Marissa Slowinski

Opinion Editor 

East Stroudsburg University’s student-run newspaper, the Stroud Courier, ended the 2022-2023 academic year with insightful contributions to the university community. Currently, The Stroud Courier is in the process of adjusting to two major changes made in under a year, one of which is the appointment of a new editor-in-chief. Present Editor-In-Chief and graduate student Riley Sardihna is leaving the Courier’s staff upon her graduation in May, after helping to revive the paper after the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Upcoming junior and English major Aliyah Williams was selected to fulfill the role of future editor-in-chief.  

Four other senior editors are also graduating in May, leaving a variety of positions open for future contributors, and an opportunity for the student newspaper to expand to new heights. In January, the newspaper also made the monumental decision to transition from a weekly physical publication to a fully online paper to adjust to the demands of a digital era. In an effort not to disband completely of a physical paper, the club decided to publish a monthly update in magazine form to keep students up-to-date with campus information.  

Amid all of the change, the Courier also oversaw some major news events during the 2022-2023 academic year, including the inauguration of ESU’s 14th President Kenneth Long, and the breaking ground of the new University Center. Additionally, there have been a variety of articles in the Arts and Entertainment section, edited by Delaney Hibbits, and the Opinion section, edited by Marissa Slowinski, that reflect the diverse nature of the campus. The Student Life, News, and Sports section also dominate, keeping readers up-to-date on local events and achievements. 

As mentioned above, Aliyah Williams, the current junior and Copy Editor at the Courier, is set to become the new Editor-In-Chief starting in the upcoming Fall 2023 semester. Williams has made immense contributions to the Courier, including a stand-out article on the Inauguration of President Long.  

“It felt really cool to write an article about the new President. It was more of a personal email than his other professional ones, so allowing the students to get to know him better was a cool experience,” Williams said.  

Williams expressed excitement about becoming Editor-In-Chief, reflecting on the general nature of The Stroud Courier as a whole.  

Williams said, “I am excited to be the new Editor-In-Chief. I love reading and writing, and hope to reach many people’s diverse opinions through The Courier.”  

With new leadership comes new changes, and Williams has multiple ideas of her own. She described how she is going to make major changes in rebuilding the Stroud Courier staff. 

“We don’t have a lot of people right now on the staff, so I want to focus on building better relationships with writers and making The Courier fun and less stressful,” Williams said.  

There are positions open for the fall for both editors and writers, so keep an eye out for new voices and new perspectives. 

Current Editor-In-Chief, Riley Sardinha, reflects on Williams’ time at The Courier so far, saying “Aliyah started out as a contributor back when I was still a page editor last year. I was glad to see that she was still interested in helping out the Courier after I became Editor-In-Chief.” 

She continues to say that she is “really grateful to have elected (Williams) into this position, and I trust in her qualifications and experience. I think she’ll do great at keeping up with everyone involved.” 

During her time as Editor-In-Chief, Sardinha has made phenomenal changes to the Courier and has contributed dozens of articles in every section, learning new skills and challenges regarding a position such as this. 

“As for me, I’ve learned a lot, not just in writing and graphic design, but managing schedules, as well. Editor-In-Chief of a small publication is not easy, but I didn’t really expect it to be,” Sardinha reflects. 

Looking to the future, Sardinha will carry lessons learned in the Courier to her future endeavors. Sardinha said, “I’ve definitely learned a lot in workplace communication and leadership that I hope to embrace in future work settings moving forward.” 

Looking back on the semester, the change from print to online publication,  with one monthly tabloid, has made for new experiences with viewers. 

“Our numbers keep getting higher and higher when it comes to viewership. Online news is the new wave, and I think changing to online was for the better. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes as the Courier moves forward and grows an online presence,” Williams said.  

Changes, changes, and more changes are all exciting, but also bittersweet. While print publication is a novelty and timeless, online presence has made awareness for the Courier and staying up-to-date easier. Williams is a promising new Editor-In-Chief, with big plans and sure-fire success in the future of the now-online, Stroud Courier.  

 Email Marissa at mslowinski@live.esu.edu