This year marked some big changes for Compass News. First, this was the first time in more than a decade that English professor William Burns wasn’t the paper’s advisor. He remains one of Compass News’ greatest boosters.
Then, our fall leaders, Editor-in-Chief Michael Woisin and Managing Editor Jack Stollow, led a major redesign of the print edition, giving it a cohesive, modern touch.
Under their tenure, Compass News – the editors made sure to let people know it was not just a paper, but a multiplatform news outlet – website traffic skyrocketed, reaching its highest levels since its launch. The most popular story? “The Great Turkey Takeover of Suffolk.” Hat tip to Ally Luna.
My own daughter, Charlotte Corry, an HVAC major who grew up with two journalists as parents, inadvertently, maybe subconsciously, got sucked into the cause when she ran from her math class to let me know about a fire outside the Riverhead Building, stopping midway to take a picture of the scene.
“I can’t be the reporter this time, honey,” I said, noting that no one else was available. With encouragement from the editors, she volunteered: “I guess I can do it.” And she did. Proud dad moment.
This spring’s chief, Madison Frechen, one of the last Suffolk journalism majors, started out as the sole person on staff. It’s the nature of the beast for many clubs and organizations. But it didn’t stay that way, as you can see from the photo above.
With a big assist from English major Ren Argueta, who came in as managing editor not soon before we got blasted with a blizzard – Frechen led continuous online coverage and followed it up with a top-notch print story. The duo also took on some very intricate and nuanced pieces.
I can’t thank all the editors and contributors enough for their hard work. I’d also like to thank Frank Vino and everyone in the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development for making this year’s transition as smooth as possible.
Now, we’re looking for enthusiastic, curious and reliable students to take on the roles of editor-in-chief and managing editor in fall 2026, or to serve in some other capacity. No experience necessary. This is an opportunity to put your stamp on a 64-year-old institution! Use the QR code or email [email protected], or [email protected].