Name: Justin Herberger
Age: 22
Year: Senior
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Cary, NC
How did you initially become involved with The Appalachian?
I became a staff member at the newspaper before I even started classes at Appalachian State. Senior year of high school, my AP English teacher mentioned that it might be something I’d be interested in. I got in touch with the editor-in-chief and started as an intern news reporter about two weeks before my freshman year started.
Why did you want to become editor-in-chief?
After three years of working for The Appalachian and aspiring to be like the editors who taught me so much, the idea of getting to make the judgment calls and lead the editorial board was exhilarating – The Appalachian has defined my college experience.
What’s it like being editor-in-chief?
Most of the time, it’s incredibly stressful. We have more than 50 people on staff, thousands of readers and two products – print and online. That’s a lot of responsibility, but at the end of the day, it’s worth it because I get to see the result: content that matters to students.
What has surprised you during your term as editor-in-chief?
I thought it would be more difficult than it was to make people care about this as much as I did. And it really wasn’t. Most people really took responsibility early on, not just for their jobs but for the products we create.
What are you most proud of in your year as editor-in-chief?
I think we’ve made incredible strides this year in improving the relevance and accessibility of our content. It’s been really rewarding to see students care about and engage with our content on a whole new level.
What is your favorite part of being editor-in-chief? What’s your not-so-favorite part?
I think my favorite part is that when things go really well – even if I didn’t write the article or shoot the video or catch the mistake – I still had a hand in that. I have involvement in everything we do, so when things are good I always have a lot of pride in what our staff members are able to achieve. My not-so-favorite part? Arguing with my Associate Editors.
What do you think you’re going to remember about The Appalachian in 20 years?
Honestly? Spending time in the office, working – and not working. Hating it but, at the same time, never finding myself very far from it when I was on campus. I’ll remember the conversations I’ve had here.
What are your plans after graduation? Do you plan to continue a career in journalism?
I plan to pursue a career in journalism or marketing, with a focus on some of the same things I’ve done here, particularly online. I see that as the future of journalism, and it’s really exciting. I want to be there for it.
Any final words of wisdom?
You know, as a freshman, I never imagined that I’d end up where I have at the newspaper and in life. Don’t let your perception of what your life is going to be dictate what it actually is. You have a lot more control over what happens than you would otherwise assume.