Courtesy of the Robinson family
Molly Robinson served as the faculty advisor to The Mossy Log (formerly The Pioneer Log) since 2013. Her death last month was a terrible loss to the community. Though many students in recent years did not get the privilege of taking a class with her due to her medical leave of absence, Molly continued to advise the leadership of The Mossy Log right up until she passed. I have spent the last few weeks trying to find the words to describe what an incredible person she was, how fervently she advocated for her students and community in the face of hardship. Over spring break, I reached out to the editors-in-chief of The Log who had served since she had taken on that role, and several of them sent in submissions sharing the impact she had on them.
2012-2014 EiC Zibby Pillote ’14:
I am honored to have worked alongside Molly in my senior year at L&C. The Log needed her so much more than we knew when she became our advisor. She offered us insight and understanding; she fought for, supported and celebrated us every step of the way. What I remember most about Molly is how much she cared for every student she interacted with. I didn’t study abroad, and joked with Molly that I should get to wear a stole at graduation for my time at The Log. The day before graduation, she gave me a handmade stole to wear. I still have it and I will cherish it forever. Molly made me feel so seen and so worthy of respect. Back then, as a young woman entering the workforce, her belief in me meant the world. She inspired me to be curious, confident, and kind. I feel lucky to have learned from her and to have laughed with her, and I will miss her.
2016-2017 EiC Drake MacFarlane ’17:
I distinctly remember when Molly asked if I’d be interested in becoming Editor-in-Chief for The Pioneer Log. I was on my study abroad trip in Strasbourg — a trip that led to a French minor that Molly herself encouraged! — and heard from her that they were in need of me to step up when I came back from my trip after a shake up in the editorial board and a “fun” funding debacle. I wasn’t sure if I could take on the role, but she gave me the support, guidance, and backing to make the remaining two years I had at Lewis & Clark something special as EIC. My four years at the Pioneer Log were the best I had at Lewis & Clark, all the way from staff writer, section editor, and later EIC. Along the way Molly was a fierce supporter of us as we expanded our scope, hiring, and frequency of publishing, especially when we ruffled the occasional feather. All the while, she encouraged me to broaden my interests and widen my perspective. I was an econ/IR (international relations) double major, but I was also lucky enough to be one of her French literature students. I still remember fondly her classes on Flaubert’s “Madame Bovary” and Baudelaire’s “(Les) Fleurs du Mal.” Myself, The Log and Lewis & Clark overall were so lucky to have her insight, her support, and her kindness, and she will be dearly missed.
2017-2018 EiC Peter Kranitz ’18:
Some of my best memories at Lewis & Clark come from working on the newspaper. From staff brainstorming sessions and pitch meetings to last-minute editing and late-night layouts, I learned at least as much through these experiences as I did in the classroom, and I formed some of my most valued friendships in the process.
Molly made this possible. She was a tireless champion for student journalism, an eager sounding board for ideas, and a patient mentor. Above all else, she believed in us — the student editors, writers, illustrators, and photographers — and trusted that we would make the right decisions to allow the paper to flourish. Her faith in our abilities gave me confidence in my own capacity as an editor and a leader and pushed us all to challenge ourselves to live up to her expectations. Molly’s guidance allowed us to build a space where we could be creative, take risks, and grow as journalists and as people. The community will not be the same without her warm presence, and she will be dearly missed by all of us who are fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to work with her.
2019-2020 EiC Hanna Merzbach ’20:
In the last decade or so, The Mossy Log has seen an often yearly turnover of editors, reporters, photographers and illustrators — and even a name change. Amid that flurry, only one person remained constant: Molly Robinson. She was the quiet and unassuming rock of the student newspaper.
As editor-in-chief from 2019 till 2020, there were countless times when I felt I held the world on my shoulders, from covering student worker protests to incidents of alleged racism. Molly was always there to guide us through those difficult moments and bring a sense of lightness. Like going to my therapist’s office, I always knew I would find some reassurance behind that French medievalist’s door in the World Languages department.
