One year ago, I became faculty advisor to The Pioneer and we began printing the paper for the first time in more than a decade. It is a decision some may question and rightly so. We live in a digital world and printed papers are an endangered species. I am a strong believer that old media will not totally disappear anytime soon. A printed paper is a permanent record of school events. We’ve had fun reading Pioneer articles from years past and we have an article about that in this edition. For those of you here for Homecoming, the past editions have helped us understand what Catawba was like when you were a part of the campus community.

After a long career in journalism, I came to Catawba unsure what I would be facing. I have been amazed! I have loved getting to know the students here and hearing about their passions and their dreams. Catawba is the perfect place to help them meet their goals. The reporters for The Pioneer understand that it takes teamwork and going the extra mile to get a printed edition in the racks. The lessons learned from that alone make this worth it all. I particularly appreciate the work put in this summer to get a printed edition out the first week of school. Our reporters have energy, passion, and a desire to tell the good news about Catawba. I know that the lessons learned in our newsroom will pay great dividends no matter what career path they take.

We are still committed to putting our stories on digital platforms. I invite you to check out our website at www.catawbapioneer.com. You will also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Joining the world of higher education has given me the opportunity to meet a talented  group of men and women committed to making a student’s four years here a journey of discovery. The professors at Catawba not only want students to learn in the classroom, but they want to help students discover their passion, to discover what they believe, and they want to give advice as students decide what life after Catawba will look like. I could sit and talk with these incredible scholars for hours. I’ve learned a lot from them. There is no doubt in my mind that the faculty at Catawba is its greatest asset. I encourage all students to realize the advantage of a small school and try to get to know those who are here to teach. They are committed to helping students get the most out of a Catawba education.

I was fortunate to have professors who encouraged me to dream big when I was in college. My goals of becoming a news reporter and later a TV sportscaster were realized because I had professors who cared and pushed me when I was unsure of my ability. I am honored to have an opportunity to pay it forward teaching public speaking, journalism, and advising the talented staff of this paper. I encourage you to contact me if you want to be a part of our team. You can take The Pioneer as a course for one hour credit or you can just join us because you want to be a part of something special on campus. I hope you enjoy this edition and have fun on this special Homecoming weekend!