UMSL psychology major Anna Glushko is the editor-in-chief of The Current newspaper for the 2014-15 academic year. (Photo by August Jennewein)
Many people would be worried about taking on the job of editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, especially during a complete restructuring of the organization. But not Anna Glushko.
Glushko, a psychology major at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, is the new editor-in-chief of The Current newspaper for the 2014-15 academic year.
Born in Ukraine, she moved to Illinois with her family when she was a teenager and chose UMSL after one visit to the campus. Working on her high school newspaper gave her a passion for journalism, and she’s spent the last few years as a staff writer and then features editor at The Current.
Last year, The Current faced a financial crisis when its funding was cut by the student government. Several campus officials stepped in to restructure and reorganize the newspaper.
College of Business Administration Dean Charles Hoffman is overseeing the newspaper’s resurgence and said The Current is like many newspapers around the world that are faced with a declining readership.
“However, our students need and deserve a voice on campus,” Hoffman said. “In a recent survey conducted by the College of Business, UMSL students still want a thriving newspaper. The survey results also gave us a guide for improvements, and Anna and her team are excited to resurrect The Current. All of our students need to improve their communications skills, and we’re planning on The Current staff becoming high profile examples of what can be achieved.”
Helping ensure the success of The Current, a Deans Advisory Board has been formed. The board includes Hoffman, Jean Miller, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication; Ron Yasbin, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Bob Bliss, dean of the Pierre Laclede Honors College.
UMSL Daily talked with Glushko recently about UMSL and her latest position at The Current.
Why did you choose UMSL?
My high school counselor convinced me to visit UMSL’s campus. Skeptical at first, when I stepped on campus, I knew that I was not leaving. I felt like I belong to the community here. One of the things that attracted me the most was the diversity and sense of support—students, professors and the staff were very welcoming.
What attracted you the field of journalism?
I like that the field of journalism is very unique — it does not limit one to simply working an office job from day to day. It has many spectrums and each experience brings a new flavor to the table. It offers business, art, as well as writing and reporting experiences, which are all very valuable.
As editor-in-chief, what’s your editorial vision for the newspaper this year?
I look forward to working with the staff and expanding the potential that our newspaper has. I hope that we prove ourselves as “the voice of UMSL” to our readers. Together, we will work on making sure that it is factual, interesting and informative to students, faculty, and the community. We strive for The Current to be heard and want to see more people picking up the print copy of the newspaper, following us on social media and tuning in to our radio show.
Why do you feel student newspapers are important?
Despite the trend that media is shifting from printed editions to online mediums, based on our readers’ response, they still prefer the hard copy edition. There is a unique experience that the print copy of the newspaper offers. Our readers can take it anywhere they go. Our pages highlight what is happening on campus and supply this coverage to the UMSL community — from commuter students to those leaving on campus. I hope that our readers recognize the amount of work that we put in each edition “beyond the ink.” We immerse ourselves in everything we do for it, from attending events and shooting photos to surviving on caffeine and working on stories until 2 a.m. It is truly rewarding to see the product of this work on the newspaper stands, and to receive feedback from our readers.
What are your plans after you graduate from UMSL?
I am in the process in applying for graduate school in the field of industrial-organizational psychology. I enjoy learning more about different ways of making people’s work experiences most rewarding and beneficial. I hope to find and practice maximizing employees’ performance, not simply for the company’s sake, but for individuals’ personal success and development.
