Headed east
I’ve spent my whole life — vacations aside — in Iowa, but after almost 15 years in Story County, five of which have been spent at Iowa State and the last two, summers included, in the Daily’s newsroom, I’m finally getting out of dodge and stepping into the exciting new world of a professional newsroom.
But even that took some prodding.
After an interview with my would-be supervisor at the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Monty Gilles, the executive editor, Brian Cooper, and a friendly lady from the company’s HR department, I still wasn’t convinced moving on and leaving behind my friends and the excellent staff at the Daily was the right move. Particularly now, when we’re so poised to move to the online-first mentality we’ve been talking about for so long. Thankfully, a few of my fellow coworkers and Mark Witherspoon, our editorial advisor, were there to offer a gentle push.
So I’m on my way out.
This week, I’ll continue to work with the Daily’s new EiC, Anthony Capps, who holds the position for the summer term. We’ll wrap up any final transition work that’s left undone, and I’ll help him get his staff trained in the newsroom’s new online content management system, TownNews.com’s Blox, a project I’ve been working on with others at the Daily for months. I’ve yet to find a place to live in Dubuque, so that’s high on my to-do list, as well.
The goal is to start my orientation with Monty on May 24 so, hopefully, there’ll be more to report, soon.
Until then, I hope everyone else’s summer breaks get off to a great start, and I look forward to hearing from the Daily’s graduates and their first experiences in the big new world they’re headed into — bills, real paychecks and newsrooms across the country, for most of them, anyway.
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Author: ZachThompson
Zach Thompson is a senior in technical communication at Iowa State University and has worked at the Iowa State Daily -- the campus community's independent student newspaper -- since January 2007. His roommate peaked his interest in copy editing for the Daily when the news company ran a house ad, advertising open positions on the copy desk for the spring semester. After several semesters on the copy desk and experience as a page designer, wire editor and assistant news editor, he spent the spring semester of 2009 as the Daily's Managing Editor and was Editor in Chief from May 2009 to May 2010. This summer, he'll spend evenings at the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, as an intern on the company's copy and design desks.
1 Comments
Zach I’m so excited for you brother. Moving on can be a tough thing to do. I often miss our good ol’ times back at 2305 Freddy and wish i could go back. I know you will do fine. You have a heart of gold and are the best damn editor i know. Love you bro