“I don’t want to graduate.”
That’s a sentence my mother, Kristi Klinkhammer, a Panther alumnus, has heard almost every day this semester. As she knows all too well, four years at UNI just simply isn’t enough. The days are very long, but the years here are short. I’m grateful that my experience as an undergraduate at UNI has been so enjoyable that I don’t want to close this chapter, but alas, time waits for no one.
A significant part of my journey here at UNI has been with the Northern Iowan. I began writing for the newspaper in September of 2021, my freshman year of college, when I was still an accounting major. Through my experiences with the Northern Iowan and guidance from Professor Dr. Chris Martin, I made the decision to change my major at the end of that semester to Digital Media Communications Journalism. The four years I’ve spent writing, designing and editing for the Northern Iowan haves been nothing short of brilliant and rewarding. I have loved every second I’ve spent gathering assets for layout day and scheduling interviews with people to discuss news and topics they’re passionate about.
I know that I share this sentiment with the entirety of our editorial team, who work tirelessly to bring community based storytelling to you. Their hard work and dedication to this publication is unlike anything I’ve seen before, and their willingness to go beneath the surface to own a story is admirable.
Luis is our dedicated Spanish Editor, who works tirelessly with the UNI Spanish department to serve UNI’s Spanish-speaking community who seek news. Luis’s work to uncover stories that directly correlate with UNI’s Spanish-speaking population is insurmountable, and our paper would not be the same without his work.
Jo is our News eEditor, who joined our editorial team this past fall. Her work on layout days, striving to design engaging stories for our readers is admirable. Her work to gather assets and maintain readership is a testament to her work.
Cohen is our Sports eEditor, and as the most junior on our team, he has proven time and time again he knows how to maintain and encourage his writers to be the best they can. Cohen’s spirit and energy fills our office with excitement on layout days. He is a testament to what it means to combine a passion for sports with a need for community journalism.
Maci is our Head Photographer, and she joined our editorial team last fall. Her ability to capture an emotion through a photograph is unparalleled, and her work has supported our editorial team like no other.
Antonia is our Copy Editor, the true unsung hero of our newsroom. She spends hours editing articles to ensure the credibility and professionalism of our publication, and dedicates her time to perfecting the name spelling of the men on the football team. Her work is second to none.
Jenna is our Campus lLife eEditor and our next Digital/Managing Editor. Estelle is our Digital/Managing Editor and the next Executive Editor of the Northern Iowan. I’ve watched both Jenna and Estelle’s growth over their past two years at the Northern Iowan, writing and designing stories that matter to our campus community. I couldn’t have selected a better pair to lead the Northern Iowan for the 2025-2026 school year, and I look forward to reading their work through the Northern Iowan website next year.
Chris Martin and Anelia Dimitrova are our advisors here at the Northern Iowan, and their guidance for our publication is essential to our journalistic endeavors. We don’t have a student publication without their dedication and guidance. They both make all of us better journalists, better editors, better students and better community members.
The Northern Iowan’s impact on my life and this campus cannot be understated. I hope you continue to read the publication next academic year, and I hope the Northern Iowan as a publication continues to prove just how newsworthy Panthers are.
GO CATS!
Bailey
