Cara Shumaker, current managing editor of The Slate, will be next year’s editor-in-chief, replacing current editor-in-chief Chelsea Wehking, who is graduating this May.

Shumaker, a junior, has been involved with The Slate since the first semester of her freshman year at Shippensburg University. She started out as an assistant sports editor both semesters her freshman year, then became head sports editor fall of her sophomore year.

At the end of the fall semester of her sophomore year, Shumaker was hired as The Slate’s managing editor.

She had planned to apply for the position for her junior year, but since the managing editor at the time was graduating in December, The Slate would need someone to fill the spot.

“I applied because I was like ‘Why not? I probably won’t get it.’ I ended up being the only one who applied. I did it mostly as a long shot to see what would happen,” Shumaker said.

A managing editor position for The Slate includes handling billing and advertising money, and helping to oversee the paper and its members alongside the editor-in-chief. The managing editor is more business-oriented than the editor-in-chief, according to Shumaker.

When asked if there was anything she was nervous about with becoming the editor-in-chief, she said she is not nervous, but wants to make sure she helps The Slate keep its reputation.

“I just want to keep the paper at the standard that it’s at or even increase it. I’ve got some big shoes to fill,” Shumaker said.

Before Shumaker came to SU, she did not think it would be the school for her. After doing a “match your school” survey with her guidance counselor, SU came up in the results.

She did not think she would want to attend SU partly because she thought it was too much like her hometown of Windber, Pa.

However, once she visited SU, her opinion took a complete turn.

“I came to visit and was like ‘Yup. I’m going here.’ I saw the campus and just knew it was right,” Shumaker said.

SU was actually the only college whose application she completely finished and submitted.

In the spare time she does have outside of classes and The Slate, Shumaker said she likes to hang out with her fiance Josh and her roommates, watch movies and take pictures.

She says her dream job after college would be to completely run a newspaper.

“No matter where it is — whether it is in print, online, I just want to run one. And I will,” Shumaker said.

Shumaker will take the position of editor-in-chief in fall 2013. Sarah Eyd, the current arts and entertainment editor, will take Shumaker’s spot as managing editor.

Share