Dear Biola,

When I was 10, I decided that I wanted to be a storyteller — someone who shares tales of adventure and humanity and the experiences of life which connect us all.

But over time, the divide between fantasy and reality became harsher. “Real life” was built on forms, traffic, and the clatter of footsteps. I found myself walking in this realm, while my mind found solace in imaginary stories no one else would ever read.

Then I joined the Chimes.

I got a front-row seat to your changes and your developments. I watched as new buildings sprung up seemingly overnight. I cheered as you beat old rivals and mourned with you when tragedy struck. I applauded your performances and pondered your musings.

You showed me that community is the birthplace of stories—tales just as wonderful as those I dreamed up as a kid. You introduced me to a team of student journalists with a craving for stories both literary and visual. I can never thank you enough.

But I can do everything in my power to serve you.

We are making some of the most significant changes to the Chimes in its 80+ year publication, not because we disregard our history, but because we know we can do better.

Here are a few of the biggest updates:

• We have launched a new website: chimesnewspaper.com. This will allow us greater freedom with design, functionality, and presence. It also features a newsletter which delivers stories straight to your inbox. You can sign up for that on our home page.
• We are now a daily publication, meaning you can expect stories to be published to the website every day, from Monday to Saturday, starting later today.
• The print edition will now be published every other week, with the first issue coming Sept. 20. It will look and feel substantially different from previous editions, allowing us to showcase both literary and visual journalism.
• We have integrated Features into the other sections, allowing News, Opinions, Arts & Entertainment, and Sports to include more in-depth pieces specific to their fields. Features, and the fantastic articles it has produced, will remain on the new website as a testament to its role in the Chimes.
• We are in the process of overhauling our social media presence, seeking to interact on a more consistent basis with you, our reader. You can expect to see specialized posts for Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

I believe this staff is well-suited to make this upcoming year one of the Chimes’ best. Each and every member comes in with great qualifications. But we know that without your help and readership, our efforts will fall flat.

I want to personally ask of you, Biola, to help us through this transition. Let us know what works—and what doesn’t. During this semester you will see many changes to our new website and our design. Please be patient with us as we seek to deliver the best service possible. I also encourage you to come and work with us—either in a freelance capacity or by applying for one of our currently open staff positions—if you wish to aid us in our mission.

Above all, please keep us in your prayers. May God give us the grace, wisdom, and humility to serve you in the articles we write, the photos we take, the numbers we crunch, and the designs we create.

Thank you for allowing us to tell your stories.

– Christian Leonard, 2018-19 Editor-in-Chief