Letter from the Editor

McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle

Students, faculty and other readers of the Marlin Chronicle; I greet you as the Editor in Chief of the Marlin Chronicle, a position that I am happy and somewhat surprised to hold. I am glad to be here, and I will serve this newspaper to the best of my ability. In this day and age, with a dearth of local newspapers and a decline in news readership, it is as important as always to inform our community in both big and small ways. Hopefully, I will be able to explain that without sounding too pretentious.

In this issue, there are articles ranging from the sale of the school’s research vessel to volleyball dominating the ODACs to a review of a local bakery. Many of these things will have an impact, great or small, on the readers of this paper, just as it has an impact on those of us writing it. That is what news is about, I think. The covering of a story that is important, interesting or fun.

To that end, the news is as important as we all make it to be. Information rapidly pings around social media sites before it is verified, and truth has much less of an impact than the story an issue provides. As the Editor in Chief, I will uphold the same strict dedication this newspaper has always held to accuracy in news because it remains important. The newspaper serves as a way for the community to interact with each other, and truth in that is as important as it always has been.

On that subject, the Marlin community makes the newspaper what it is. We as a paper can’t cover the construction of MOCA or SGA or fun events on campus without this campus and the community on and around it. 

So, if there is something newsworthy, I invite you to reach out to us. We are members of the community, and you’ve probably seen all of us around campus. If you know about something you think other people should know about, consider emailing me. It doesn’t matter if it’s a photo, an opinion, an illustration, a letter to the editor or simply a fun event at the Cove you think needs covered. 

And, if you find yourself wanting to contribute further, we are more than happy to accept that as well. There are many ways to use your unique skillset to contribute to the Chronicle if you find that the initiative I’ve described here is something you’re interested in being a part of. 

I’m likely going to be the Editor in Chief for only one semester, so I’ll try not to take up too much space talking about myself, but I love this newspaper. It’s important for students to have a way to learn about the campus they’re on told from and with interviews of other students. The importance of journalism has, I’ve heard, been said a few times before by people rather more eloquently than I’ve attempted here, but I’ve quoted a lot of people for the Marlin Chronicle, and so just this once, I will refrain. I’ll end with this: The Marlin Chronicle is about the community, and the work we put in here is for the community. At the end of the day, that’s what this is all about. 

Tori is a Junior pursuing a degree in English and Environmental Science.

Victoria Haneline

Editor in Chief, Marlin Chronicle

By Victoria Haneline

vfhaneline1@vwu.edu