The Rocket staff for the 2016-17 school year will feature both returning and new staff members.
Interviews were conducted at the beginning of April and were open to all Slippery Rock students.
Ryan Barlow, junior public relations major who was the sports editor for The Rocket for the past year, will be the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) next year. Barlow will be taking the place of graduating journalism major Janelle Wilson.
“Ryan is a smart kid,” Wilson said. “He pretty much knows what he’s doing and is very confident in his own abilities, so training him was more about getting him used to the idea of being in charge of people.”
Mark Zeltner will continue his position as faculty advisor in the upcoming semester and work with the returning and new staff members.
Returning staff members include Cody Nespor, sophomore communication-digital media production major, as sports editor, Victoria Davis, sophomore gender studies and English literature major, as Copy/Web Editor, Amanda Salvia junior creative writing major as assistant copy/web editor, Rebecca Dietrich, junior communication-digital media production major, as photo editor and Kendall Scott, junior recreational therapy major, as assistant photo editor.
The new staff includes Catharyn Burton, junior integrating marketing major, as advertising manager, Megan Bush, freshmen journalism major, as campus life editor, Nina Bracci, freshmen journalism major, as assistant campus life editor, Jordyn Bennett, junior journalism and philosophy major, as assistant sports editor, Daniel DiFabio, sophomore journalism major, as news editor, Logan Campbell, sophomore journalism major, as assistant news editor and Eric Davis, freshmen digital media production major, as The Rocket’s multimedia reporter.
“This year was interesting because we loved all of our applicants,” Wilson said. “Sometimes there are years where we aren’t sure which positions to put people into, but we were pretty sure of who fit where, especially our new people.”
Barlow is ready to oversee production of the paper and the new staff.
“I think my biggest job is going to be getting the new staff comfortable taking leadership positions with their contributors and learning how to manage them,” Barlow said.
