This fall, Olivet Nazarene University’s acclaimed student newspaper rebranded to provide better engagement with the campus community.
After years of using the moniker The GlimmerGlass, the newspaper’s student leadership team submitted a formal request to change the name to The Olivet Gazette. The original name of the paper, submitted by faculty adviser Ruth Fess in 1941, was unanimously chosen out of 150 suggestions by the paper’s staff. In its time, the campus newspaper has covered everything from Homecoming activities to athletic events, student profiles to regional news.
The GlimmerGlass, an extension of the Department of Communication, has served as a campus fixture for the last 79 years and has allowed student voices to be heard and shared. It has also served as a connecting point between students and the surrounding community. Local newspapers have included stories written by students, enabling students to make professional connections for later stories and future employment.
The original name was full of whimsy and charm. In rebranding itself, the staff of The Olivet Gazette, hope to clearly delineate what the paper is and reflect the connection to the University as it shifts into the more popular digital format.
Faculty advisor, Nicole (Pilbeam) Burgess ’19, has a long history with Olivet newspaper and is excited about the changes coming to the University publication this year with The Olivet Gazette.
“The students at Olivet receive their news from national and local stations but having an organization on campus that is solely directed to the interest of Olivet students is essential.” She continued, “With the name change, Olivet students will be able to connect more with the publication and know exactly where to look for their news.”
The Olivet Gazette readers will now be able to search for news updates seamlessly and know that the information is coming from the University.
Executive editor of the paper Elle Marshall says, “We are adding a variety of multimedia elements this year, including video and podcasting. We hope this will allow our readers to get the information no matter if they have time to read it or only just listen to it on their way to work or school.”
Nicole emphasized: “It is a significant change for the paper to be rebranded because of the history that stands behind the newspaper and we hope to set the same standard with The Olivet Gazette.”
The Olivet Gazette is now available to read exclusively online at www.olivetgazette.com.
To learn more about student involvement with The Olivet Gazette or academic programs within the Department of Communication, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@olivet.edu or 800-648-1463.
Published 9/10/20
HRI
