A Note from the Editor: On the Student Experience
Alli Dayton ’23 (Photo provided).
As I begin my final semester at Gettysburg College, I reflect on my time as a student here. Unlike other students in the class of 2023, I did not begin my college journey in 2019. Rather, when I arrived on campus in the fall of 2020, the pandemic set me on an unconventional path toward graduating a year early.
Despite my unusual college experience, I found my purpose on campus through my dedication to journalism. By far, the most transformative component of my Gettysburg College experience has been my role with The Gettysburgian. I eagerly investigated the issues I sought answers to, and in the process, I formed relationships with campus offices and student organizations.
During this past year, I have worked with an incredible group of people who make up The Gettysburgian editorial board. Throughout our evening meetings filled with laughter, we have become a close-knit team, ready to cover any breaking news or events that occur on campus. In our weekly meetings, we evaluate our own positions and perspectives as students, which have served as the inspiration for this issue.
This magazine captures what it means to be a student here at Gettysburg College in 2023. We look at the College’s historical connection to the United Lutheran Seminary and how this Lutheran affiliation continues to shape the experiences of our religiously diverse student body.
We also continue our examination of the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the campus community. Undoubtedly, the absence of the class of 2024 in student clubs and organizations, the presence of new social media platforms, and the changes to faculty hiring practices will continue to alter the student experience for years to come.
Along with these recent developments to the campus, we look toward the future, with the development of a study abroad program in Singapore, the hiring of three new head coaches, the introduction of a new assistant director of the Office of Multicultural Engagement, and the promotion of the American Anti-Racism Alliance.
Our campus has recently witnessed numerous changes that have impacted the experience of living and learning at Gettysburg College. The Gettysburgian is privileged to have the opportunity to document these transitions and their ongoing effects.
As you read this issue of The Gettysburgian, I encourage you to reflect on your own experiences at Gettysburg College. Think about what it means for you to be a member of the campus community in the wake of numerous changes over the past few years, and what you want our campus to look like in the future.
Alli Dayton
Managing Editor
The Gettysburgian
This article originally appeared on page 2 of the February 2023 edition of The Gettysburgian’s magazine.