Molly always knew her role as the advisor of a student-run newspaper. She provided advice, but never overstepped, leaving the big editorial decisions up to the students — and, in her words, sometimes going “mama bear” when someone treated us poorly. She helped us grow as leaders and as mentors to one another, fostering an environment where students can find passion in journalism by learning from other students. Many of us, me included, are where we are today, working in journalism, in part thanks to her love and support.
Thank you Molly for being our mama bear.
2020-2021 EiC Nic Nerli ’21:
The Mossy Log would probably be an online-only media organization but for Molly Robinson. During my tenure as editor-in-chief, COVID-19 effectively shut down Lewis & Clark. People in masks wandered about, but in-person events were practically extinct. This severely complicated the intensely collaborative process of drafting, designing, printing, and distributing The Mossy Log. COVID-19 presented a death sentence for print newspapers, but Molly and I were stubborn. We could not fathom The Mossy Log without ink on our fingers. So, we worked with administrators to formulate a COVID-safe strategy to continue print publication of The Mossy Log. Every other Wednesday, editors met and made the newspaper. We used several rooms and computer labs to practice social distancing while painstakingly creating every page of every Mossy Log issue. Newspaper staff exerted incredible effort to fully and properly memorialize how COVID-19 impacted the Lewis & Clark community. This was only possible because of Molly. Thanks to her, print journalism is alive at Lewis & Clark. Had The Mossy Log become online-only, I seriously doubt it could have reverted back to print publication.
Molly, my friend and mentor, was a zealous advocate, a compassionate colleague, and the kindest of hearts. To editors-in-chief of The Mossy Log, she perfectly performed her roles of advisor, therapist, sounding board, teacher, and confidant. She cared deeply about her Lewis & Clark community and, behind the scenes, helped countless colleagues and students through unwavering commitment to the College, its mission, and its future. Lewis & Clark has lost a foundational and irreplaceable root.
2021-2022 EiC Ihsaan Mohamed ’22:
It is rare to find someone whose natural disposition is to care so deeply and act so selflessly. Molly was that rare person. I am both grateful and lucky to have known her, and I doubt I will ever meet someone like her again.
Molly taught me that leadership could be simultaneously gentle and strong. I never once heard her raise her voice or act out of anger or frustration. Instead, she was reflective and intentional with her words. Her empathy and understanding could disarm even the most guarded of people.
Now more than ever, I am reminded of Molly’s guiding words when I faced difficult decisions as editor-in-chief. She encouraged me to rise above, to find empathy in my heart, to stand my ground, and to move forward with conviction.
During my final layout as editor-in-chief, I called Molly, scrambling with a last-minute dilemma. She answered after the first ring. I apologized profusely for calling, but Molly responded with laughter and reassurance. Although she was out at dinner with friends, she still chose to step away in order to help us. This was something she had no doubt done countless times over the course of her tenure as the paper’s advisor.
Molly was fiercely loyal and unwavering in her commitment to her students. Her moral compass always pointed north. Her presence was grounding and a blessing to our campus. I will always cherish her memory, and the values she taught me will guide me for the rest of my life.
2022-2023 EiC Venus Edlin ’23:
I met Molly Robinson within days of being a Lewis & Clark student. Yes, I was one of those eager first years who immediately knew I wanted to one day become the editor-in-chief.
After that introduction, Molly was part of my daily life for the next four years. Even though she was never my professor, she served as a mentor as I jumped from news editor to copy chief, and ultimately editor-in-chief.
Through this time, Molly was a fixture of the paper — indeed, she might have been the only constant. During my time at LC, The Mossy Log adopted its current name, temporarily moved offices due to construction and truncated a semester of publishing due to COVID-19. Henry Goodier ’23 and myself were the only editors in our class who had been involved all four years. Not to mention, all of our reporting.
