Have you ever picked up a copy of The College Voice and wondered who was behind the stories published each month? We interviewed Sophia Angele-Kuehn, Co-Editor-In Chief of The College Voice, to find out! Learn about how she first got involved with the newspaper, her favorite study spot on campus, and her hopes for The Voice’s future. Enjoy!
Name: Sophia Angele-Kuehn
Major/minor: English major, German studies Minor, CISLA.
Position: Co-Editor in Chief at the College Voice
When did you first get involved at the College Voice?
Freshman year, when I was looking for clubs to sign up for at the activities fair, I decided to go to the first pitches meeting of the semester. It was on the second floor of Cro, and there were so many people and it was standing room only. But I got a chair and it was fun, relaxed and casual. I just kept coming back to each meeting, and I never left. Now I am editor in chief!
Did you come into college knowing you wanted to do journalism?
I definitely knew I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to major in English… after working with The Voice, I have become more interested in narratives and nonfictional writing.
What were the different roles you had in The Voice, how did you grow throughout college?
It is interesting because when I first joined The Voice, I was really interested in photography and art so they assigned me to be a creative director and take photos. That didn’t work well, because I was a first-year and I didn’t know anyone. I did that for a year, and then I was an Arts Editor for two years, I studied abroad, and then I came back as Editor-in-Chief.
Do you think your writing skills have improved since being in the Voice?
Definitely. It’s funny, I came with a concentration in creative writing but I was doing journalistic work. It helped my creative writing by getting rid of unnecessary information that isn’t very clear but also still engaging with the reader.
What is it like being Editor in Chief?
In the beginning, Jozette, the other Editor-in-Chief and I, were definitely scrambling to figure out our responsibilities. It is hard to control a whole group of people, but it is good that I have had three years of experience attending meetings. So I knew, vaguely, what I had to do. We also have a lot of goals for what we want to change.
What are some of your goals for the year as Editor-In-Chief?
We want to update our website! We want to make it look more attractive, user-friendly, and more modern than it is now. Hopefully, that will be released before winter break.
What makes a good newspaper edition?
If we get to 16 pages, that is a good sign! So when all of our writers are contributing that is really positive to see. It is hard to define a good issue, because sometimes if it is good, the news might be bad news. One issue a couple of years ago, there was an exhibit in Cummings, someone took a really good photograph of a painting, and the Editor-In-Chief put it on the front cover, really big so it attracted the eye. It was also Fall Weekend, and I saw an older man reading it, and I got so happy that people were reading it. When I see people reading it, that is when I know it is a good issue.
Has there ever been a story that you have been nervous about printing?
With our first issue this semester, we wanted to address the fact that we had published articles previously that had dug deep into problems on campus and try to reveal them, even if they are painful or the college doesn’t want to talk about them. But of course, some writers did that by not being entirely accurate and that is problematic in a newspaper. So we started by writing a letter from the editors explaining that we wanted to work with both the administration and students. Then in the following issue, we published a letter someone had emailed to us about one of the articles we had published. We want to show how we are students too and wanted to give you an outlet where you can express your voice.
What is your favorite spot on campus?
I am so glad you asked! The Walk-In, I am basically there when it opens at like 8:45. I love doing work there and drinking maple lattes.
What is your favorite meal to eat at Harris?
When there are chicken nuggets or mac-cheese, that is the best day.
Now that you are a Senior, what will you miss the most about the Voice?
I will miss the people who will come in after me, and that will take over. I will miss not watching them grow.
Do you have any advice to someone who would want to join the Voice?
Pick up a newspaper, we have newspaper stands everywhere on campus. Our email and contact email is on page 2, just send us an email! Or just come to one of our meetings. We meet every Sunday at 8 in the Alice Johnson Room. We alternate between pitches and writers’ meetings, where writers who maybe haven’t written an article before can get feedback from our editors.