Education City’s only student-run digital news site, Northwestern’s The Daily Q has appointed a new slate of editors for the academic year.
After a rigorous selection process, Shakeeb Asrar has been named editor-in-chief, Nayab Malik will be the executive editor, and named managing editor is Wajeeha Malik.
The three seniors, all enrolled in NU-Q’s undergraduate journalism program, have already gained significant experience through internships at USA Today, Al Jazeera English, and the National Geographic, which were acquired through the Journalism Residency Program.
“We’re really excited to build on what the website has accomplished over the last few years and also bring in some new ideas we’ve had over the years,” Asrar said. “We are orchestrating changes to the new website, which will accommodate more complex multimedia content will emphasize short videos, image-centric stories, and social media focused strategies for the new year.”
Christina M. Paschyn, assistant professor in residence, will continue to mentor the student-reporters as its faculty advisor. Paschyn’s work has been published by Euronews, The New York Times, Al-Fanar Media, and the Christian Science Monitor, among numerous other publications.
“We are orchestrating changes to the new website, which will accommodate more complex multimedia content will emphasize short videos, image-centric stories, and social media focused strategies for the new year.”
As the faculty adviser to the The Daily Q, Paschyn said that it “gives student reporters the experience of functioning with tight deadlines, and also creating stories that receive feedback from the community. We see a passion for journalism increasing every year. The paper serves several purposes, including holding students accountable, keeping them current on NU-Q and Doha news, and understanding the importance of press freedom.”
The editorial board plans to continue to expand their reporting to the wider Education City community by connecting with “ambassadors” on each university campus for news and information, although issues relevant to the NU-Q community remain their primary mandate. Last year, their reporting on Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s financial aid policy changes, new medical services available at the QF Clinic, and insurance plan changes were read by students from across Education City.
“Although we started out as an NU-Q focused paper, The Daily Q has been an outlet for Education City students to be aware of what’s happening before it affects them,” Malik explained.
