A New Motto and Era for the Tripod

The Trinity Tripod is happy to announce the introduction of a new motto to drive our mission for-ward. It states our common purpose and provides a unity to our team that is essential for a profession-al and trustworthy college newspaper. The motto is: “Scribere Aude!”. Translated from the Latin, it means “Dare to Write!”. In short, the motto encompasses our commitment to truthful, rigorous reporting in an era where trustworthiness is hard to find. As a collegiate newspaper, we have a great responsibility. College students are constantly taught about the world and inspired to initiate change. We are socialized everyday in class and through personal interactions. The four years of the undergraduate are a perpetual kindling of fire. As writers, we direct this fire into the pen, hoping for change. The Tripod is an outlet for those passion-ate about change. This is where we apply what we’ve been taught.

Our motto has its roots in the Enlightenment. Immanuel Kant’s motto for this revolutionary social and philosophical movement was “sapere aude!”, meaning “dare to know.” For Kant and for the Enlightenment of the 18th century, the goal was truth. We as individuals have a responsibility to find truth by ourselves, using experience and reason. Moreover, we have a responsibility to be skeptical of “truths” told to us by the powerful. Each of us has the right to direct this skepticism into evidence-based investigation, presenting our findings publicly if they conflict with what we think we know. This individualism is what we must value and protect.

It is this democratic component that we carry into the Tripod’s mission. Each one of us at this college is passionate about something and has opinions about something. The newspaper is a democratic platform, produced by students, for students, not tied to a sympathetic relationship with any entity. We all want to be heard. Dare to write about it!

“Scribere Aude!” ushers in a newfound unity at the Tripod. The motto ignites a sense of pride and connection over our 114 years. Not only does the motto express our commitment to truthful reporting, it is also a promise to keep our content relevant and well-presented, our editorial staff motivated and dedicated, and our publishing process as organized as possible. Trinity is well-known for sever-al successful alumni that have impacted the communications field. Many of them got their start at The Trinity Tripod. If you have considering contributing to your school’s newspaper- now is the time!

The Tripod is open to writers across Trinity’s community who are passionate about writing and passionate about the truth. In the view of the staff, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing your work in print. To dare is to push yourself. To dare is to want to make a change. To dare is to push against the prevailing powers. Journalism is a check on authority, a manifestation of the responsibility of skepticism that we all take on. We are a platform of expression and change. We are passionate and committed. We hope this small phrase will last for years to come, guiding our team and inspiring the entire college community.