By Rachel Gobep
Welcome back Penguins! From incoming freshmen waddling onto campus for the first time to seniors preparing for the next chapter of their lives, change is a common trend in college.
Change is normal, and it is expected, but it can be overwhelming at times. I’m here to tell you that although college can be intimidating, you should make the most of your time here at Youngstown State University.
YSU looks much different today than it did when I started college in fall 2016. When I began my education, The Enclave and University Edge did not exist. The university is now more focused on residential students, which provides opportunities for more activities on campus.
It has also morphed into a university that is more connected with downtown Youngstown.
One aspect of campus that hasn’t changed is construction, but don’t worry, the waterline replacement project on Fifth Avenue will finish up by the end of the semester.
For those that work at The Jambar, YSU’s student-run newspaper, change has hit us in the face like a brick wall, but for the better.
The Jambar staff has worked tirelessly over the summer to create a newscast: Jambar TV. This is something that I always hoped would happen, and it is finally a reality. It gives students the ability to have real-world experience in a fast-paced environment when we tape the show every Thursday afternoon.
Although I will always love print journalism and continue to publish the best newspaper possible each week, it was time for our journalism and telecommunication students to have multifaceted talent and showcase news through a different platform.
Now, our journalists will write a story for the newspaper and shoot video for their story to air on Jambar TV. There are many talented people participating in this effort, and I’m proud to say that we are founding members of the newscast.
When I began my tenure at The Jambar as a freshman, there were rumors that we were moving into a new space in Kilcawley Center. Those rumors led to excitement that eventually led to disappointment because we remained in the same space.
I waited three years for The Jambar to find a new home, and it finally did. Now, instead of being separated from other student media platforms at YSU, our office is called the Office of Student Media. This is something that will give students in journalism and telecommunication the opportunity to collaborate more and be exposed to new ideas.
Our newsroom previously had an office feel. We would jump over the walls and crowd 10 people into an 8-by-8 room because we needed to collaborate with each other.
Now, we have an open-concept newsroom and can all see each other at any given time, which gives us the ability to become closer, create better content and learn from one another.
Overall, there have been many changes at The Jambar this year, but I’m excited to show what we have in store for the campus community.
Jambar TV will air every Friday at noon, and can be viewed at thejambar.com. So, please tune in, support the journalism that our students at YSU are doing and see the news happening on campus.
I wish you all a wonderful semester, and always remember that if you believe there is something that The Jambar should cover, please let us know. News tips can be sent to thejambar@gmail.com.
Rachel Gobep
Editor-in-Chief
