The Shield has undergone numerous changes over the course of the past five decades.

We’ve changed names, paper sizes, logos and staffs.

However, there is something we have never changed.

Our passion to deliver the truth to our readership.

This October, The Shield will commemorate its 50th anniversary.

Not only does our anniversary signify a fierce dedication to a profession that isn’t welcomed, but a sense of pride in working for an organization that doesn’t shy away from hard news, but runs into it head first.

As a staff we are thankful that we have had the opportunity to deliver quality journalism to this campus for 50 years.

It has been and will always be our job to never lose sight of delivering an objective and unbiased voice to the students and faculty of this university.

And we wish to preserve our freedom of speech and voice of truth in this brutal time for journalists.

We can’t turn a blind eye to the current political climate that deeply affects journalists and media organizations.

However, even though we have been deemed the “enemy of the people,” that doesn’t scare us. Instead it forces us to strive to deliver the news with extreme accuracy and precision.

Like the many reporters, writers and editors who have worked at The Shield before us, we will not be swayed by the negligence and the unwillingness of those who do not learn what we do, but emphasize the efforts of those who support student media and journalism as a whole.

Because we are proud to be able to uncover the stories that you tell us.

We want to feature you and share your accomplishments.

However, not everything is rainbows and butterflies, and when something bad or unjust happens, we still think you deserve to know the truth and will cover it just the same.

Journalism today is such a diverse and raw art that plays a major role in modern society and its evolution.

It will always be relevant and necessary. It is our job to tell the community what is going on, but also to document and archive history.

In the next fifty years, we will bring you the hard news, feel-good stories, sports triumphs and losses, funny cartoons, informative opinions and find new and creative ways to share our stories.

But this year, we choose to celebrate.

We are celebrating 50 years of free speech and expression.

We celebrate the First Amendment which not only gives us the ability to tell you what is going on, but also gives you the right to know.

Most importantly, we ask that you celebrate with us.

Celebrate student journalists and your student publication.

We learn more and more everyday and have an irresistible passion to put in the late nights, hard work, and sometimes our emotions on hold, to deliver a publication we are incredibly proud of.

We hope you are proud of it too.

The Shield’s 50th anniversary will be October 13, 2018 in the Griffin Center. Stay tuned for surprises as we celebrate this year.