This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WPUNJ chapter.
Hometown: East Rutherford
Year: Junior
Major: Print Journalism
Hobbies: I absolutely love reading, taking long drives, perusing through Barnes and Noble, and going to concerts. I’m actually going to see Gaslight Anthem, Dave Matthews Band, Jimmy Eat World, the Goo Goo Dolls, Matchbox Twenty, and John Mayer this summer!
Fun Fact: I am Batman.
HC: What does the job of being Editor-in-Chief of the Pioneer Times entail?
DR: Being editor-in-chief of the Pioneer Times entails overall management of the newspaper, which means I’m responsible for being head copy-editor, making sure the newspapers are distributed around campus, brainstorming and pitching new article ideas, and giving final content approval of all submissions. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a fantastic grad assistant, Jason, and managing editor, Jojo, who keep me grounded in the middle of all the chaos.
HC: How did you end up in this position?
DR: The fall semester of sophomore year I had Dr. Lesher for journalism class, and after writing a vignette for an assignment, she hounded me to get into the office and start writing for the newspaper because she said I was a very strong writer. After that I became a regular staff writer and was asked to be the managing editor for the upcoming semester. As that semester came to a close it was unspoken, yet known I would step into the editor-in-chief’s position. I’m staying in position with my grad assistant and managing editor for next semester, which I’m really excited for.
HC: Could you give a rundown of a day at the Pioneer Times Office?
DR: Well, on our “off” weeks (when we don’t have layout), Jason and I will talk about what content we have for the upcoming issue and what ads have/haven’t paid us yet. Layout days are the most stressful because it’s two days straight of editing articles and making sure every inch of the page is full with content, pictures, and ads. But, no matter what day it is, there is A LOT of singing of Third Eye Blind, Jimmy Eat World, the Goo Goo Dolls, Hootie & The Blowfish, Spin Doctors, and Biggie Smalls.
HC: What changes have you brought to the Pioneer Times this semester?
DR: Well last semester we signed a contract with the Star Ledger to print in color and broadsheet, so the newspaper would look like a legitimate paper. During the course of the semester our managing/layout editor has been playing around a lot with the coloring and with Photoshop, which has just been a major change in and of itself. For me, this semester was a big experiment to see how and what could be done differently, which I’ve taken note of for next semester.
HC: What is the most challenging part about being Editor-in-Chief?
DR: The most challenging part about being editor-in-chief is having to be everything in one: writer, editor, and designer. At the same time, the rewards outweigh the challenges. Dr. Lesher has been a great mentor and I would rather learn from no one else, and Jason and Jojo make everything about my job a lot easier. In April we won Third Place for “General Excellence” from the New Jersey Press Foundation, behind Seton Hall and Rider University. It was a big deal because those newspapers are university-sponsored and printed daily, while we’re a department-sponsored, bi-weekly workshop paper. In addition, at the 2013 Maltese Awards for William Paterson, I was awarded “Best Editor” by Dr. Lesher, and it was definitely a “Wow, if my mom were here she’d be balling her eyes out” moment. Everything about being a part of the newspaper has been absolutely fulfilling and coaches me on how to be a better writer, editor and leader.
HC: Do you have any plans or goals for next semester to be the best yet?
DR: Next semester I have some new layout ideas for the paper that will (hopefully) make it more appealing to students. We’re also in the process of perfecting our online edition, which is something I want to direct more traffic to and leap off the ground with.
HC: Have you had any internships before to prepare you for this position?
DR: I didn’t have any internships before taking on the position, but being managing editor helped me get a sense of how things run and what to do and what not to do. I was also editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper, so I took some of that knowledge with stepping into this position.
HC: What are your plans after graduation? Do you have a dream job?
DR: I’ll have to see how the next year of school plays out, but I know I definitely want to head straight into grad school. I want to go all the way and get my doctorate in the future – there is definitely no question about that. Most times people don’t take me seriously when I tell them I’m a journalism/communication major, so I figure by telling them I’m a doctor they’ll keep quiet… My dream job is to either work at the New York Times orRolling Stone. Last month I went to an editor’s workshop at the NYT, and I was completely in awe of everything and everyone around me. The managing editor, Janet Elder, stood before us and told us that we were the future of journalism-that it was our responsibility to keep democracy alive, and that in our efforts we would prove to be as valiant and courageous as the journalists before us had been. It was in that moment I knew I wanted to do it all.