By Fairan Gill 

It is a newspaper by the Glenville State College students for the students of Glenville State College. This semester, senior reporter Sadie Muphy and I, novice reporter Fairan Gill, will be providing Glenville students and community with up to date stories about the college, the community, and the nation.

Recently, Phoenix reporters developed a motto and mission statement for the paper. Inspired by Scripps-Howard’s Give Light and the People Will Find Their Way, and the Washington Post's Democracy Dies in Darknes, our motto is The Phoenix: Playing with Fire so You Don’t Get Burned. The mission statement is :

• The Phoenix is the online and print student newspaper of Glenville State College. Student driven and student written, The Phoenix brings news, entertainment, and sports perspectives to Glenville students and the broader GSC community. We provide informed, ethical reporting on complex issues, calling for responsibility and accountability from the entire campus community.

 The Phoenix, once known as The Mercury, is an unbiased newspaper covering issues such as student life, administrative topics, politics, and sporting events.  Some of the stories recently published are the Washington D.C Riots, Dr. Mark Manchin’s plans to improve the college, and the CARES grant to help students and the college with the expenses associated with COVID.

Most articles come out weekly on Friday, but the online format allows us to post breaking news and update developing stories regularly. To follow the most recent story, you can access the paper online at www.glenville.edu/phoenix and add the newspaper on Facebook at www.facebook.com/The-Phoenisx-Student-Newspaper-of-Glenville-State-college-70430620383152.

Classes are offered to any student who chooses to join The Phoenix. This semester, I am enrolled in Journalism 205, Writing for the College Paper. This the introductory course in the media studies minor. Other journalism courses include JOUR 322, Advanced Reporting and Editing, JOUR 415, Media in the Information Age, and JOUR 420, Literary Nonfiction and Features. Although some of these classes require writing for the paper, anyone is welcome to contribute, whether they are enrolled in a journalism class or not.

With the semester only a few weeks old, I am learning the importance of the skills needed. I have learned to get to the point of the story rather than wandering. I learned to include only the most important points. This class opens students’ eyes to the need for curiosity and to pursue the questions as far as necessary to get the answers.

Even if you do not want to be a journalist or writer, this class will help you get information and writing skills for fast-approaching deadlines. Other skills developed in these classes are critical thinking, research, double and triple checking all information, and forming opinions based on fact. The instructor for these classes is Dr. Marjorie Stewart, Associate Professor of English.

To contact The Phoenix, call (304) 462-6393 where voicemail will be set up next week. Watch The Phoenix for more information, as we are setting up a new email address. In the meantime, copy Stewart into your email at Marjorie.stewart@glenville.edu.