To the future staff and editors of The Bulletin,
The academic year is coming to a close, and our final issue is published. As those of us who are graduating take a moment to catch our breath, it is important that you envision The Bulletin you want to create for the future. To that end, we want share with you what we’ve learned in the hope that our experience can guide you.
Journalism is evolving, and we must be part of that evolution, not a roadblock. The format and medium of journalism constantly moves forward. The process may change, but our core values do not. We are the seekers of truth and the counterbalance to authority. We are “the voice of the students since 1901,” and we cannot abandon that ethos, no matter what.
College journalism is not second-rate journalism. Our stories affect campus policy. We influence the student body’s perception of important events. This responsibility is nothing to take lightly. Be thorough, courteous, accurate and fair.
To ensure success is to trust the people around you. We are students, but more specifically, we are students of journalism. The resources you need to perform your job effectively are all around you. Appreciate your adviser’s experience. Listen to the senior staff. Humility will afford you the respect of your peers and allow you to grow both personally and professionally.
Not everyone will thank you for your hard work each week, nor should you expect it. This is a reality of the working world and is better learned now, with institutional and personal support, than when you’re on your own.
The strength to endure must come from an internal place. It may be different for every person, but it always revolves around passion. For some, it is a desire for truth. For others, it is a belief in the democratic power of the press. Whatever your reason is, stay true to it. Your commitment will be tested and your intentions questioned.
There are organizations and individuals on campus who will not like what you do or what you have to say. Understand that, despite our differences, we are all working toward the same goal – the betterment of Emporia State. This shared understanding will help to mediate tensions, to navigate difference and to seek common ground. The rifts that divide us are never as deep as the bonds that unite us.
There was a reason you applied for this job. There is likely for you an element of fun in writing, editing, photographing or designing. It’s up to you to push that joy to its furthest reaches. A joyless paper is obvious to a reader. Do not stagnate. Invest in your work. It’s yours to create.
Our hope is that The Bulletin takes on a new personality with every addition to the staff and that each student makes their mark in the story of our paper. We know that students want to be heard. Be their calling. Good luck next year.
Yours in print and spirit,
Kenzie Templeton
Charlie Heptas
Ellen Weiss
Matt Cook
