March 28, 2024

By D’Arcy Fallon
After eleven years as the faculty adviser for the Wittenberg Torch, I’m stepping down. Tom Stafford, an award-winning journalist who worked for many years for Springfield News-Sun, will be the new faculty adviser in the fall. The Torch is fortunate to have him, and so is Wittenberg. Stafford, a Witt alum, cut his editorial teeth as a reporter for The Torch. He lives in Springfield, and he knows this community intimately. Stafford brings many strengths with him, including fresh energy, a sharp sense of design, curiosity, compassion, and decades and decades of journalistic experience. He’s a pro.
I have loved working with such hard-working, passionate students year after year. Lest anyone think Torch editors and reporters don’t take what they’re doing seriously, let me tell you something. They care deeply about what they are doing. Although I’m the “adviser,” it’s difficult for me not to write “we” instead of “they” because I have long identified with the newspaper and the students who put it out. The Torch is a living laboratory. Every week, the newspaper has a chance to get it right: tell the truth, shine a spotlight, stimulate discussions and bear witness to the myriad changes affecting this fabulous place we where all we live, work and study.
Here’s a shout out to all the students who have worked so tirelessly over the years for The Torch. This last year has been especially sweet for me, getting to work closely with many consummate professionals, including outgoing editor Keri Heath and incoming editor Jessica Hamm. Please stay tuned for good things from The Torch.
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