Witnessing MSU President M. Peter McPherson announce his retirement from the university and spending a day with the vice president of El Salvador are some of the moments The State News Deputy Managing Editor Amy Bartner said have been the most memorable during her time at the newspaper.
And Bartner said she never imagined she would be in the top position of the newsroom, editor in chief of The State News.
Bartner, a journalism senior, will take over that position after current editor Ed Ronco leaves in December. She was elected to the position by The State News Board of Directors in October with a recommendation from the newsroom staff to become the 2005 editor in chief.
The State News editor in chief is a three-semester position where the person is the community liaison and is responsible for the newspaper's content, newsroom budget and personnel decisions.
Bartner said when she came to the paper in spring 2002, she had left high school feeling confident about her skills, but realized how challenging working at MSU's student newspaper could be.
"I came here and realized how little I knew about journalism, but at the same time, I realized the resources we had here, and I was excited to start learning," she said.
Bartner has held positions of administration, academics and student government reporters and campus editor. She has also had professional reporting internships at The Bay City Times and The Birmingham News in Alabama.
Bartner said she is eager to bring her people skills to the newsroom's top position, saying she wants to make sure reporters are learning while they work.
She also would like to reorganize some of the reporting beats, increase diversity in the newsroom and enhance communication between staff members and campus groups.
"Our relationship with groups outside of The State News and our readership could always be better," Bartner said. "If we become more in-tune to what every group is doing on campus we could better serve our readers."
Having a good relationship with readers and campus groups is something The State News Editorial Adviser and MSU journalism instructor Perry Parks said is a vital skill in an editor in chief.
"That person also needs to know how to work with groups outside of the newsroom to help educate the community and to get meaningful feedback from the people the paper covers," Parks said.
People who have worked with Bartner describe her as someone who enjoys her job. Ronco said she "has an extreme dedication to The State News."
"Amy is great with people, but she also has an exceptionally strong journalism sense," Ronco said. "Her news judgment is outstanding, and her talent in the business is excellent. She's a very talented person."
Bill McWhirter, MSU's School of Journalism editor in residence, said he believes Bartner is not just a talented journalist, but a good student as well.
"The really good journalists have a certain sense of curiosity and wonder, and Amy meets all of those qualities," McWhirter said.
