Letter From The (New) Editor

To our readers,

There is a palpable new energy on the SMC campus this fall. As we emerge from our Zoom classrooms into a world where we all realize the true value of human interaction, we seem to carry with us excitement that could only come from a trying 18-months. Someone mentioned to me they felt we were at the cusp of a new Renaissance bursting with student creativity and passion. I look around campus and see the full courtyard outside Cafe Louis and the halls of Dante bustling once again, and realize that the student resurgence is here, that SMC has begun a new chapter marked by the fervor of students reclaiming their campus. 

The feeling of newness that accompanies the post-Zoom campus sometimes takes the form of new faces, new resources, new Cafe Louis sandwiches, and new ways of learning. It is not lost on me that the events of the past two years have also radically changed the world we live in on and off-campus. However, just as in the world outside of SMC, our long-standing traditions of community wholeness remain. 

The Collegian has been an integral part of the SMC community for over 118 years, and we do not plan on going anywhere. Our mission to unite the College community through the exposure of truth and powerful storytelling remains central to our organization, and we intend to take it further than it has ever gone in the history of The Collegian.

Being Editor-in-Chief of the paper was never a role I envisioned myself in. As a writer who focuses on the artistry of the craft, print publication always seemed like an uninhabitable place for a creative. However, as a student, a feminist for the 99%, a humanist, someone who is anti-racist, pro-LGBTQ+, and believes in science, I recognize that the press is a place for voices to gather with the intention of creating a better world together. Information is the weapon of the people, and great change will happen when we commit ourselves to informing the masses. I am deeply honored to be leading The Collegian towards this goal.

Changing our world may seem like an audacious goal for a student newspaper, but it has been a reality for The Collegian before. In 2007, writers from the paper uncovered and reported on sexual assault cases that had been undisclosed and buried. The fearless reporting of these students that led up to the #MeToo movement ten years later represents the guiding principles of the paper and inspires the work of me and my fellow writers. Our reporting is done to inform other members of the SMC community, to be a voice for the voiceless, to contribute to global conversations, and to pursue the truth relentlessly. Perhaps it would be nice if we wrote fun, easy stories that you could browse through on a Sunday, but it is not our job to be agreeable. 

This year’s staff is committed to bringing the truth to the SMC students, staff, and faculty in a compelling, factual, and original way. We represent the diversity of voices and perspectives at SMC, and will not forget our responsibility to the campus community. In light of this, I ask the community to show compassion to writers of The Collegian. This is a time that is very tumultuous for writers, especially considering the misinformation spread about the reliability of journalism. Already we have experienced pushback in our reporting, so please understand that our intentions are to inform and not combat. 

Nonetheless, I am in awe of those I have the privilege of working with this semester, never before have I seen a group of Collegian writers so eager to create quality work. I thank our staff for their continued hard work and dedication to the paper. 

On behalf of The Collegian, I would also like to thank the administrators that make our work possible. Cesar Ramos and Zach Tedrow from SIL have put countless hours into bringing The Collegian to life, which is greatly appreciated by our entire staff. I would also like to thank the Communications department for their support with print publications and finding student writers. Finally, I would like to thank the donors who have made print publication possible this year with their generosity. 

Most importantly, thank you to our readers on and off-campus. Your continued support keeps the word of the students alive.

The Collegian will be back in print publication starting this fall, but will continue to primarily publish on our website. Stay safe, wear your mask (over your nose), and have a great semester. 

Kind regards,

Melanie Moyer
Editor-in-Chief