After two years as business manager of The Etownian, I am leaving Elizabethtown College with a better understanding of the work required to sustain a student newspaper business.
As a finance major here at Etown, I started the position unsure of what it fully entailed. I found the opening position on the Instagram of The Etownian and applied immediately, knowing it would help broaden my financial expertise. Managing finances, coordinating the budget outline and making sure everything was on time with local newspapers took consistency.
With the help of the writers and editors, each issue was able to go out on time, which also helped me manage resources effectively. One of the most valuable lessons I gained was how to communicate in a professional setting. Over time, I became more comfortable talking with advisors, editors and writers on how to make the paper more successful. The role also required accountability. As business manager, I was responsible for managing budgets and ensuring that financial decisions supported the well-being in the long run for The Etownian.
Mistakes carried real consequences inside of the paper. Learning to double-check invoices, stay organized and respond quickly to any issues became knowledgeable lessons. These experiences made it apparent of the importance of responsibility and attention to detail in this professional environment.
In addition to those skills, the position also needed teamwork to be successful. While my main job was on the financial side of the paper, The Etownian depends on collaboration across multiple roles with editors, writers and advisors. They all contribute to the final product. Working alongside everyone in the operation made me realize how communication across different areas makes the organization that much better.
The challenges and the hard work of the position made me have the most growth in my major of finance. Controlling deadlines and managing different kinds of responsibilities required problem-solving. Whether it was adjusting financial plans or getting the correct invoices paid on time to our local partner, this demanded quick thinking and sometimes flexibility.
One last takeaway I took from this position was understanding the overall impact of the paper within the campus student body. I found out that The Etownian is valued more than just a campus club; it is a platform for student voices and campus dialogue. It reinforced that financial stability is not just about numbers, but about making sure the paper is able to continue operating for the college community.
After graduation, I will commission as an Intelligence Officer in the United States Navy. The skills I developed through this role will carry into that next chapter of my life. Communication, organization and the ability to analyze situations and make decisions are essential in both environments. The responsibility and teamwork that I have learned as business manager here have helped me prepare for my future service in the Navy.
Having the position of business manager has been a very important part of my experience at Etown. It helped me obtain practical experience in the world of finance that happened beyond the classroom and textbooks. This also offered me the chance to see the inner workings of a business and how finances are decided, carefully and analytically.
As I leave The Etownian as a senior, I appreciate the work that goes into each issue and the writers and editors who make it possible. The experience has prepared me for future challenges beyond college and provided a foundation within business that will help me succeed well beyond graduation this Spring.
