Dear Times-Delphic readers, 

One of my first memories from campus is standing on Painted Street with my phone open to a map of campus, trying my hardest to find the surety I’d once had about Drake University. I’d nearly missed one of my classes because I’d gone to the wrong building, which sent me spiraling. Why had I chosen my major? Why had I moved to Iowa? Why was I present where I was? 

A couple of weeks in, I joined The Times-Delphic. I wrote my first article, got a job as their distributor and started working as a journalist. Four years later, I am leaving Des Moines with a sad glance through the rearview mirror and the sense that I carved out a place for myself here, and truly lived here. 

In my time at Drake, however, the world’s journalism landscape has shifted drastically. Misinformation and disinformation spread like wildfire, whether on the scale of a Yik Yak rumor or AI-generated propaganda. 

People are also notably isolated from each other, and it can feel impossible to talk. The American Psychological Association reported that half or more of U.S. adults feel isolated from others some or often times. This was heightened for participants who reported societal division as a source of stress. 

Journalism is the practice of going into your community, listening and recording its stories. While not everyone can take on journalism full-time, I believe the lessons it provides can be applied to anyone. 

The most important part of journalism is curiosity. Allow yourself to be open to the world. If you see something, even something that doesn’t immediately register as interesting, dig deeper. Part of being curious is learning to listen. Hear the stories people are sharing with you; learn about their reasons for why they do what they do. People are what make a place what it is — they are who lay every brick on this campus. 

Stubbornness and tenacity come hand in hand with journalism. Journalism is, at its core, pursuit of truth, truth that may require hours of research, interviews and verification. In an age where rumor and fearmongering are rampant, take the time to be your own journalist, finding trusted sources and knowing that what you repeat to others is true. 

Finally, journalism has taught me confidence. Journalism requires you, at times, to approach people on the streets, to ask questions people don’t want to hear or to be a nuisance. Journalists have to learn how to abandon embarrassment. 

While the moment might be awkward, think of how this step will bring you to your larger goal. It can even be step-by-step. One shaky phone call leads you to a conversation with someone of value to your future, which leads you to a connection and so on. If it goes askew, either they won’t remember you, or you have to ask yourself if you mind this person considering you a bit odd. 

Immersing myself in journalism is how I took my life into my own hands. After writing my first few articles, I started greeting people on the sidewalk, learning more about my surroundings and feeling, for the first time, like I belonged where I was. 

Part of that sense of belonging came from seeing that not only was the campus shaping me, but that The Times-Delphic’s work was shaping it in turn. I’ve heard people thank me for raising issues that may have otherwise gone unaddressed, seen policy changes after our coverage and watched students eagerly point out their faces featured on the page. 

That is just the short-term impact. Journalists are active historians, recording the campus as it is now for countless readers from futures we cannot imagine. We do not know the impact what we write now will have in future decades. 

While times may look dire for traditional journalism, I know the values the practice holds — curiosity about its community, stubborn pursuit of truth and confidence to take on power — still contain immeasurable power. 

Thank you all for your support, feedback and stories over these past four years. I am who I am because of the Drake community. Every lesson, person and memory will last me a lifetime. I might be physically leaving Drake, but it will always have a presence in my heart. 

Lily Wasserman

Editor-in-Chief