Editor’s Desk: Changes to The Loyola Phoenix

The Loyola Phoenix is entering its 55th year of production following its creation after the dissolution of the Loyola News in 1969. I spent the months of summer drawing inspiration from past issues in order to try to make this year of The Phoenix the best it can be.

Design

While some of the changes may not be super obvious, the paper looks different this year. 

Between the vibrant designs in the ‘90s and the classic, simple look of the ‘70s, the dozens of different mastheads from the past half-century made me feel it was time to slightly change the look of the paper.

The fonts and our little bird remain mostly the same, but our graphic identity has undergone minor changes to reflect The Phoenix’s history and future.

Crossword

Games have always gone hand-in-hand with newspapers. While space and time and budget all stand in the way of more, I felt like it was time to bring back The Phoenix’s crossword. 

I’ll admit, some of the questions go over my head, but I hope crossword-lovers and the like will find some joy on the happenings page.

Letters to the editor

The opinion section, by multiple names, has always been a part of The Phoenix, but this year we are working to revamp the section. A full explanation written by myself and our opinion editor can be found in that section, but we are looking to offer members of the Loyola community a platform for their voice.

Letters to the editor will be accepted over email or through social media from students, faculty and readers, edited only for grammar or clarity. This is probably what I’m most excited for going into the year.

Horoscope

Astrology has always been such an interesting topic for me. I don’t know what I, an aquarius, believe, but I do think you can derive meaning from anything and apply it to your life. 

My hope is that readers of The Phoenix can flip to the horoscope each week — in the aforementioned opinion section — and enjoy someone else’s interpretation of their star sign. 

Website

Last November, our website crashed and we lost all of our content from the past decade. After what was probably a worst case scenario for a cyclical publication, our website is up and running with developments happening every day. 

Over on LoyolaPhoenix.com, along with a new look and organization system, I have started to include staff from past volumes of The Phoenix, currently going back to 2011. I’ve been really reflecting on the past 54 years of this publication and am excited to be an instrumental part of the 55th.

In our first issue, you can read advice from Loyola upperclassmen for first-years and an explanation of the Information Commons’ renovations over the summer.

Good luck to my sister Paige on her first day of classes at the University of Rhode Island and my roommate Isabella on the first day of her internship.

Featured image by Austin Hojdar / The Phoenix