Three years ago, I walked into the basement of Vilas Hall a lost freshman looking for a place to belong. Since then, The Daily Cardinal has become a constant presence in my life. I can proudly say I not only found my place but also will now have the opportunity to lead the organization I have come to love.
My name is Jack Casey and I am lucky enough to call myself the new editor-in-chief of The Daily Cardinal.
My new job and the efforts all our staff members put in, many times totaling upward of 40 or 50 hours a week, is far from easy, but each and every one of us is proud of what we can accomplish in the cluttered office we call home. We are a devoted team of editors, copy chiefs, photographers and artists and in the ever-changing world of journalism we are all proud to say those titles are rarely mutually exclusive.
But our work, though personally rewarding, is really meant for you, our readers. Over the next year, I hope to continue making this paper the place students on campus can come to stay informed on local and state issues as well as challenge themselves with unique interpretations of the environment in which we live. Whether you read The Daily Cardinal for its student government coverage or to see what fun comics the talented graphics desk comes up with, we want you to enjoy what you see and hopefully stimulate you to seek more.
Journalists appreciate it when readers give feedback on a story and I believe a newspaper cannot reach its full potential if it serves a community of passive readers. This is your paper and I want it to serve your interests. If you like something, tell us. And if you disagree with something we publish, give us a call or shoot us an email.
The paper has made positive changes over the past year to better engage our audience and I hope to make more after I take over the job. Journalism in the modern age is an amorphous thing that has its roots in print but has blossomed online. We as college journalists are learning to properly toe that line and in doing so, are putting in more planning and effort than ever to meet you and your interests online. And as the only college in the country with two competing student papers, our drive to improve has the added fuel of a direct rival. Under my leadership, I will work to make sure The Daily Cardinal’s website and social media accounts continue to be a place to go for up-to-date information and important content that you as a reader will find useful and interesting. So bookmark our site, find us on Instagram, give us a like on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You will be glad you did.
When you think of UW-Madison student journalism, I want you to think of The Daily Cardinal. Not the bird, but the cardinal red color that is tied so intimately with our university.
It’s going to be a great year pursuing this crazy thing called journalism. Let’s go.
Jack is a junior majoring in journalism and economics. Do you have any advice for The Daily Cardinal’s newest editor-in-chief? Please e-mail your feedback to jvcasey@wisc.edu.
