I never imagined being editor-in-chief of a newspaper this way.
It’s not because I’m not confident in my abilities to write, edit and lead a staff, but I shouldn’t be taking over a paper with six issues left in the semester.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will finish out this semester as the editor-in-chief. I step up to this position after three semesters as sports editor and one semester as assistant sports editor. I have been involved with the newspaper since two days before my freshman year began in Fall 2013. All I wanted to do was cover the Sam Houston State soccer team and dabble in other sports and news every once in a while. I had no intention of moving up the ranks, but sometimes you have to do what’s best for everyone as a whole.
I loved producing the sports page and am thankful for the sports editors before me. They left me a foundation that made it easy for me to transition into the position. In my time, I made sure SHSU sports were covered and The Houstonian had a sports page to print with coverage available online and on social media.
As for this transition today, I’m not so fortunate. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t flustered moving from leading a sports staff to leading an entire newspaper staff. I didn’t expect to be needed to step up with six issues remaining in the semester. However, I know I’m capable of the responsibility to carry out my full, short tenure as editor or I wouldn’t have been asked in the first place, and I wouldn’t have accepted.
Trust me, I know the ups-and-downs when it comes to The Houstonian as I understand the associations people have with the paper. My goal for these three weeks is to transition this publication to something better than before and work with the university and those that are part of this community. I will salvage what I have been given and finish this semester on some type of high note.
I never imagined being editor-in-chief of a newspaper this way, but that’s okay.