Honors in Media: Editor-in-Chief Ryan Clancy

By: Ryan Clancy, Honors College Senior

In May I was selected to be the 2015-16 editor-in-chief of The East Carolinian, which means I get an office, a sure sign of success if ever there was one. The East Carolinian, or TEC, encompasses a newspaper, website and news show. My job is to ensure that all three keep ECU students and faculty up to date with accurate local news.

I am in charge of a roughly 50 student staff at The East Carolinian, including editors, reporters, designers, photographers and videographers. My responsibilities include managing the staff, controlling the content TEC puts out and making sure TEC connects to readers over social media. Over the summer I’ve learned to be flexible, whether it be filling in at different positions to make up for a smaller summer staff or taking the equally important role of grill master at the paper’s summer cookout. I came to East Carolina University, the leadership university, with the vague idea that I would write things, not necessarily have to lead anybody. But I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to lead at The East Carolinian, and I have a fantastic staff that makes it easy.

While I may tell people that the amusement park field trips are my favorite part of the Honors College, I know I wouldn’t be editor-in-chief, or even be attending ECU at all, without it. Dr. Fraley, the first ECU professor I met, helped convince my parents to let me attend an out-of-state school they had never heard of, and my scholarship gave me the financial means to attend ECU. Now, thanks to the Honors College, I’m going into my senior year as the editor-in-chief of The East Carolinian, and I fully expect every member of the Honors College to faithfully read the paper from now on.