I’ve dreaded having to say goodbye to a lot of people at the end of my college years, and this is going to be one of the toughest ones, right off the bat.
Being the editor-in-chief of a college newspaper was never something I anticipated happening, even when I started an interest in journalism in my sophomore year. But running this paper has been the most fulfilling experience of my college career, if not one of the most fulfilling of my life.
Figuring out how to get college students to read a physical newspaper in 2022 is no easy task. I don’t mean that as a diss; our changing world favors quicker, social media-driven news.
There’s no way The Concordian could be where it is without some of the things implemented by Ingrid Harbo, last year’s editor. I knew following after you would be tough, but you laid the groundwork for me this year that allowed me to try out new ideas, my favorite of which was a weekly newsletter.
Thank you to Erin Hemme Froslie for your guidance and support for all of our wildest ideas. Your wisdom, given as an advisor as well as a journalism instructor, was the fuel for every word printed. None of the typos, though.
Thank you to David Lindgren, my managing editor, for always being willing to dive into my latest risky scheme to bring this paper to new audiences. We spend many, many, many hours laying out the paper and trying to “crack the code” on headlines. You somehow carve time out of your insanely packed schedule (the Cobber Special) to bring enthusiasm and wit to our stories. I’m glad to call you one of my closest friends, and there’s no one I’d rather have at my side leading this staff.
Speaking of the staff, writers for The Concordian have exceeded my highest expectations for this year. You have no idea the warm feeling that surrounds me when I get to talk about you to people. From the very first week of operation, I’ve gotten to brag about how great our staff is to anyone who’d listen. Printing numerous editions of purely Concordia content — no Associated Press stories — are incredible accomplishments. And we did it all throughout the year. We didn’t fizzle out. There were stories to tell and we brought them to people. You brought them to people.
Next year, there’s no one better for the job as editor-in-chief than Maria Klipfel, who I trust will take this paper to new heights. She knows what makes a good story, and her drive will, without a doubt, expand the audience quite a bit. She’s written some of my favorite stories I’ve gotten the privilege to publish.
And lastly, a big thank you goes out to Concordia students and staff members who read the paper for your feedback and support. Your participation in the button drive, submitting story ideas and verbalizing your enthusiasm for a college newspaper is every week and it keeps us going. We’re working on getting a more direct channel of communication in the future, and Maria will know exactly how to do it.
For those wondering, I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do next. Degrees in communication studies and multimedia journalism should open up a few doors around the area.
Please continue reading the paper. Tell your friends to read it. Tell them to write for us. It’s a paid position that is rewarding as it is thrilling (very). This is a publication you can trust, and it has been for around a century.
Have a great rest of the year! It’s been an honor.
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