Celebrating 100 years of student journalism

Last week, East Tennessee State University’s student newspaper, the East Tennessean, celebrated its 100th anniversary. This milestone commemorated a century of journalistic excellence. The East Tennessean plays an important role in facilitating dialogue and engagement on our campus. Students decide what is covered, create content without faculty or administrative oversight, and strive to always provide impartial and thorough information. The newspaper has served as a springboard for hundreds of professional journalists working in the region and beyond, instilling generations of reporters with a sense of integrity, discernment, responsibility, and empathy.

The East Tennessean also is emblematic of the critical role local journalism plays on our campus and in our community. Amid the cacophony of social media posts and the endless stream of national news, local journalists provide two crucial elements that are central to an effective democracy: context and civic-mindedness. Local reporters, including the students who work for the East Tennessean, understand the nuances and needs of our community, and, as citizens themselves, are invested in the success of the region they serve. Their voices are absolutely essential to the conversation.

Congratulations to the East Tennessean reporters of the past and present for a century of insightful analysis on our campus. I encourage everyone to continue to support student-led journalism at ETSU.

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Brian Noland
President