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Viviana Smith/Fourth Estate

BY VIVIANA SMITH AND GABRIEL KING, EDITORS-IN-CHIEF 

This fall 2024 semester, seniors Gabriel King and Viviana Smith will serve alongside one another as co-editors-in-chief. Both communication majors with a focus on journalism, King and Smith have a background and a passion for journalism. 

Stated in a presentation featured during Fourth Estate’s editor-in-chief election process, they hope to “rebuild Fourth Estate on a strong foundation of trust, confidence and high integrity.”

Both editors hope to build upon what they’ve learned throughout their time with Fourth Estate and Mason’s Office of Student Media, wishing to produce quality content for the student-run newspaper. Another key goal is to expose students to more opportunities to hone their journalism skills, no matter their major or study focus. 

This semester, King and Smith wish to develop a welcoming and honest community through the newspaper, inviting writers and readers alike to share stories, express their opinions and be a part of campus history. 

To further express their individual experiences and hopes for the future, personal statements from King and Smith are provided below. 

Students looking to get involved with Fourth Estate may contact the newsroom, or visit us in the Student Media office located at the lowest level in The Hub (adjacent to the mailroom). For general inquiries, comments and questions, email eic@gmufourthestate.com.

Photo courtesy of Benson Park Photography

Hi everyone!

My name is Viviana Smith, and I am delighted to serve as co-editor-in-chief of Fourth Estate this semester. 

As I am in my senior year, I reflect on all the time I’ve spent at Mason studying journalism and gaining a lot of experience through our student-run newspaper. I began as a staff writer, covering short and informative pieces. I worked my way up to news editor, then managing editor, and now I am an editor-in-chief. This new role is something I hoped for when I began writing for Fourth Estate but never truly anticipated. 

Throughout my time with the paper, I’ve learned how important it is to hear people’s voices and share their stories. We can gain from one another if we take the time to seek out information, especially when someone else has a different perspective than our own.

Words have a lot of power– they’ve made us laugh, cry, become angry and brought us peace. I enjoy being a part of the process that brings forth these emotions through powerful words. I hope to encourage incoming and prospective journalists to become powerful storytellers and connect communities through their words. 

Working alongside Gabe King, I know we will do our best to foster an environment that encourages growth for our writers, the Mason community and ourselves. I can’t wait to see how Fourth Estate develops over the next few months. Hopefully, the newspaper can leave an incredible impact. 

Best, 

Viviana Smith 

vsmith26@gmu.edu

Gabriel King/Fourth Estate

Hello everyone!

I am Gabe King, co-editor-in-Chief for Fourth Estate this semester! I am excited to fill this role and continue to provide the Mason community with strong student journalism.

As I begin my final semester here, I aim to continue growing as a writer and editor. When I started with Fourth Estate, I was a staff writer before becoming sports editor last year. One of the qualities I value most when reporting is authenticity. This semester, we will seek to provide the George Mason community with authentic journalism, cover what is important to the students and continue to develop further into truth and accuracy. 

In the past, Fourth Estate has been an outlet for students and the George Mason community to learn about the news that affects them. We will strive to amplify this aspect of our outlet, as it is imperative for the community to be informed.

I am excited for what the future holds for Fourth Estate. Together, Viviana and I will aim to continue Fourth Estate’s growth with our team of talented editors and writers. An exciting Fall 2024 semester awaits, and we hope you will join us on this new journey!

Best,

Gabe King

gking8@gmu.edu