Although the spring semester is drawing to a close, The Picket has no intentions of coming to a halt once school’s out for summer.
“I am excited to have been selected to lead and continue to further advance The Picket over the next year. We have some incredible talent coming on board. The current staff has done an amazing job this past semester and I can’t say enough about how incredibly proud I am to be part of such an amazing team,” said Todd Bowman, the new editor-in-chief of The Picket.
Bowman, an RBA student with a concentration on journalism, served as news editor for the newspaper over the past school year.
“I am looking forward to working with Todd next year. This past year he broke many important stories for The Picket, and showed skill in working with sources on and off campus. Todd is a natural born journalist and has the instincts needed to be great. He’s the perfect person to lead the new staff next year as we tackle even bigger endeavors,” said Joyce Barrett, The Picket adviser.
Nic McDill, who studies English with a minor in journalism at Shepherd, served as editor-in-chief over the past two semesters.
“It has been a pleasure working with Nic this year,” Barrett said. “He has shown extraordinary dedication in his work on The Picket. He has tackled big stories, muscled the print version through to completion, and been an excellent leader to the paper’s staff. I see great things in his future as he is one of the most talented young men I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with.”
In addition to a new editor in chief, the Picket staff has multiplied by bringing in new members. Hayley Butler, a sophomore communications major, will be leading the arts and style section with fresh ideas to make the section shine.
Megan Hughart will be joining the staff as a full-time reporter working mostly with reviews and features.
“As an editor, sitting back and watching a new reporter find their groove and seeing the work they produce from that is incredible. Megan Hughart, a first semester staff writer, who will be on staff next semester is a prime example. In the beginning she seemed quiet, but after a few weeks and a few stories she really found her niche and I am excited to work with her next semester,” Bowman said.
Butler and Hughart have been writing stories for the paper over the course of the spring semester.
Matt Crawford, a newcomer to The Picket, will be next year’s sports editor.
Stephanie Deal, who worked as the copy editor this past semester, will be working as the news editor next semester, and then is expected to move into the managing editor slot in spring semester.
“I am very excited to be working as the news editor next semester and as the managing editor in the spring. I will be working closely with Emily through the fall to learn everything about the job so I can take over when she leaves. I plan on continuing the amazing work that Emily has been doing so that the Picket continues to grow and get better,” Deal said.
While the editors have many plans for the semesters to come, The Picket will also be partnering with the Shepherd University radio station, 89.7 WSHC, by providing daily news segments for broadcast.
The paper also plans to greatly expand its digital presence, and a new multimedia editor, Rogelio Lujan, will be guiding that expansion.
It’s hard to tell what next semester will bring, but The Picket plans to bring the new school year in with a bang as many exciting changes will revamp the voice of Shepherd University.
Well, it looks like I came to the right place at the right time to leave a tip. If you’re serious about starting the Fall 2015 semester off with a bang, then I suggest you start asking questions now of the unresolved issue of the football team having personal items stolen from their locker room when they played at Glenville State two years ago. I will happy to share with you what information I’ve obtained to date. I can be reached either via telephone at (304) 397-6075 or email at mslmediainc@yahoo.com.