Shepherd University’s student-run newspaper, The Picket, has added two new students to the editorial staff: Elizabeth Walsh, Editor in Chief, and Madison Burns, Multimedia Editor.
The Editor in Chief position being filled has increased both the idea flow for articles and the rate at which stories are being edited and posted. With the Multimedia Editor position being filled, The Picket is allowed more of an outreach to the community and students, as well as have the reporters’ work more seen as the position helps boost the retention rate of the articles.
Burns is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in arts. She has previous experience helping run social media accounts for other newspapers.
Burns has had a general interest in writing and a more specific interest in Journalism since elementary school. She is unsure of where this passion started, Burns said, “it’s just something I have always naturally gravitated to.”
She chose to be a part of the editorial team due to her interest in managing social media and having the ability to respond to others in a “PR aspect”, according to Burns. In addition to her love for writing and managing social media, her love for photography led her to this position.
Burns said, “Along with this, I really enjoy photography and overall content creation, so doing something like social media editing was exciting for me.”
Burns strives to see more publicity for not only the reporters of The Picket and their articles, but additionally more popularity for The Picket overall.
Walsh is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communications with a concentration in journalism. Previously, her title with The Picket was Social Media Editor. Additionally, she has been writing for the paper over the last three years as a reporter.
Walsh has always been captivated by writing, and her love for it was jump-started in elementary school, where she won a WV Young Writer’s award.
“In middle school, I had a Letter to the Editor featured in the Ritchie Gazette, my local paper, on the consolidation of the elementary schools in my county,” Walsh said, “It was exciting hearing from people in the community and their perspective on the issue after reading my piece.
When she started her education at Shepherd, she was originally undecided on her major and after taking an Intro to Journalism Class in her freshman year, she found her love for writing once again.
Walsh had not originally planned to become Editor in Chief for the paper.
“I didn’t start this semester with any intention of applying for this position. I had a conversation with Jenna Taylor, the teaching assistant of the radio practicum class I’m in. She kind of pushed me to apply, and I think instilled some confidence in my ability.”
Despite having no intention of stepping into this position, Walsh has thought of many things she wants to see come out of The Picket.
“I want more collaboration between students, more creative freedom for reporters, and get this new generation of Comm kids excited again.” said Walsh, “A lot of the people I’ve worked with over the last 3 years have graduated or are close to it, like myself. I want to be able to leave something behind that we can be proud of.”
Walsh has since stepped into her role to bring The Picket into a new era. With more teamwork, effort, and support, the new editorial team looks forward to this semester and what it will bring.
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