By Sam Pheifer
My name is Sam Pfeifer. I am the new opinion editor of The Catalyst. I read newspapers avidly.
Coming to Colorado College, I always wanted to get involved with the Catalyst, but my new, hectic life kept getting in my way. However, every week I still read the paper front to back — I am the kid who skips straight to the opinion section to read the week’s hot takes.
And every week I am challenged in some way. There is always thoughtful, compelling writing that broadens my horizons, and I wanted to be part of that. The Catalyst staff are dedicated people who intend to create meaningful work.
But I would be lying if I said there isn’t room for improvement.
Not everyone reads the paper. Not everyone thinks that the Catalyst is a vital resource in our community. Not everyone, frankly, cares as much I do.
I have also talked with too many individuals who have walked away from the opinion section, let alone The Catalyst, from frustration or just being utterly burned out.
I can’t change all of that; however, there are many things that I hope for as the new opinion editor. I will strive to make the opinion section as localized as possible; the more content on issues directly affecting this campus and this city the better. Our campus is bursting at the seams with noteworthy topics that must be discussed.
I also want to make you feel something when you read the opinion section. Columns should make you feel vulnerable, uncomfortable, and optimistic. They should make you question and reassess. They should make you feel relentless passion, or maybe help you find some. If I am doing my job right, we are creating invigorating debate that is challenging the status quo.
I want you to want to be itching to read every week. I want our work to become a vital element of your CC experience.
And at the end of the day, I hope to make you interested in writing too. Dialogue is stifled on campus unless we showcase a wide range of diverse voices. Anyone can and should share their experiences and opinions. Whether you are mad or happy or outrageously confused, I want you to write about it.
I’ll close with this: I am the person that just sits in my bed thinking about unique, provocative topics for an article. I am also the guy that gets into heated discussions with my friends over that one article, every single week. People tell me I can get a little too passionate.
They are probably right.
But I promise this all comes from my deep love and drive to constantly make this community stronger.
You can reach me at s_pfeifer@coloradocollege.edu if you feel passionate about anything at all.