Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate
Fourth Estate news editors share plans for covering news at Mason in the Spring 2025 semester.
BY BARRETT BALZER, NEWS EDITOR AND SAM DOUGLAS, NEWS ASSISTANT
Barrett Balzer/ Fourth Estate
Salutations!
My name is Barrett Balzer, and I am thrilled to be your News Editor for the Spring 2025 semester! I am a Political Communication major with a concentration in Political Journalism in my second year here at Mason.
What is the news? News is a recent story, political or nonpolitical. It can be televised, sent as notifications from our phones, or read in print or online. Most importantly, news is the collection of noteworthy events that happened yesterday, today and tomorrow.
If you have an idea for a story, I want to hear it. What may seem like a bad idea could be the one that shapes a career–so don’t hesitate to pitch it! In my first semester at Mason, three fellow students and I found a topic, reported it, wrote it, and published it. A year and a half later, I am incredibly grateful for that experience, which strengthened my love for journalism.
As news editor, I promise to ensure stories are published in a timely, accurate and relevant manner, keeping up with the week’s current events.
Thank you for this opportunity. I am excited to work not only with the editorial staff but also with student writers. I look forward to watching the next generation of journalists flourish within Fourth Estate.
Write on!
Barrett Balzer
Sam Douglas/Fourth Estate
My name is Sam Douglas, and I am happy to serve the Mason body as the assistant news editor for the Spring 2025 semester. I am a freshman majoring in Communication with a concentration in Journalism. I gained editorial experience from my high school newspaper and became a staff writer for Fourth Estate last semester.
While faith in the news around the country wavers, I am committed to building trust between Fourth Estate and the Mason community. There are important things happening all over campus and the world, and I pledge to give the student body of 40,449+ patriots the unbiased and informative news coverage they deserve.
I hope to cover a wide variety of events, and topics in the news section this semester, no matter how big or small. If you desire to write or want to get involved with Fourth Estate and the Mason community, please reach out! No matter your experience, there is a place for your unique perspective in the news section at Fourth Estate.
Sam Douglas
