Letter from the editor

Dear Reader,

I have a confession. At least once a week, I ask myself the question: Why am I in journalism school?

As a well-informed, reading-literature-in-my-field, journalist-in-training, (those are definitely all compound modifiers) it’s impossible to avoid headlines like “ESPN Parts Ways with Another Longtime Host After Mass Layoffs” or “The Athletic Lays Off 20 Journalists in Reorganization.” The landscape of journalism, not just on college campuses, is shifting under my feet, and I still have two years left till I graduate. In a decade, will we even be able to “understand the New York Times effect on man,” or will I even be “Stayin’ Alive” on my writers’ paycheck?

This year, I stepped into my new role as editor-in-chief of Cedars. It’s amazing, scary and exciting all in one, exactly like a journalism career. I did this because deep down, I still believe in this job. 

I remember the wonder of reading an ESPN profile of Aaron Rodgers that expertly peeled back the thick layers of cynicism to reveal a human I could relate to. 

I remember my heart being pricked reading Dayton Daily’s coverage of community icon Caleigh Hildebrant, and her resilience inspiring me.

I remember reading eye-opening coverage by ProPublica of why stillbirths still happen so often, and how women can be more informed. 

These articles and more are why I still believe journalism matters, and what I want to continue at Cedars. Our staff wants to inform, entertain, and inspire the student body with every article and every section. 

This is why I’m in journalism school. 

I look forward to working with you,

Maggie Fipps

Editor in Chief