The news editor at the Muleskinner is in charge of writing and editing news stories, talking to and guiding contributors, being the right hand of the managing editor and various other duties that are picked up as needed.

I took my position as the news editor very seriously. I gave as much as I could to something that, it seemed, the university and the state were trying to take away from not only me, but this campus.

The Muleskinner does a service for the community: keep it informed in the best way it can. The positions at the paper are held by students that have classes, other jobs, and to some extent, social lives.

As readers, I ask you to speak up when you feel the Muleskinner has done something wrong or something that impacts your life in a significant way – good or bad. Engage with us. Learn with us. Teach us.

Tell us what you want to know. Decide what you think is important, and stay updated on it. Readers are a vital part of how the newsroom runs. We want you to send us tweets, comment on our Facebook posts and come to Wood 312 with your ideas and opinions.

The Muleskinner is this hidden gem only a miniscule portion of Warrensburg has discovered. The benefits of being connected to or involved with a local newspaper are tremendous and overlooked.

I urge the person who takes over my spot next year to soak up the information they can while they are in the position. Listen to what the readers want and make sure you’re servicing the community. Seize every opportunity and make sure you’re learning about who you are and what you want for your future and the future of journalism.

The future of the Muleskinner should include the continuation of teaching its readership what news is and the standard to which we hold ourselves.

Journalists don’t have a good name – that’s not a secret. The term “fake news” is thrown around to slander journalists for “slandering” politicians, ironic isn’t it? It’s our duty as the next generation of storytellers to make sure the stories we tell are accurate.

Uncover this gem yourself; it doesn’t require any digging. Tell your story. Tell the story of others.