This article originally appeared on page one of the No. 1 December 2024 edition of The Gettysburgian magazine.
By Zach Brooks, Magazine Editor
In a recent piece “Opinion: Stop the Chalk Talk,” I concluded that the opportunity to write for The Gettysburgian is part of our tuition dollars. The College funds our ability to produce and distribute this magazine for the Gettysburg community, so you have a stake in that effort too. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity and — if you will — allow my reflection on writing for The Gettysburgian to convince you.
Zach Brooks ’24
Some of my fondest college experiences are writing for the Gettyburgian, exposing me to sides of campus I would not have otherwise seen. These include learning more about the cheer program “Cheers to Cheerleading: A Conversation with the Captains,” getting to interview ‘resident cool teacher’ in “Faculty Spotlight: Professor Steven Gimbel,” and writing my very first article on a campus icon in “Get to Know Regina!”
I graduate at the end of this semester. I am forever grateful to The Gettysburgian for allowing me to write an article in all six sections (I’m bad at picking favorites), serve as Social Media Manager, and edit this magazine. I would be remiss not to thank the hard work of the editorial board. Collaborating with everyone has been a privilege to aid the distribution of their top-tier journalism.
I want to end with a fitting quote from my interview with Gimbel that applies to all of us. I had asked him about the viral video from 2010, “Gettysburg Students Respond to The Daily Show,” his involvement, and if Gettysburg College was a shithole. Gimbel reflected on the student writer/director, Sebastian DiNatali, and how it led to DiNatali writing for Daily Show. “He did not seek the opportunity, but created it. THAT is what Gettysburg College does at its best and that certainly does NOT seem like the description of a shithole,” Gimbel said.
As part of the College, creating opportunity is what The Gettysburgian does best; it has been a consequential experience in my time here.
With Gratitude,
Zach Brooks ’24
Magazine Editor
