Wait, we have a student newspaper?
Hey Reader,
I debated opening this up with “Dear Reader,” but I wanted to keep this letter more casual. I’m sure there will be times when I need to use this platform to discuss the importance of journalism, campus issues and any other list of pressing topics — maybe in those cases I will open with “Dear Reader.” But for now I just wanted to introduce myself and our paper.
My name is Chris Ponce, I’m a political science and philosophy double major, professional writing minor, and I’m approaching my fourth-year at UC Davis. I’m also the new editor-in-chief of The Aggie. I’m following an amazing friend and boss who left some very big shoes to fill. I hope to leave my own mark on our paper and continue our over 100-year legacy of quality student journalism.
At The Aggie we have seven different desks; campus news, city news, opinion, features, arts, sports and science. Each of these desks provide the campus and local community with relevant information and news. During the school year we print weekly on Thursdays and post content to our website daily.
Before serving in this new role I find myself in now, I’ve been with the city news desk for my entire college career. I started off as a volunteer writer and became city news editor for the next two school years. At that desk I fell in love with the Davis community. From the local vendors to the business owners, it is the people who make Davis what it is.
That’s the message I want to leave you with today dear reader, and I hope that the legacy of our paper can reflect that. This is a small town, but the people are anything but. Maybe you are an incoming first-year touring campus right now, maybe you, like me, are preparing for your final year; nonetheless this paper is for you.
We shed sweat and tears not to boost our resumes or to spread gossip but we exist to serve you, the reader. From students who are new to Davis to Davisites who have called this town home for years, we exist to bring you honest, responsible journalism.
This means that not everything we print is pretty, it also means sometimes we print things that might even make us a little uncomfortable, we are human too. But as newspapers have begun to shrink in recent years we are reminded of the responsibility that we are called to do. We exist to shine a light where there otherwise isn’t any. From the work of local and student government to activists who gather in Central Park, we shine a light.
It wasn’t too long ago when you’d hear a student say “wait, we have a newspaper?” I like to think that has changed. Blame it on our outreach, budget, the pandemic or the state of journalism as a whole (or all of those factors) but I want to make it my goal to make sure we are known and trusted to bring you the news.
So, that’s my pitch and that’s our paper. Whoever you may be, I hope you see what we have to offer. We will continue to do our best to defend the need for local journalism.
Best,
Chris Ponce
Editor-in-Chief
If you ever wish to reach out to me, please send me an email at editor@theaggie.org.
