At Loyola University New Orleans, The Maroon is more than just a student newspaper, it’s the heartbeat of campus dialogue. Every issue captures the rhythm of student life, the highs and lows of university affairs, and the ideas that define our community. To some, it might look like a small student-run publication that just reports on campus events, but to those who truly know its inner workings, The Maroon is a living institution of accountability, reflection, and free expression that bridges students and administration.

What makes The Maroon so vital to Loyola is its unique position: it operates closely with the university while maintaining editorial independence. That balance isn’t always easy, but it’s what ensures that our publication can both inform and challenge the very institution it represents. Our staff collaborates with university departments for accuracy, clarity, and access, but decisions about what we cover, how we frame stories, and which opinions appear in print belongs to the student journalists. That autonomy is what gives The Maroon its credibility and power.

In a time when misinformation spreads faster than facts, having a reliable, student-centered news source is essential. Loyola students deserve transparency, about administrative decisions, campus policies, student initiatives, and the issues that shape daily life here. The Maroon fills that role. It’s where we learn about tuition changes, faculty perspectives, student government actions, and cultural events. It’s also where students are encouraged to ask tough questions and hold our community to its highest standards, not because we’re against the university, but because we care deeply about it.

The Maroon also serves as a training ground for future journalists, lawyers, writers, and leaders. Every story that goes to print represents hours of reporting, editing, and collaboration. Our writers learn how to verify sources, respect confidentiality, and uphold ethical journalism. Our editors think carefully about headlines and word choice, knowing that what we publish shapes how people see Loyola. Even opinion pieces, though rooted in personal viewpoints, are held to high standards of argumentation and fact-checking. In every sense, the paper mirrors professional journalism while staying true to the student experience.

Our relationship with the university administration is a complicated one. We depend on officials for information, statements, and transparency, and we often work together to tell the full story. But independence means that The Maroon can and will publish pieces that hold power accountable, even when they’re uncomfortable to read. That’s the core of trust in journalism: a commitment to honesty over convenience. Our responsibility isn’t to please, but to inform.

At the same time, The Maroon brings people together. It’s one of the few spaces on campus where every part of Loyola life meets. Students express themselves through opinion pieces, professors share insights, and readers engage with the issues that matter most. From reporting on the closure of Planned Parenthood clinics in Louisiana to covering campus debates and student-led initiatives, The Maroon doesn’t shy away from hard topics. Journalism isn’t about playing it safe, it’s about reflecting the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Sometimes that means starting tough but necessary conversations.

Beyond the printed pages, The Maroon builds community through storytelling. It celebrates student achievements, highlights cultural traditions, and captures moments that define Loyola’s identity. Whether it’s a record-breaking athlete, a new club on campus, or a professor winning an award, these stories remind us of what connects us: our shared investment in this university.

It’s also worth remembering that The Maroon, founded in 1923, is among the nation’s longest-running college newspapers still in regular publication. For more than a century, generations of students have dedicated themselves to the belief that a free press is essential to university life. Through wars, hurricanes, protests, and pandemics, The Maroon has chronicled Loyola’s story, capturing our struggles, our progress, and everything in between.

Today, The Maroon stands as proof that journalism still matters, especially in small communities like ours. When we report on local stories, we’re not chasing clicks, we’re chasing truth. When we write editorials, we’re not speaking from authority, but from care. And every time we publish an issue, we’re reaffirming our commitment to the values that make Loyola what it is.

Ultimately, The Maroon belongs to everyone on this campus. As Loyola continues to grow and change, The Maroon will remain what it has always been: a mirror to our community, reflecting both who we are and who we strive to be.