Editor's note: This column is featured in OU Daily's Back to School Guide, which will be available in print in mid-August.
Welcome home to Norman.
Since coming to OU for my freshman year in 2021, I’ve enjoyed August and the return to all the parts of Norman I love. I’m sure most students look forward to the first football game of the year, and others are excited to return to the classroom. For me, the highlight is definitely walking through the doors of OU Daily again.
This year, I have the honor and privilege to serve as the next editor-in-chief of OU Daily. This newsroom and the people who work in it mean so much to me. Three years ago, I walked into the newsroom as a terrified freshman, but I soon found a home at the Daily. Since then, I've likely been found in my favorite chair, working on a write-up of the latest Norman City Council meeting.
OU Daily is an independent, student-led news organization that prides itself on serving students while also engaging and informing Norman residents. On our website and in print, you’ll find stories about OU’s student body and campus, the city of Norman, local politics, sports and culture. It’s such a joy to watch my colleagues grow here, and I hope that you will find that same feeling somewhere on campus.
We’re a newsroom of about 75 students, working together to utilize our talents as writers, editors, photographers, videographers and more. Down a short hallway from our newsroom, you’ll find our incredibly talented and dedicated advertising and marketing team. Together, the students at OU Daily are committed to serving this community.
The student journalists at OU Daily publish on our website daily and work to create themed guides you’ll find on racks around campus monthly. Expect to see issues centering on Sooners football, campus issues, the best of Norman’s businesses and this year's presidential election.
This year, the Daily will look to expand our coverage of the city of Norman by offering the community to submit obituaries to run on our site, free of charge. I hope this will become a place where families can honor their loved ones. Along with community submission, OU Daily will continue its work of writing obituaries, which you’ll be able to find on our site.
Thank you for picking up our Back to School Guide and following up online at oudaily.com. Sign up for our newsletters, and follow us on social media to stay up-to-date with our work. You can find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads and TikTok.
I wish you all an amazing school year and hope you’ll visit our site often. The Daily is dedicated to serving students and Normanites alike, and I am so honored to lead the staff here at OU Daily. I’m looking forward to what this year will bring.
With thanks,
Peggy Dodd
