For 150 years, ink, inquiry and inspiration have flowed through the pages of The Campus newspaper, and on Thursday, February 26, Allegheny College will celebrate that legacy with a capstone anniversary event honoring generations of student journalists.
Held in conjunction with Student Press Freedom Day and Scholastic Journalism Week, the 150th anniversary celebration begins with a 5 p.m. reception followed by a 6 p.m. program at the Tippie Alumni Center at Cochran Hall.
Founded in 1876, The Campus is the third-oldest student newspaper in Pennsylvania and has long served as a training ground for sharp minds and sharper questions. Its newsroom has prepared generations of Alleghenians to meet deadlines, hold institutions accountable, and serve their communities by seeking truth.
The keynote address, “150 Years: The Power of Asking Questions,” will be delivered by alumna Anne Rumsey Gearan, a 1985 Allegheny graduate and now a partner at FGS Global. She is a former White House correspondent for The Washington Post, as well as an on-air contributor for NBC News and MSNBC.
Gearan will join a panel featuring 1993 Allegheny graduate Chris Potter; current editor-in-chief and senior Anna Westbrook; faculty advisor Michael Crowley; and the moderator, Professor Emeritus Ben Slote. Their conversation, “Hard Deadlines, Soft Skills,” will explore lessons forged in The Campus newsroom.
Being part of such a hard-working, kind and driven team during my four years at Allegheny has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I am proud to represent this group. The Campus staff is ecstatic to share this milestone with our community, and we look forward to the next 150 years,” said Westbrook, an environmental science and sustainability major and political science minor from Arlington, Virginia.
“If something happens at Allegheny, it tends to show up in the pages of The Campus,” said faculty advisor Crowley. “For 150 years, one generation of students after another has recorded the College’s history, highlighting campus accomplishments when appropriate and calling for accountability when necessary. At the risk of sounding sentimental, it really is inspiring to see staff members at The Campus take ownership of their work. When they do, they inevitably hold both themselves and the people they report on, to a higher standard.”
Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends are invited to attend and celebrate a publication that continues to chronicle campus life and shape the collegiate journalists who tell its story.
