At a time when many newspapers are online only, Lane Community College’s student newspaper, The Torch, is back in print.
The paper went digital-only during the pandemic.
But, last month, they printed their first paper edition since February 2020.
Torch editor-in-chief Chandlor Henderson came back to the paper this fall, when Eugene Weekly Editor and LCC instructor Camilla Mortensen (also the Eugene Weekly Editor-in-Chief) took over as faculty advisor to the paper.
Henderson told KLCC he’d previously been editor in 2021. This fall, he rebuilt the website.
“The Torch always has been good about holding power to account,” said Henderson. “And it provides an entry point for people who want to write, people who are interested in writing.”
He says having The Torch back in print is meaningful.
“It’s a big deal. It’s a big confidence booster,” he said. “And it really can change the trajectory of somebody’s life to see their name in a byline.”
Henderson will relinquish editor duties next term. Reporter Kat Tabor will take over. She says she discovered her passion for journalism while writing for The Torch.
“I can’t describe how much excitement we had to be back in print,” she said “It’s just so important to have the student voice out there. And people were missing the print.”
Tabor likes that she can educate her peers about what’s going on on campus.
“And I’ve been covering a lot of stuff with the Board of Education for LCC. And I’m really able to inform the students here that they can vote. They can have a say in who is in office.”
One of the hurdles to bringing back the print version of The Torch was that the blue newspaper boxes had been removed from campus. Tabor told KLCC, the staff found out LCC facilities had donated them to BRING Recycling. Fortunately, they were able to get the boxes back.
The Torch started publishing its print edition in February and plans to publish monthly for the foreseeable future. They’re also working to revive LCC’s arts magazine, The Denali.
“The Denali and the Torch. They’re just way more than publications,” said Tabor. “They’re platforms that students can explore their passions and they can amplify their voices, shape their futures. And our goal is to create, inform, and inspire. And I want people to know that this is the beginning. This is just the beginning of what we’re going to do.”
Tabor says they want to do more multimedia reporting and possibly podcasting. The Torch was founded in 1964 and The Denali first printed in 1971.
