By Shane Rene´, Editor-in-Chief

Happy Monday, Blue Demons, and welcome to (or back to) DePaul University. You may be familiar with us at The DePaulia, but if you’re not, please allow me a moment to make a pitch for why 28 pages of hyperlocal campus news produced by your peers might be worth reading.   

It can be hard to take The DePaulia seriously when you’re living in the middle of Chicago, one of the few cities left in the United States with a robust local media scene. For some college newspapers such as the Daily Iowan at the University of Iowa, the campus newspaper is the only source of essential local news. Between the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, WGN and NBC5, what could a campus paper in the big city possibly offer?

The truth is, the coverage of higher education at professional media outlets is often limited to policy — how lawmakers affect universities. But rarely do you see stories in major media outlets about how universities make an impact on the student body, and how students interact with their university. That’s where we step in.

At The DePaulia, our goal is not merely to play newsroom and build a resume. We sacrifice our weekends — and weekdays — because we know that what we do matters, and nobody else is going to do it. Private universities like DePaul have the privilege of, well, privacy. That means you, as a student and member of the DePaul community, need someone fighting for transparency and giving your voices a platform.

For nearly a century, The DePaulia has filled that void.

By Lacey Latch, Managing Editor

The DePaulia has provided me with some of the best journalism experience I could ask for as a student and introduced me to some of my best friends. But aside from its personal importance to me, the newspaper is a vital part of the DePaul community. We all work really hard to ensure that everyone on campus has the information they need to make their time at DePaul the best it can be, whether it be covering the concerts and events across campus or reporting breaking news that students need to know right away. At its core, The DePaulia exists to serve its readers and everyday the student staff that prepare 28 pages for print each Monday strive to accomplish that mission in everything we do.

By Bianca Cseke, Online Editor

Student media has always been incredibly important, but never more so than it has become in recent years. Universities everywhere have come to see themselves as brands that must be protected — making preserving their public images a top priority — and DePaul is no different. Students have every right to full transparency within the institutions they attend and pay for, and that’s where student media comes in. Publications like The DePaulia dig deep into issues and look at perspectives that you’re unlikely to find in pieces prepared by public relations offices. We do the work that we do because we care deeply about DePaul and want to bring more openness to the processes that often happen behind closed doors, which can only help improve the university for everyone.

By Mackenzie Murtaugh, News Editor

As biased as I may be as the newspaper’s news section editor, student media matters. The presence of a student-run newspaper connects the student body with the transparency of campus events and administrative happenings they deserve. Without a body of committed students delivering the news and uncovering aspects of the university some might not want us to know about, how would information be distributed? Would our student body live in an ignorant and picturesque bubble? Information that the students, faculty and staff deserve to know often comes out of our newsroom and the newsrooms of every college campus that has reporters and editors as dedicated as we are. Without student media, information would stay behind closed doors.

By Lawrence Kreymer, Sports Editor

Student media is extremely important in today’s world with how few daily and weekly newspapers remain in each city. So, that leaves students with the responsibility to cover their school and report important news that might not be picked up professional newspapers. A student newspaper is vital to any college because the students, faculty and the public deserve to know what is going on at that college. The DePaulia does a great job of writing and reporting on news that matter to the school and people should read the paper to find out what is going on at DePaul every week.

By Nate Burleyson, Assistant Sports Editor

For me, student media matters because it is a beacon of truth and representation for the student body. It also is a way to hold people in power accountable even when they might hold all the weight. I think it’s a powerful way to show how an honest press is an integral part of a community and the world in general. Administrations that don’t have to worry about anyone telling the truth to the students and faculty can get away with a lot more shadiness. On a less drastic note, it also offers a platform for people to speak on what’s important to them and what should be important to others.

By Brian Pearlman, Nation & World Editor

The most important thing about the school newspaper I believe, is its role as a forum for student writing — a place where students from across the university can have their work published and, as long as there’s a physical edition of the student paper (fingers crossed!), see it in print. Student media should be open to everyone, across a variety of disciplines — it should not be the exclusive domain of those pursuing journalism or writing majors. Students should have the opportunity to create work they are proud of, and their drafts should be treated fairly and constructively during the editing process.

By Cailey Gleeson, Focus Editor

Student media is the starting point for so many incredible journalistic careers. It’s an opportunity for aspiring journalists to explore their interests and figure out what their true passions are in writing. It builds on what you learn in your classes and allows you to get bylines. It establishes reputations and connections that are essential for not only internships, but also opportunities after graduation. Going into my freshman year at DePaul, I immediately began writing for The DePaulia and am proud to now be an editor. Student journalists are the future of the field.

By Keira Wingate, Assistant Arts & Life Editor

Student media is incredibly important because it is an outlet for what is going on around them. Many students don’t know much about their campus and with these outlets it gets people involved and keeps them informed. It may not seem of much importance, but it is. For example, our news section showcases a lot of student talent with impressive investigating skills and breaking news that affects students. I feel that it brings a community to campus and luckily DePaul has multiple different media outlets for people to choose from. They all give opportunity on top of giving students more knowledge and knowledge is power.