As always, summer has ended far too early, and the familiar chill of fall creeps back into the Case Western Reserve University campus. With the change in season comes the rush of wide-eyed first-years pouring into the North Residential Village with anticipation and curiosity for college life. Watching the first-years move in, I felt a pang of nostalgia for those good times—finding my college best friends, trying out countless new clubs and discovering what I truly wanted to study. Yet, as I enter the latter half of my college career, fairly certain of my career goals and interests, there is still so much unknown left to explore. From navigating new commitments to handling harder coursework, the potential for new knowledge, opportunities and friendships makes every year at CWRU exciting.

This year, I look forward to leading The Observer to even greater heights, working alongside writers, the Editorial Board and my fellow students to make this paper an accurate representation of CWRU’s diverse student body. In The Observer’s newest chapter, we seek to reflect upon the changing landscape of student media and communication and introduce initiatives to improve campus engagement and overall accessibility to our platform.

In light of the digital boom produced by COVID-19, The Observer recognizes the need to adapt and expand its digital presence. Social media specifically has become a vital tool for sharing information and connecting with wider audiences, and The Observer wants to embrace this shift. With an increased focus on social media through our Instagram and TikTok, we aim to create meaningful dialogues within and beyond the campus community. In addition, as our website viewership continues to grow, we have plans to improve its overall appeal and functionality. We feel these changes will not only enhance the accessibility of The Observer’s content but also create alternate avenues for students to share ideas and viewpoints—a necessary feature of any good student newspaper.

Alongside digital revitalization, we would like to introduce a series of writer workshops: a chance to learn from fellow writers, editors and Observer enthusiasts who all share the same passion for student expression. As a college newspaper, we are in the unique position of being a part of the audience we serve, and we know better than anyone that our content should reflect our diverse audience. To do so, we seek to train writers from every corner of CWRU and equip them with the tools to produce quality pieces. These workshops further that goal by not only honing writing skills but also fostering a sense of community and camaraderie among writers—an aspect we feel has faltered in recent years. We believe that in sharing their work, students will develop a greater appreciation for each other and a more nuanced understanding of CWRU’s student culture. 

Both the writer workshops and emphasis on social media tie into our overarching goal of increasing engagement within our organization and with our campus community. Any form of media can be a powerful channel for self-expression. Encouraging students to use our platform to create their narratives and share their voice is vital to enriching our publications and ensuring we reflect the vast experiences and perspectives of the CWRU community. In increasing engagement, we also want to increase participation in our non-print sectors—digital media, design and business operations—which all play a part in the success of our newspaper and the strength of our reach.

If you share in our mission and would like to make your voice heard, email us at observer@case.edu and tell us about your interests. Together, we can find a place in The Observer that aligns with your goals and skill set. Even if joining The Observer does not fit with your college experience, your role as a student is still essential to helping us become a collective voice for the community. We are always looking for feedback and content coverage suggestions via our website and email, and you can respond to our content through letters to the editor.

I am honored to lead The Observer into this new era and improve upon the work we already do. I truly believe making slow yet necessary changes in this period of post-COVID stability will draw us closer to each other and the community we serve. Through increased digital presence, writer workshops and a commitment to engagement, The Observer is not only evolving to meet the needs of students but is also maintaining its long-standing vision of community, inclusivity and diversity.

We hope you will stick with us for this journey!