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News Release

Last modified: Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Fort Wayne's Brad Zehr selected as IDS editor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 17, 2009

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University Student Media Board has chosen junior Brad Zehr of Fort Wayne, Ind., as the Indiana Daily Student editor-in-chief for spring 2010 semester.

Zehr will succeed senior Natalie Avon, the fall 2009 editor.

"My biggest goal for the spring is to create a more exciting, dynamic visual page one, also to expand our online presence with captivating multimedia, and a stronger focus on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter," Zehr said.

The IU Student Media Board selected Zehr after extensive review and interviews with two editor-in-chief candidates. Zehr has had several positions on the Daily Student staff, such as managing editor and copy chief.

"To be chosen by the board is an honor I take very seriously, and I am grateful for the support of all the students of the IDS," Zehr said.

The editor-in-chief is accountable for all content printed in IDS. In addition, the editor is responsible for selecting and managing students for the staff.

"Brad has served as a managing editor for two staffs now," Avon said, "and he really understands the IDS puzzle and how everybody works together or doesn't. I'm fully confident in his abilities to lead the staff to the best it can be next semester."

Zehr is majoring in biochemistry with a minor in music studies. He also is working on a certificate in the Liberal Arts and Management Program. After graduation, he said he plans to attend medical school and hopes to write for a medical journal.

"I know my time here will some way better my future. I can confidently say that I've learned more from working at the IDS, about working with people, goals, ideas and serving the community, better than any other organization I have been involved with," Zehr said.

IU Student Media, a self-supporting IU auxiliary housed in historic Ernie Pyle Hall with the IU School of Journalism, has a rich tradition of serving the university and training collegiate journalists. The Indiana Daily Student, was first published in 1867 and became daily in 1899. It now publishes 15,000 copies per day, and has an online readership of more than 150,000 users. Highly respected for its award-winning content, the IDS won first place in the Associated Collegiate Press Best of Show competition in October.

The IDS, Inside magazine, and Arbutus yearbook and their sites are part of IU Student Media. The IU Board of Trustees has granted editorial independence to the publications, with student editors in charge of content.

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