On Nov. 15, 1922, The Reflector was printed for the very first time. Although the University of Indianapolis and The Reflector itself have changed in a variety of ways since its inception, one thing has remained the same: our mission. For 100 years, we have reported on UIndy as accurately and fairly as possible, and we will continue to do so in the years to come.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday we meet in our classroom located in Esch Hall and learn how to better our craft. The newspaper provides us with the skills we will need for our future careers. We become leaders and mentors in order to guide those who come after us. With the help of editors past and present, we pass down knowledge that allows us to be student-led. We learn the ins and outs of running a paper, including how to conduct interviews and how to edit professionally. Each and every one of us steps up in order to provide the best reading experience possible, not just for a grade, but because we love what we do.
For the staff, The Reflector is more than just a newspaper or a class; it is our livelihood. While we do learn all kinds of skills, we also learn about and discover ourselves. Many of us before finding our way into COMM 120 were the quiet kids who never spoke much or simply never really felt like we fit in anywhere, but The Reflector quickly became home for us. Although it can be stressful at times and may feel like a chore, it is undeniable that we all love what we do, and in each and every issue we try as hard as possible to make it better than the last. The Reflector has allowed us to feel closer to campus as we get to connect with faculty and staff and learn the stories of those who call it home.
As reporters, we aspire to keep our readers informed about things on campus that some may not know about. We want to serve as a reliable source of information on campus events, sports and to amplify the voices of the many students on campus, because we all have our own stories. Not only do we set out to inform, we also hope to start conversations on things that need to be discussed. We know that knowledge is a powerful tool, and as times and people change, our goal is to grow and adapt alongside those who seek to change the world.
As for what’s next for The Reflector, we still stand by our original mission statement. But we also hope to connect with everyone on campus because without you, this campus would not be the same. Through the good and the bad, The Reflector will be here to keep our readers in the loop no matter how big or small the issue may seem. We hope that after reading our paper, you walk away learning more about the things going on around campus and hopefully feel more connected.
The Reflector has provided us with a place we can call home. It has paved a way for us to grow, not only as writers, but also as people and friends. But none of that would be possible without the UIndy community. While the newspaper has served those of you who read our publication, it has also served us in various ways. We can only hope that this paper continues to serve our future editors, staff, readers and those who we write about for another 100 years.
