Dear Readers,
All right, let’s do this one last time.
My name is AJ Minnich. I am a writer, and for the last three years, I have been the one-and-only editor-in-chief of The Comenian
When I was asked by our advisor, Professor Mark Harris, as well as the previous editor-in-chief, Nick Wan, to be the head of The Comenian, I was shocked. How could this shy and insecure kid ever hope to lead anyone, let alone the school newspaper?
When I took over, we operated with a skeleton crew, and our first edition had only seven articles. Following that, our next edition had an impressive 11 articles. A whole four article increase! Believe it or not, these moderate increases in output were celebrated back then. Our last edition that year contained 28 articles, an uptick from 12 the previous year.
Flash forward three years, and we are breaking the record for the largest edition in this publication’s 134-year history for the fourth time while I’ve been editor-in-chief. With a whopping 52 articles across our print and online editions, I am so incredibly proud to see all that we have done over the years.
This isn’t simply to brag or self-aggrandize, but to show just how much this paper has developed over the past three years. As a staff, we have built this paper from the ground up, and it has grown into one of the most important and impactful student organizations on campus.
In the twilight of my college career, I can’t help but feel so proud of the organization we have built. I saw the dire state this paper was in because of COVID-19. Most of the staff weren’t all that close, and we struggled to maintain viewership amidst the unique challenges of the pandemic.
This print issue is our largest ever and has been poured with countless hours of blood, sweat, and energy drinks. I’m both bragging (because, let’s be real, it’s pretty impressive) and trying to show just how far The Comenian has come.
I took over this paper, jaded about its future and role on campus, and I am leaving it confident and excited about its future.
As much as I would like to take credit for all this paper has done, it would not have been possible without the astoundingly incredible staff whose work and dedication humbles and drives me forward (sorry for the adverb, Professor Harris).
To be a student journalist is a thankless job. We don’t get paid or any real benefits outside of the occasional slice of pizza when I bribe our staff to come to important meetings. Additionally, these students often (I feel) go unseen for all the work they do for this paper. If you see anyone who’s on the back page, let them know that their work matters.
Thank you to all of our amazing writers and editors who do so much to support student journalism on this campus. In particular, Liz Kameen, Lola Offenback, Fatimah Bouri, Logan Palau, Catherine Forrester, Joel Hendricks, Todd Reedy, Mohammad Namous, Caillie Fish, and Lyana Cintron have been instrumental in shaping this paper into what it is today. You all deserve more recognition than I or the rest of the world can offer, but know that your work does matter.
Lastly, thank YOU, dear reader! Whether this is the first or the thirtieth edition you are tuning into, the continued support from the Moravian community is what makes this entire operation possible. You all are why we keep writing, questioning, and telling stories to our campus community.
As I write my final editor’s letter, I don’t know what my future holds, nor where all those kiwibots went. What I do know is that I am proud of what we have accomplished at The Comenian. I am proud of the community we have built in and around this paper. I am proud that I was able to leave even a fraction of a mark on this campus.
One last time, that’s all from me, folks! Thank you for reading our paper, and be sure to check back in when The Comenian returns in the fall semester!
Your editor-in-chief,
AJ
