10 years, the answer is in the name. "I think in the next 10 years, hopefulBy Maria Alexandrova AUBG Daily turned 10 this year. A decade of quality independent journalism on campus and a milestone for any organization. In any news outlet, there is one unsung hero - the person not only responsible for putting the content together and guiding the reporters in their quest for good stories, but also for being the leader everyone looks up to. For ours, that person is the editor-in-chief. That is why there is no better way to dive into what makes the newspaper so special than getting to know some of the people who have held this position over the years. So, buckle up and go on this journey of two perspectives. Starting with Victoria Ivanova. She joined the club in her sophomore year and currently holds the position of president. Her history at AUBG Daily speaks for itself, with her becoming editor-in-chief only after her first year. Victoria notes that her reason for joining AUBG Daily was because the club benefits members directly. "What really attracted me to Daily is the idea of actually developing my own personal skills," she says. Victoria has had the opportunity to watch the club develop in recent years. While being editor-in-chief, she saw how the team expanded, and the quality of journalism improved. "I was really putting in a lot of effort and we gathered a bigger team of reporters," she adds. Truthfully, Victoria admits to missing her former role as editor-in-chief, as being president mainly involves administrative duties. "I feel kind of disconnected from the whole writing aspect and that’s why I still join every reporters’ workshop l," she shares. "I’m pretty much as involved as I was before because I miss that whole part." Victoria exudes passion when she speaks about AUBG Daily. Despite contributing to a lot of content throughout the years, what she finds most meaningful is the newspaper’s coverage surrounding the current war in Ukraine. "In a situation like that – when the community needed us the most – that’s when I saw Daily’s role shine the brightest," she admits. "I personally got a lot of messages from Russian and Ukrainian friends, as well as the community and administration, thanking us for everything we are doing." 8 SPRING 2022 | AUBG DAILY When she talks about what AUBG Daily means to her, it feels as if there is nostalgia in the air. Being in her senior year, Victoria has to say goodbye to the club soon. "For me, it is about creating a community within AUBG Daily and the whole of AUBG that’s more enlightened, in a way," she says. "I think Daily is the most authentic organization on campus." As far as what Victoria hopes for the newspaper in the next 10 years, things remain positive. "I just hope that Daily continues thriving. I hope that its presence is being appreciated. I hope that the people in Daily still have the dedication that we do currently and I would be extremely happy if I continue seeing what Daily is doing for years and years after I graduate," she concludes. Moving on to our current editor-in-chief, Ethan Perelstein. He started out as a reporter and editor. What attracted him to the club was the opportunity to practice the things he would learn in classes. "I was coming in as a JMC major and I had very little to none experience with journalism. Daily was a really good way of practicing and learning at the same time. I could go to JMC classes during the week, but then also have Daily meetings where we’re actually putting it into use," Ethan says. For him, each editor-in-chief has different skills and faces different challenges. Similarly to Victoria, he puts most emphasis on the writing and final product. "I think the hardest part about being editor-in-chief is all the logistical nonsense. For me, it’s about the product, it’s about working together with the reporters to make a beautiful piece of text," Ethan shares. When it comes to favorite stories he has overseen or written, there are two. Both are connected to current events. "One of my favorite stories is from this year. There was this protest in Blago and on the day of the protest, Spencer and Ilina, two of our reporters, just decided to go and cover it. Within an hour of knowing about it, we had two people there on the ground reporting it," he shares. That same night the article was published. "It was one of the most high-functioning pieces we’ve ever made," Ethan adds. The second story was one he wrote. On the morning of the recent invasion, he messaged Ukrainian students, interviewed them, and wrote an article about it. "It was certainly one of the more emotionally rewarding pieces I’ve ever written," he says. As for what he hopes for Daily in the next ly sooner, I would love to see Daily posting daily. To have a constant stream of useful, relevant, and accurate information," Ethan shares. Daily’s Seniors Share Their Wisdom From being a reporter, an editor, then moving to the board as editor-in-chief and now, the AUBG Daily 2021/22 president, being part of this club has benefited me in the most special ways. But the thing that AUBG Daily has truly taught me doesn’t have much to do with any of these roles. It is among this community of people that I genuinely found my passion for writing, I saw for a fact the power of the written word, and I started to cherish our role on campus. AUBG Daily is not simply a student club - we are here to inspire and inform, to empathize and empower. -Victoria Ivanova I joined AUBG Daily in my third year and it was one of the best decisions I made while at the university. Being a reporter allowed me to write about things that I care for. My time in Daily showed me that anything is possible if there is a group of talented and motivated people working for its achievement. The next generation of owlies is here to keep inspiring! -Ilina Stoyanova Being part of AUBG Daily taught me what “the club is your family” really means. When I was a freshman, I was told by the others that clubs will turn into my second family. And yes, I agree, I felt that in my junior year when I joined AUBG Daily, the only club at AUBG where I truly belong. -Diana Deliivanova
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