Welcome back, y’all.

After spending a summer at home in Harrisonburg, VA with my parents, being back here in Goshen is both exciting and somewhat nerve-wracking—I’m sure all of you can relate. Among the freshness and energy surrounding new classes, roommates and professors, I’m also lucky enough to be organizing the Record this semester.

In my opinion, the Record is one of the most efficient and interesting resources on campus. Each week, students, faculty and community members can pick up an issue and get a sense of what’s happening on campus.

A newspaper is first and foremost a way of making sure that information about newsworthy events is public and available, and the Record certainly has a reputation for high-quality reporting. However, there is much more to this paper than news.

The Record is collaborative. It is a result of the combined efforts of editorial staff, writers and photographers, but also students and faculty with big ideas, strong opinions, humor, and interest in their community.

It is our responsibility as the staff to make sure that the content of the Record is representative of you—of your opinions, your passions, your cultural background. However, this means that there will also be content published that is not representative of you. If we publish at least one perspective that each of you disagrees with, I will feel that I’ve done my job well.

In order to achieve this goal of diverse voices, I need your help. If I chose all of the stories, the newspaper this semester would be boring and unrepresentative of the GC community. So, how can you contribute?

Write a letter to the editor. Did you read something you really appreciated in the last issue, or do you have a critique of the way something was handled? We want to know what you think.

Send us a tip for a great news story or feature. Did something unbelievable happen when you were biking to the Post Office last week? Is your church or community group having a big event this week? Do you know of a person who has a really great story to share?

Submit a perspectives article. Do you have an opinion about a campus or community event? Is there an issue that you think needs to be talked about that hasn’t been discussed?

Sketch a cartoon. Did you come up with some great wordplay, or a funny situation that you just can’t get out of your head? We want to see your talent!

If you take advantage of this space, we will have a semester of incredible conversation.

The Record is your voice—speak up.