Well, this is it for the 93rd Torch Editorial Board. Each of us has spent most, if not all of our years at the Torch while at St. John’s, so leaving the weekly grind will certainly be an adjustment.
We have had our fair share of endless hours of editing, too much time messing with InDesign to perfect section layouts and what is sure to have been hundreds of cups of coffee.
As our tenure comes to an end, we want to look back at what our section editors have accomplished this year.
News Editor Amanda did a fantastic job of nailing down what students needed to know about campus and the world around them. She worked tirelessly to make sure her section remained neutral and informative, covering everything from the SGI Winter Carnival to the Students of Consciousness demands for the University.
Amanda and Opinion Editor Suzanne collaborated each week this spring to put together a politics section meant to inform students of the most important political news and student opinions. If you ask us, we think it turned out to be exactly what fellow Johnnies needed during this nail-biter of an election.
Suzanne used her love of opinion-based journalism to encourage students to submit their own opinions to us. Each week, she worked to achieve the best balance of opinions she could.
The opinion section is still young but Suzanne has cemented its place among our pages.
Features Editor Livia made sure to get a balance of off-campus and on-campus features to keep readers interested in the stories that can be found around them every day.
Her passion for longform storytelling showed in her selection of stories each week.
Jasmine, our entertainment editor, used her vast knowledge of pop culture to tap into what students are most interested when it comes to music, movies and more.
Her weekly playlist feature was a staff favorite, and her dedication to her section while abroad this semester is admirable.
Sports Editor Steve, last but not least, delivered one of our biggest sections every week, with coverage of all major sports games, as well as athlete and coach profiles. This was Steve’s second year as editor, and he expanded beyond game summaries to include those aforementioned features and profiles, adding variety to his section.
We will elect a new editorial board in a couple of weeks and have faith that they will continue the legacy that our section editors have worked so tirelessly to create. From what we have seen so far of the rising talent, we have no doubt that the Torch will continue to serve as a source for all things St. John’s, from news to arts to sports.
We expect that the standards we have set will remain, and that the new board will work to raise them even higher.
Keep your eyes peeled for their first three issues in April.
Good luck to the next editorial board. Make us proud (no pressure), drink plenty of coffee and try not to stay past 5 a.m. this year…
