Hello friends! My name is Aubrey Cox, and I am ecstatic to be the DU Clarion’s incoming executive editor. A bit about me: I am a second-year journalism major with minors in leadership and ethnomusicology. My tenure at the Clarion began during its shift to a COVID-19 world, and I am excited to be at the club’s helm as we seem to be emerging from the pandemic, albeit not unscathed.

Starting in September 2020, I filled my free time writing stories for the Clarion. Under the watchful eye of Opinions Editor Jake Gloth, before his time as executive editor, and Editor-in-Chief Kiana Marsan, I began to write for the opinions section. The style was new, but I remember meeting Kiana and Jake over a screen at the sparsely attended virtual club fair, where both recommended the opinions section. It was in those arguments that I found my voice.

From satire, to sports betting, to the use of a hateful moniker, writing for opinions allowed me to take a complex topic, explore it and find my own, unique solution. Kiana, Jake and Sarah Loughran, the encouraging opinions editor after Jake’s promotion, were an intrepid team who guided me well. I continue to remember their leadership for the Clarion, using the memories to supplement my approach. 

Going into my second year at the university I was awarded the position of sports editor by our now-outgoing leadership, Editor-in-Chief Tori Everson and Executive Editor Conor Chapman. I grew to love the role, along with my loyal squad of writers. 

Tori and Conor were our faithful leaders as we began our transition back to in-person meetings. It is hard to believe that I had not seen either one of them in the flesh until fall quarter, but they managed the shift deftly. Conor, whose vast knowledge of the executive editor position has left me well-prepared after his training, and Tori, who seems to write like the wind, doing important work towards DU’s divestment, I thank you both. Your shoes will be hard to fill, and I am sad they will be empty a quarter earlier than usual, their owners having moved on to make a much-needed impact elsewhere.

I could not ask for a better partner in this role. Incoming Editor-in-Chief, Ana Ortega, was another face I grew to know over Zoom, but her personality still shone through despite the pixelation. We have many ideas in store for the Clarion and are excited to execute them. 

I hope what we have in store will be meaningful to the Clarion’s readership.

Aubrey Cox