Lookout Below: New associate editor

By Mallory Stiles
Associate Editor

According to betterteam.com, being an associate editor means being an entry-level publishing professional who assists in various prior-to-print editing processes.

Associate editors proof, edit and fact-check content as well as check layouts and update social media channels in between writing this and that.

I am now beyond excited to call this position mine. I have worked tirelessly to get here and could not be more grateful for the opportunity. I accept every minor detail of the job description as a major responsibility. I am here to work.

Everything in the world of news has my heart, but The Lookout has made it more fun than I ever could have thought possible. I consider it a privilege to be able to shape the information taken in by the public, and I promise to do my absolute best to publish only the most eye-catching news – news generated both on campus and around the city of Lansing.

Working as a team with others on the paper who value journalism has been one of my favorite parts of my college experience so far. In the news room, we collaborate and learn from each other every meeting. And it is that same energy that I hope shows in each issue printed.

Though the title of associate editor gives me a great sense of pride, I am looking forward to the little things, like stressing over layouts and spending hours skimming for incorrect apostrophe placement or an out-of-place comma.

Libraries have always been my safe place. I always felt best buried in books surrounded by the smell of stale paper, licking papercuts. It wasn’t until I stumbled into The Lookout for the first-time last summer that I realized it was all just a stepping stone to get me where I truly belong … the news room.

To have come so far so fast feels a little unreal, but our adviser, Larry Hook, has been a major help. He is always there to provide guidance and encouragement. I would like to take a moment to thank him publicly for caring so much about the future of his students.

This is my career but to me it’s more than that. It is my life’s work, my passion and my reason for getting up in the morning. I love being a journalist and I know, without a doubt, that I will love being associate editor. Here’s to another semester; let’s get through it together, everyone.