Medill sophomore Julia Jacobs named The Daily’s next editor in chief

Marissa Page, Features Editor

Julia Jacobs, a Medill sophomore, will serve as The Daily’s next editor in chief, the paper’s publisher announced Monday evening.

Currently a managing editor, Jacobs will lead the paper next Fall Quarter and Winter Quarter. She has worked for The Daily since Fall Quarter of her freshman year and previously served as city editor and summer editor.

“I’m looking forward to pushing The Daily to new levels,” Jacobs said. “The Daily plays an important role in deepening the dialogue on campus about issues that are important to students, administrators and faculty, and I plan to make sure that The Daily is doing that to the best of our reporters’ abilities and making sure that voices within that dialogue are heard.”

Jacobs added that she hoped to transform The Daily into a place beyond a “breeding ground for journalists,” where “creative people” on campus, both writers and designers, could find opportunity to grow professionally.

Jacobs will succeed Medill junior Tyler Pager, who has been editor the past two quarters. During Pager’s tenure as editor in chief, he reintroduced The Daily’s video desk and oversaw the creation of the publication’s audio desk. Jacobs said she plans to continue to emphasize multimedia in her term.

“Julia is incredibly passionate and dedicated to The Daily and I know she will be an excellent leader,” Pager said. “I’m excited to see her continued effort to improve The Daily’s online presence and recruitment of students from across the University.”

The board of Students Publishing Co., The Daily’s parent organization, interviewed Jacobs on Monday evening. Board chairman Charles Yarnoff said the board was “very, very impressed” with Jacobs’ energy and qualifications.

“She has a strong commitment to recruiting a diverse group of people to work on The Daily,” Yarnoff said. “She’s working to make sure there are no social or economic barriers to working on The Daily, across all levels of the University and all levels of experience.”

Jacobs will spend this summer in Washington, D.C., interning for NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Pager said Jacobs’ political reporting experience will prepare her well for managing coverage of November’s elections.

“The Daily is in really good hands,” he said. “I’m just so proud of her, and I can’t wait to watch her lead the paper.”

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