A Century Old Friend

This month is the 100th anniversary of West Texas A&M's student newspaper, The Prairie.  I got to work on The Prairie during the three years I was at WT, serving as its editor in my senior year.  I have so many memories of my time on the newspaper.  It was one of the most valuable experiences in my quest to become a journalist.

When I enrolled in the journalism program at WT, the instructors were more than a little skeptical on whether I'd be able to make it.  They wondered if someone with a speech problem would be able to communicate well enough to conduct interviews.  Honestly, I didn't know if I could do it either, but I wanted the chance to try.

The Prairie gave me that chance.  I was enrolled in the newswriting class, where I had to find a news story and write an article each week.  I came up with my own method.  I wrote out questions before I went to an interview and gave the person a copy of the questions.  Then, I wouldn't have to keep repeating the questions if the person couldn't understand my speech. 

The newswriting class had close to 30 students, and we were competing for a spot in The Prairie each week.  With limited space in the newspaper, only the best articles from the class made it into publication.   I was so excited the first time I saw one of my articles printed in The Prairie.  It was a dream come true!

I wrote a lot that first year.  It was exhilarating to see my stories in the paper or heartbreaking to open the paper and find my article didn't make the cut that week.  I just kept writing, hoping to make it into print.  

I'd come a long way in that year.  The instructors who once had wondered if I'd be able to make it in the journalism program now recommended me for a staff position on The Prairie, and I was hired as the paper's copy editor for the next year.  It was a paid position.  It was only $150 a month, but it was my first paying job.  I was in heaven. 

I was copy editor for the fall semester and had planned to stay for the spring semester.  But when the editor-in-chief unexpectedly stepped down during the Christmas break, I became the new editor.
 
I was privileged to lead a talented team of writers and editors.  The paper received an All American Award from the Associated Collegiate Press, one of only 12 college newspapers in the country to win the award.  One writer on the staff received national recognition for writing the top college journalism story.  It was the Pulitzer of college awards for the writer. 

I took over during a tumultuous time in the university's history.  University President Ed Roach was indicted for diverting scholarship money to meet other budget deficits and later resigned.

The student newspaper serves several important roles.  It not only prepares students for a career in journalism but also records the university's history.  Knowing that I had a small part in leading the paper through one of the most historic years in the school's history made my time there so rewarding.
 
With the number of city newspapers dwindling, I'm glad to see The Prairie still going strong after 100 years. 

Carry on, old friend.  Carry on!