Junior Meghan Stratton will replace Jessica Lee as the Collegian’s editor-in-chief. Photo courtesy of Meghan Stratton.
JESSICA LEE | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | jelee2@butler.edu
Meghan Stratton, a junior organizational communication and critical media communication double major, will be the next editor-in-chief of The Butler Collegian.
Stratton will replace current editor-in-chief Jessica Lee at the end of the semester. Stratton, who has been on the Collegian since her freshman year, has served as a news reporter, assistant news editor, news editor and managing editor.
“I want to be editor-in-chief because I really care about the Butler community,” Stratton said. “I care specifically about our mission that we bring to the community of holding those in power accountable, and I really believe in sharing the information we have with the Butler community.”
The selection process for editor-in-chief requires the candidates to submit a platform detailing their vision for the paper, a cover letter and a resume. Candidates then present their platform to the staff and are interviewed by a panel including the current editor-in-chief, two former Collegian editor-in-chiefs and two professional journalists from Indianapolis. Both the speeches and panel happened virtually this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Two students ran for the position of editor-in-chief this year.
As editor-in-chief, Stratton said she wants to set new reporters up for success with comprehensive training documents and sessions. This includes more specific training for each section of the paper.
Stratton also said readers will see different types of storytelling next year.
“I want to tell stories a bit differently,” Stratton said. “I want to increase our diversity of story type. And also put students first in our coverage.”
Stratton will be the fifth consecutive woman to lead the Collegian, following Katie Goodrich, Alexis Price, Dana Lee and Jessica Lee.
“I feel really empowered,” Stratton said, adding that it feels like being part of a strong community.
