Meet the New Editor-in-Chief: Samantha Werkheiser 

The Stroud Couriers new Editor-In-Chief Samantha M Werkheiser

By Janice Tieperman 

News Editor 

 

As the semester draws to a close, the Stroud Courier has entered a time of transition as many of its members graduate, including the current Editor-in-Chief, Kathleen Kraemer.

Junior Samantha Werkheiser will be stepping up to assume leadership of the Courier, after serving the Spring 2017 semester as Assistant Editor-in-Chief.

Born and raised in Effort, PA, Werkheiser graduated locally from Pleasant Valley High school in 2013.

Although this is her first year at ESU, Werkheiser has comfortably settled into the English department in the Professional Writing Track.

Since attending ESU, she had been actively searching for opportunities to get involved in English-related activities.

“Honestly, when the editor-in-chief position became available, I jumped at it,” she said. “I knew this is something I wanted to do.”

Since joining the newspaper, Werkheiser has truly felt a sense of community between the entire staff.

“You can’t help but become friends with the people on this paper,” she said, “since we all work together so closely.”

In addition to the student staff, she has credited a lot her success in her newspaper involvement to the English department faculty, specifically the Stroud Courier advisor.

“Professor Broun has also been a huge help and one of my biggest supporters,” she said. “He truly cares about this paper and his students.”

While there is a great amount of change coming for the paper as some veteran writers and editors graduate, Werkheiser is confident about the direction the paper is going.

“I get to work with some really awesome people, and Katie has been the best mentor,” she said. “I want to take over where she left off—I have some big shoes to fill.”

Although this semester is reaching an end for the Courier, Werkheiser has plenty of plans for the paper’s future.

“I’d really like to see the paper grow,” she said, “having a stronger online and social media presence is one of my biggest goals for the coming year.”

When the time arrives for her own graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in journalism.

“I didn’t always know exactly what I wanted to do with my future, but eventually I did figure out that I wanted to be a journalist.  From there it was easy,” she explained.

She does not have an exact plan for her future following her career at ESU, but she has several options that she has been eyeing.

“I’d like to work in print media after graduation but I realize that this is becoming a dying breed,” she said. “I have also been looking at broadcast journalism as an alternative too.”

The Stroud Courier’s future looks bright under Werkheiser’s leadership.  This can be seen clearly her attitude towards the organization.

“I really do love this paper,” she said. “It’s amazing the amount of work that goes into making this every week.”

 

Email Janice at:

jtieperman@live.esu.edu