Dear readers,
Happy September! We’re excited to welcome you to the first print edition of the academic year and the first ever semester at Cal Poly! Cal Poly’s semester transition became reality, temperatures have risen and our newsroom has welcomed many new faces. As seniors navigate their “last firsts,” new reporters are just starting their Mustang Media Group journey and bringing fresh ideas and curiosity to the newsroom. As this year kicks off, we can’t wait to continue covering Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo, bringing the news to your fingertips and sharing your stories. We are incredibly privileged to write this letter to you, and we are excited to get to know our audience even better over the next few months.
Kaylin O’Connell
If you told sophomore-year Kaylin she would be editor-in-chief one day, she would’ve blushed, said “noooooo” and then gone back to LinkedIn stalking that year’s editor-in-chief to memorize her pipeline to success. Ever since I started this position, it’s felt like an out-of-body experience, especially as one of the biggest Gilmore Girls fans out there. I promise to remain much less problematic than Rory Gilmore but just as invested in the success of our college’s news organization.
We’re all well aware that news can be daunting and stressful, but I hope that with this year’s Mustang News coverage, you feel a little less overwhelmed and a little more connected to your community. It is only becoming increasingly important to consume the news — on both a national and local level. With our ever-changing campus, this year is sure to bring many surprises, and we’re here to help you learn and share your stories. My goal will always be to meet our audience where they are, so if you prefer to listen to, watch or read your news, you’ll find something in our print editions for you.
Lauren Quijano
I wish I could give freshman-year Lauren a hug and tell her everything that was in store for her, but she would probably cry and stress herself out.
I didn’t come to Cal Poly planning to study journalism. I switched majors, felt behind and spent the first half of the year homesick enough to consider transferring home. As you can see, I didn’t love change then, and I am learning to hate it less and less now.
When I was offered the managing editor position, I was excited but also, naturally, stressed. I had some big shoes to fill after the legendary Jeremy Garza and taking a leadership role in print was very different from the broadcast world I was used to living in.
Mustang News has become my home, and I’m so grateful to help lead it this year alongside Kaylin.
As the world changes and its effects trickle down to San Luis Obispo, local journalism matters more than ever. It helps us understand the decisions, people and issues that shape the place we call home for four years. As the managing editor, my goal is always to make sure our stories are fair, comprehensible and worthy of your time. I hope you enjoy this print edition, and I hope you stick around for the rest of them.
In this issue
This month, we are focusing on issues on every students’ minds. San Luis Obispo has seen temperatures up to 107 degrees while students go class-to-class, some with air conditioning and some without.
Housing is always a hot topic in San Luis Obispo and this year is no different. Even with the usual construction projects, housing delays this year have forced more students to squeeze into the Poly Canyon Village apartments despite their original placement in the new building.
However, the heat isn’t stopping students from showing their support for all Cal Poly’s sports teams. The football team had its best start since 2012 and a record number of fans in the stadium, and Cal Poly beat UC Santa Barbara in the notorious Blue-Green Rivalry game. San Luis Obispo is full of concerts and music, and a new wellness center opened downtown.
We are eager to continue sharing student stories this year, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo.
Sincerely,
Kaylin O’Connell, Editor-in-Chief
Lauren Quijano, Managing Editor
For more stories from the September print edition, check out the featured print section on our website.
To submit a Letter to the Editor, email editorial@mustangmediagroup.com. Please make the subject line [Letter to Editor, Topic — First name/Last name]. We require all letters to the editor to be signed with a name.