Skylar Wilkerson Takes Charge as Commuter's Editor-in-Chief

Welcome to a new school year, and a new editor-in-chief of The Commuter, LBCC’s award-winning news magazine and website. Skylar Wilkerson is serving as this year’s editor-in-chief. 

Wilkerson was appointed to lead The Commuter staff at the end of spring term by LBCC's Student Publications Committee, a group that includes students, staff and faculty from the college. Wilkerson succeeds Micah Teague. 

Last school year Wilkerson served as a contributing writer, photographer and the office manager for The Commuter, which has an office in the Forum Building on the Albany campus, F-222. Wilkerson, an LBCC science major, brings a wide range of experience to his new role as editor-in-chief, drawing from his work with fellow Commuter staffers along with staff and faculty from around the LBCC campus. 

“From reading past editions, editing stories on our final proof, organizing the office, talking with students who are interested, to meeting new faces while delivering the paper on campus, my biggest joy is seeing their reaction to what’s new that month, and I had a hand in creating it,” he wrote in his application to become editor-in-chief.

“The changes I would like to see are more student involvement in the publication, be it in the magazine, or perhaps in other avenues. I feel like this would bring more interest not only on campus, but locally as well. I also want to bring more of a diversification of articles that would catch the attention of all campus departments and students that month. For example, more STEM-related articles or information.”

When he’s not in class or working for The Commuter, Wilkerson enjoys exploring scientific topics, from oceanography to geology, along with surfing on the Oregon coast. 

Those who would like to contact Wilkerson or get involved at The Commuter are encouraged to email the staff at commuter@linnbenton.edu. Also see The Commuter's website at LBCommuter.com.

For more information about journalism at LBCC, contact The Commuter’s faculty adviser, Rob Priewe, at priewer@linnbenton.edu.

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Ryan Janowitz Appointed Editor-in-Chief of The Commuter for 2023-24

Ryan Janowitz

 The Commuter has a new editor-in-chief, Ryan Janowitz.

The Student Publications Committee appointed Janowitz after an interview with applicants on June 5. Janowitz succeeds Leah Biesack, who is now a student at OSU.

Janowitz has worked as The Commuter’s marketing director this school year. He will take over immediately as the student news operation’s person in charge.

As marketing director, Janowitz has worked with editors in production and distribution of the monthly magazine, managed the operation’s advertising and marketing efforts, updated The Commuter’s website, and produced and distributed The Commuter’s weekly newsletter.

Janowitz, a visual communications major at LBCC, will have the benefit of leading several staffers — editors, reporters, photographers, designers — who plan to return for a second year at LBCC beginning this fall.

In his application for the position, Janowitz wrote, “The Commuter’s responsibility to the school is to support the student body and the faculty to the best of our ability. We celebrate their achievements, their uniqueness, and creativity, we keep them informed on campus news and events, we provide entertainment, information, advice and encouragement.”

One of the points Janowitz emphasized in talking with the interview committee is his commitment to highlighting the outstanding work and successes of LBCC’s students, both current and recent graduates.

“I’d like to put more of an emphasis on student projects and events. We have a lot of talent in our student body and I want the Commuter to be a platform where they can display what they’re working on and what makes them unique.”

In addition to appointing his staff, Janowitz already is at work planning stories, photos and other content for The Commuter’s website, a summer edition, and the back-to-school Welcome Day edition of the newspaper/magazine, which readers can look for on campus the week of Sept. 20.

The college’s Student Publications Committee is composed of LB students, staff and faculty who annually interview applicants and appoint The Commuter’s top editor.

Those who would like to contact Janowitz or get involved at The Commuter are encouraged to email commuter@linnbenton.edu or ryan.janowitz.2994@mail.linnbenton.edu.

For more information about journalism at LBCC, contact The Commuter’s faculty adviser, Rob Priewe, at priewer@linnbenton.edu. To see more work by students in LBCC’s journalism program, see their blogs at robpriewe.blogspot.com.

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LBCC Winter Term Means New Student Blogs

Take a look to the right and you'll find a new lineup of student blogs for Winter Term.

This term LBCC's Journalism program is offering Feature Writing (JN217) and Media & Society (JN201).  Like most other departments on campus, all the Journalism classes are already full.

As part of their coursework, students in these classes will publish their work on their own blogs.  Check out some of the student journalism from last term as well.

The Commuter also is fully staffed and looking forward to working with students new to writing, reporting, editing and photography.  Numerous students are enrolled in the Journalism Lab (JN215A) and the Design and Production Lab (JN215B), where they contribute weekly to both the printed edition of The Commuter as well as the online site.

This promises to be another great term.  The staff of the Commuter is looking into attending another journalism conference this spring, possibly the Associated Collegiate Press convention March 3-6 in Los Angeles.

Finally, The Commuter and LBCC will once again be host to the annual Collegiate Day conference organized by the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association.  This event, May 6, is a one-day journalism conference and awards program for the state's college journalists.

So there's a lot going on in the months ahead!

(Photo credit: "extreme sports and blogging" by Will Lion, courtesy of Flickr.com/Creative Commons)
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