feminist issues, current events and social issues. She was a skeptic at heart — an important quality for a writer and a thinker. My personal favorite of her columns was titled “Storytelling takes many forms,” and was published in the March 21, 2013 Index. The story showcases her interests in creative writing and anthropology. The story can be found here. Those who knew her well speak of her ardent feminism. You can read about her views about sexism in sports in her column “Sexism is rampant in sports,” published April 11, 2013 in the Index. The story can be found at here. I would like to extend my sympathy to Mackenzie’s family and friends during this time of need — she made many friends in student media while at Truman, and will be sorely missed.