Letter From the Editor: Support Student Journalism – Tell Us What’s On Your Mind!

Savannah Brooks ’26

Editor-in-Chief

It is no secret that being any kind of journalist these days is not easy. As the journalism industry continues to struggle to define itself in the digital age, clickbait headlines, celebrity gossip and AI-generated articles tend to dominate many people’s social media feeds. Local, small-paper reporting does not always fit into the algorithm or, indeed, the budgets of media corporations. Student journalism, however, is a different beast entirely. The Tripod, at least, does not aim to make a profit and is entirely volunteer-based, which creates a very different environment. As editor-in-chief, I do not have to require my staff to produce what any corporation deems is most significant, and I do not have to ask them to write stories which will generate the most clicks or bring in the most revenue. Advertising rates are low so that we can support our community organizations, and the money we make goes back into printing costs or into events for the college community.

However, perhaps the most limiting part of being a student journalist is credibility and reach. Often, our best and most impactful stories (those that get me a wink and a thumbs up from professors passing me in Peter B’s or, my favorite reaction, a student telling me they had no idea about the subject before our article) are those which come from tips. We do not receive anywhere near the same volume of tips as professional news organizations, and I want to make it very clear to those of you who are passionate enough to flip to page two that we do accept them, and they are incredibly helpful. 

A tip can come to us in several ways. Now that I am a senior and know so many faces around campus, one way that has become quite popular is simply telling me, face-to-face. But, for those of you who do not know me or may not have seen me around campus, we have an online tip form on our website. This form gives you the option to submit anonymously. You can also email me or tripod@trincoll.edu. 

While tips are generally information that would spark an investigative piece, we also always want to hear about what is going on on campus. If you know of an event, a person who deserves recognition or anything else you think we should report on, please send information our way! We have a fantastic, hard-working staff, but we can only get so much information out of basic word of mouth and scrolling through the campus calendar. We have had a real boom in letters to the editor so far this semester (you may have noticed that this is only the second editorial I have written so far), and I would love to keep that going. Do you have a concern about our coverage? Do you vehemently disagree with a recent opinion article? Write to us about it. The Tripod is at its best when it serves as a platform for the community, and at its worst when it exists in a vacuum. We are always eager for feedback and for contributions.

Supporting student journalism does not have to mean opening your wallet (although, to be clear, we do accept donations and our office is falling apart). By giving us information, whether it is something as simple as a talk coming up next month or as complicated as a huge scandal you want us to look into, you are supporting us by placing your trust in us. Ultimately, the Tripod is a space for learning—with no journalism department at Trinity, the responsibility to educate future journalists falls to us. By giving us story ideas, opening yourself up to being interviewed or giving us feedback on our coverage, you are supporting this education. We are not paid, and we have very little resources, so information freely given is invaluable to us. As you move through the year, I hope you will think of us, and keep picking us up while waiting for a coffee at Peter B’s or eating lunch at Mather.

– SNB