Campus, News

Daily 49er hires new editor in chief

On a warm April night, a handful of staff members from the Daily 49er sat around tossing out adjectives, waiting for one to land. They laughed while trying to come up with the best description of a friend and team member who will soon be their new leader.

A quiet student with an eye for newspaper design, senior journalism major Greg Diaz, 31, will soon take over as editor in chief at the Daily 49er.

“A man of mystery, Greg has an aloofness that pairs nicely with his trademark nods and shoulder shrugs,” Amy Patton, the news editor, said. “It gives him a well-earned heir of credibility.”

Diaz jumped on board at the Daily 49er in the middle of a multimedia transformation. Starting as an assistant designer for the newspaper, Diaz worked through the long 2014 summer and became print manager in the early part of the fall semester.

He embedded himself into the staff slowly; his first day in the newsroom, a little over a year ago, hardly anyone heard him speak. As the weeks of summer warmed up, Diaz did the same. These days, he is friend to many on staff — though the group enjoys teasing him for his reserved managment style.

“Greg crept into leadership at the paper,” Danielle Carson, the print manager at the Daily 49er, said. “Somewhat like how he creeps up behind me to constructively criticize my designs.”

On his way to becoming the most versatile member of the staff, Diaz took on the task of multimedia manager as the spring 2015 semester kicked off.

As the semester rolled to an end, Diaz submitted his application for the chief editing position. He intends to expand the daily publication’s reach by engaging the online readership with #49ernow, which stems from one the latest projects at www.daily49er.wpengine.com.

Diaz is no stranger to the task of leading a campus newspaper; he worked as the editor in chief of the Hornet at Fullerton College before transferring to California State University, Long Beach.

“It’s not that I can’t describe Greg,” photo editor Michael Ares said. “It’s just that I can’t think of the right word.” Ares eventually called Diaz ambitious and innovative, “a relatable friend and someone who is always looking for ways to improve.”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

Daily 49er newsletter

Instagram