Members of The Franklin pose with their superlative awards after their annual awards ceremony, The Frankies.
The Franklin, the official newsmagazine of Franklin College, will add new and returning members to its editorial staff for the 2024-2025 school year.
Editor-in-Chief Arianna Hunt and Managing Editor Anna Cecil will lead the talented group.
Anna Cecil | Senior Editor
Portrait photo of Anna Cecil, Editor-in-Chief.
Anna Cecil is making the leap from reporter to editor and is excited to take on an observing position and lend a helping hand to others.
“As a reporter last year, I really enjoyed the fact that writing for The Franklin allowed me to connect with people I would never have met otherwise,” Cecil said. “This year, as an editor, I’m excited to have the opportunity to watch new reporters grow. I look forward to helping them hone their skills, just as my past editors did for me.”
Cecil is studying multimedia journalism with a minor in history. She is also a member of the cross country team and is expected to graduate in 2027.
Jonah Decker | Sports Editor
Portrait photo of Jonah Decker, sports editor.
Returning editor Jonah Decker is back to put more focus on the sports side of FC.
“I’m excited to get more people involved with The Franklin’s sports page. It’s fun to teach and learn from others, and as a writer, I want to help people improve their skills,” Decker said. “I hope to bring fresh ideas and a new perspective to The Franklin, and will try to improve it every day.”
Decker is majoring in sports communications and minoring in professional writing. He runs cross country, is a ritual leader at Lambda Chi Alpha, editor of the student magazine Apogee, and a member of the student news program.
Samuel Wilson | Video Manager
Portrait photo of Samuel Wilson, video manager.
Samuel Wilson took on the role of Video Manager mid-semester last year and is excited to continue his role.
““Being a video manager for the first time last semester was a really cool experience and my favorite part was creating and curating content to educate FC students and members of the local community about what’s happening in and around the area,” Wilson said. “I’m back again this year because I see a lot of improvements we can make by leveraging current technology to make The Franklin Media’s content more accessible to our growing audience.”
Wilson is studying public relations, is a member of the cross country team, and is a member of Lambda Chi Alpha.
Ashlyn Myers | Web and Social Media Editor
Portrait photo of Ashlyn Myers, web and social media editor.
Ashlyn Myers returns for her fourth and final year, signing on as Social Media and Web Editor.
“Although I’ve been at The Franklin for a long time, I keep coming back because I love helping new reporters develop their love of journalism. There’s nothing like the feeling of interviewing sources, writing a long-form article and then seeing it sent out to people across the state – as stressful as the job can be at times,” Myers said. “This new role is exciting for me because I get to exercise a new skill of mine by working to ensure The Franklin’s digital presence reflects the incredible work its reporters are already doing. I hope when people visit The Franklin’s website, they see a powerful program and how much passion the FC students put into their work. In addition, I hope new reporters feel comfortable coming to me when they need help with storytelling, editing and general advice, and I hope they get some great new clips in the process, too. When that happens, I know I’ve been successful.”
Myers is a senior at Franklin College studying multimedia journalism and creative writing. When she’s not searching for stories, she’s trying out new cafes, playing with her dogs, planning her wedding, or browsing antique shops.
Hannah Johnson | Photo Editor
Portrait photo of Hannah Johnson, photo editor.
Hannah Johnson hopes to bring what she learned as a high school photo editor to The Franklin’s newsroom.
““Being a photo editor this year has brought my life ‘full circle,'” Johnson said. “I was a photo editor at my high school’s newspaper and am excited to see how my experience can take our staff’s goals and work to the next level. I’m glad my past experiences can help me teach our new and current staff everything they need to know about photography.”
Johnson will graduate this December with majors in studio art and photography, and minors in visual communication, business and art history, and the Digital Fluency Endorsement. After graduation, she will pursue her MFA in new media journalism at Full Sail University. On campus, she is involved with the women’s lacrosse team, Zeta Tau Alpha, Dance Marathon, Women’s Chorus, TheStatehouseFile.com, and is a Pulliam Fellow for photography of campus events.
Elijah Roberson | Associate News Editor
Portrait photo of Elijah Roberson, assistant news editor.
Senior Elijah Roberson is finishing his last semester on staff at Franklin. How will he do it? He hopes to make it into the history books.
“It’s my fourth and final year at Franklin, and since I’m graduating early, it will be my last semester. I’m a little sad about that, but also excited to make the most of it, write my best stories, and help make the magazine and website the best it can be. I like how much fun it is to work with everyone. We get a lot done, but at the end of the day, we’re still a bunch of college students, so we also have a lot of fun and create a lot of memories,” Roberson said. “I hope to be able to write more history stories like in the past and help new members be the best they can be.”
Roberson is studying public relations with a minor in professional writing. He will graduate from Franklin College in December. When he’s not writing, he works part-time at a sports radio station in Indianapolis, plays guitar, and builds model cars.
Erin Bruce | Associate News Editor
Portrait photo of Erin Bruce, associate news editor.
Former reporter Erin Bruce is taking her opportunity to be a role model for other reporters.
“I was inspired to join The Franklin as an editor because it seemed like a great opportunity to take a leadership role in an area I am very passionate about,” said Bruce. “I’m really looking forward to working with a great team of editors and writers to produce high-quality stories that inform the Franklin College community! I’m really excited about this year and think The Franklin is a great resource to help students practice journalism at an important time for the field.”
Bruce is from Troy, Ohio and has a double major in multimedia journalism and sports communications and a minor in political science. She is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and Passion for Paws.
Final thoughts on hunting
Portrait photo of Arianna Hunt, Editor-in-Chief.
Hunt said she is confident The Franklin has a bright future.
“I’m so excited about the year ahead for The Franklin! Over the next year, we’ll be expanding our coverage and online presence, and I look forward to doing so alongside a great team of editors working right alongside me,” Hunt said.
“The Franklin has always produced great reporters, and this year will be no exception. We have a great new class of PSJ freshmen and notable reporters from years past who will make their mark on The Franklin. No matter how many things we publish or what we accomplish, the most important thing I look forward to in the position of managing editor is watching our reporters, editors and myself grow.”
