A time has arrived that I never truly thought would be a reality. For the Spring 2022 semester, I will be one of two editors-in-chief at The Lion’s Roar newspaper.

I began working as a staff reporter in Fall 2019, my first semester at Southeastern. Applying and accepting a job at the Office of Student Publications was quite literally a dream come true for me. I went from daydreaming about journalism to having daily opportunities in collegiate news writing, editing and reporting. 

In addition to helping me change my major from “undecided” to communication, this job has shaped who I am as a college student and a future professional. It has provided me with invaluable skills and experiences that a classroom setting cannot. The hands-on deadline-driven environment made me a better writer, editor, speaker, leader, creator, thinker and collaborator.

I’ve had the wonderful privilege of working here while we were still able to produce physical copies of The Lion’s Roar. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts from the university, we will indefinitely no longer be printing and distributing a hard copy of the newspaper. With that being said, it is our duty and utmost honor to continue producing quality, timely, relevant content in a 100% digital format. 

The feeling of seeing one of your articles on paper, being held by a reader, will never be the same as watching someone read it while scrolling on a phone. However, the Student Publications staff will use this opportunity to improve our skill sets and increase our connection with our audience. Overall, this experience has strengthened our resolve to be an essential voice for the community. 

I would like to thank our predecessors Jacob Summerville, Prakriti Adhikari and Gerard Borne for being dynamic models of the editor-in-chief role and leadership examples we seek to follow as we begin our journey. I couldn’t ask for a better co-editor than Symiah Dorsey nor a better team at Student Publications. We have seen this paper go through more than any other staff, and we endured it all. I am very excited and grateful to start the semester. I hope you all stay tuned to The Lion’s Roar online and on social media to see what we have planned.

Read “Letter from the Editor: Symiah Dorsey” here.