Helm selected to fill top spot at The Daily starting spring

The Students Publishing Co. board named Medill junior Elaine Helm as The Daily’s next editor in chief Wednesday night.

The transition between current Editor in Chief Adam Williams, a Communication senior, and Helm will begin Spring Quarter. Helm will lead The Daily until the end of Winter Quarter 2005.

Helm will take charge upon her return from New Delhi, India, where she currently is completing her Medill Teaching Media internship requirement by working for The Times of India newspaper.

“I have worked with some amazing people (at The Daily) and covered some amazing stories,” Helm said. “So I feel like I’ve learned a lot from some of the challenges I’ve faced and I’m prepared to learn a lot more.”

In addition to working as a reporter, Helm served as campus editor; editor of nyou, The Daily’s former magazine; and editor of The Summer Northwestern.

Current Special Projects Editor Jerome C. Pandell also applied for the position.

“The board was really, really excited about both candidates,” said Prof. Bill Revelle, the chairman of the seven-member SPC board. “But we felt Elaine would be a wonderful editor in the tradition set by Adam in making The Daily an exciting place to work and an excellent newspaper.”

Helm said her goals for the paper include soliciting staff suggestions for major projects and increasing the visual and design appeal of the paper.

She also said she wants to attract more students to work for The Daily.

Williams praised Helm’s experience and leadership abilities and said he is confident she will do an “awesome job.”

“I think she resonates well with the rest of the staff, she is really well respected and she’s got a lot of experience,” he said.

Williams also said meeting Helm’s goals will be a challenge, but he supports her proposed improvements.

After working for some time on the Campus Desk with Helm in many positions, Pandell said he supports her appointment as editor in chief.

Pandell said he will continue his work at The Daily.

“I serve at the pleasure of Elaine Helm,” Pandell said. “I’ve worked with Elaine for two and a half years, and she’ll be a great partner to work with in that leadership position.”

The last female editor in chief of The Daily was Meghan Hoyer, in 1997-98.

There were four female editors in chief throughout the 1990’s, but Helm will break the six-year all-male streak.

“It’s about time,” she said.