Without Molly, I don’t know if The Mossy Log would have survived. At least, it would be much worse off. Not just because she was a constant, but also because of who she was. Molly was always the calm in the storm, somehow able to balance remaining level headed with radical empathy; not to mention, she had her own personal responsibilities and issues. This poise is something I aspire to replicate every day.
In fact, I have gone to Molly for advice and connection in my post-grad life — her mentorship has always gone beyond simply what ends up in print. I am saddened to not have had another moment with her. Even in writing this remembrance, I feel her empty role. This was precisely the kind of story she would advise on.
I am deeply saddened for Molly’s family, students and peers. I hope it brings them peace that these memories and her impact will always live on with me, and certainly others.
2023-2024 EiC Amelia Doyle ’24:
It is rare to find someone that believes in anything the way that Molly believed in the newspaper, in all of us. She gave us such an important gift: to take us how we are, to respect us and encourage us to be our best selves.
When Molly was re-diagnosed in 2024, she asked if I wanted her to take a step back from her role as the Mossy Log advisor. I told her I could not imagine anyone else as the advisor to The Mossy Log and if she still wanted the position it was hers. I still cannot imagine anyone else in her role.
Molly was a fierce advocate for not only The Mossy Log, but for me. She helped me find my voice as a leader. Nothing that I can write can do justice to explaining just how wonderful Molly was. But I know that her kindness, her wisdom and her gentleness will live on in anyone that was given the privilege of knowing her. She was a beacon of light. Her light shone on all of us at the newspaper and I am so grateful everyday for that gift.
2024-2025 EiC Emma Claire Ambroziak ’25:
Molly’s unwavering confidence in my reporting, editorial decision-making and leadership made a world of difference when I came into the role of EIC in May of 2024. Every Thursday morning, without fail, she would text me and Olivia in our group chat to ask how layout went, celebrate our hard work and remind us to take care of ourselves.
Molly almost never edited or saw an article before publication, but she was unfailingly insightful and supportive when we came to her. I often felt as if she were one of the only people who truly understood both the cost and the reward of undertaking The Mossy Log. She knew how the sleepless nights, emotional strain and high-pressure deadlines took a toll on both physical and mental health. She also knew how rewarding it was to see each issue in print, to mentor new contributors, to tell important stories and to develop confidence as both a leader and a journalist.
It was a very special thing to have a mentor who not only believed wholeheartedly in my ability to lead the editorial staff and produce quality journalism, but who helped me to believe in my own abilities. When I felt discouraged or insecure in my leadership — which I often did — her words of encouragement taught me how to trust my own instincts. I hope she knows how much she meant to all of us. We were very fortunate to have experienced the quiet strength and mentorship that Molly Robinson brought to her work at The Mossy Log.
2025-2026 EiC Olivia Fendrich ’27:
I worked and bonded with Molly during my two years in senior leadership. Molly did everything in her power to support us. Even when she was too tired from her cancer treatments to come to campus, she would greet us over Zoom from her bedroom, eager to catch up at our weekly meeting.
I miss her laugh, the way she always found something to be hopeful about even in trying times. I miss the clarity with which she saw the world, that incisive and inquisitive mind that made even complex problems seem surmountable. I miss going over the newest issue of The Log in her office, talking about our favorite articles, the areas for improvement, how we could always be evolving in our approach to journalism. I miss knowing that in spite of everything — no matter if we had a poorly received article, or a conflict between staff, or an all-night layout that tested our mettle like nothing else — we had someone on the third floor of Miller there to remind us that our work matters. That this community is worth loving and questioning and participating in.
Molly’s spirit will live on in each issue of The Mossy Log, in the legacy of her service to LC and in the memories of the people lucky enough to know her. I am so grateful to have learned from, worked with and been supported by such an extraordinary person. Her voice lingers in our pages and our conversations, guiding us to look a little closer and think a little harder. And as long as we do, she is not entirely gone.
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