The best newspapers act as mirrors.
As we look into them, they offer an honest reflection of the present moment — giving us an opportunity to consider both the beautiful and uncomfortable details we might otherwise overlook.
This past year, we have attempted to produce a paper that holds true to this purpose and to our tagline: “You are the voice, we are The Echo.”
The Echo has captured both mundane and mile-marker moments in the 2022-2023 academic year: the loss of a classmate, changing campus traditions, the accomplishments of student-led organizations, departments and athletes, the largest financial contribution in institutional history, pests in the Dining Commons — the list goes on.
Each week, a team of 30+ individuals (largely students, with staff contributors and supervisors mixed in) puts in hours of work to produce an edition that — we hope — is a genuine reflection of Taylor University as it is in that moment of time.
This weekly work includes story-brainstorming, assigning, interviewing, writing, content and copy-editing, more editing, designing, producing, distributing and following up with accuracy reports.
Is the process perfect? Absolutely not.
But the importance of a student paper, despite its imperfections, cannot be overstated. This has become abundantly clear to us this past year. The Echo isn’t just something we are proud to be a part of — its significance is greater than simply seeing your name published on a piece of paper.
Besides offering the community an opportunity to honestly reflect, the paper makes important information accessible, offers valuable experience to members of staff, creates connections and allows for a measure of accountability.
Like it or not, The Echo is one of the key sources of history at Taylor, and even though we don’t fully grasp it yet, the work our staff did this year will point people to what this university was like in 2022 and 2023, decades from now. It’s simultaneously a sobering and motivating reality.
That’s why we implore students, alumni, parents and friends of this university to pay attention to The Echo. You aren’t just learning about what’s happening at this school, but also what students think about what’s happening.
110 years is a significant milestone for a student newspaper — and editions from every one of those years can be accessed in the Taylor Archives. This isn’t merely a piece of paper: it’s the first draft of Taylor’s history. It is a mirror and time capsule, a news source, a catalyst for both truth and creativity, and is the work of many, many hands.
We are grateful to have led the paper’s team this year and want to take the time to extend that gratitude to those who have made a weekly paper possible: Faculty Adviser Alan Blanchard, past editors like Holly Gaskill (‘22), Ellie Tiemens (‘22), Sam Jones (‘21) and countless others. Taylor administration and staff who work with us to provide invaluable information, along with diverse and insightful commentary for the paper’s various sections. Readers who take the time to engage with the newspaper, appreciate our work, fill out the Games section and provide feedback. And The Echo’s staff, without whom this paper quite literally wouldn’t be possible.
We are excited to pass the baton to next year’s Editors in Chief: juniors Marissa Muljat and Samantha Leon. Their experience, giftings and leadership vision will serve the community well.
We hope, God-willing, that we are able to return to this campus in Upland, Indiana, 30 years from now and still see a fresh rack of papers ready to be picked up after a chapel service. We hope that this school and this student body recognizes the importance of a student newspaper and a history that precedes all of us.
It’s been an honor to serve you this year.
