At a meeting of the IU Student Media Publications Board on Friday April 3, Juniors Jack Forrest and Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer were named the next IDS co-editors-in-chief for the upcoming fall semester.
Both Forrest and Fuentes-Rohwer have been reporting for the IDS since their first semesters at IU and have held a multitude of positions. Collectively, they have over 370 bylines spanning arts, sports, news, and enterprise stories.
In addition to their work as reporters, both Forrest and Fuentes-Rohwer have maintained their status as Hutton Honors Scholars.
Forrest is pursuing a double major in Journalism and International Studies, along with a minor in Spanish. He has served as Managing Editor of Content, News Editor, City Reporter, and Campus Reporter of the IDS. Additionally, he has interned under several notable organizations including the Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism, Indianapolis Monthly, and the Indiana Capital Chronical.
Fuentes-Rohwer is pursuing a double major in Journalism and History. He has served as the Sports Editor, Women's Tennis and Men's Soccer Beat Reporter, Men's Basketball Columnist, Olympics Writer, Men's Little 500 Writer, and Arts Film Columnist for the IDS. Additionally, he has worked with prominent organizations such as SportInspired and the Hoosier Network.
"The two of us come from different reporting backgrounds, one from news and the other sports, but what we’ve learned in managing and editorial decision-making complement each other. Through working together inside and out of the newsroom for nearly three years, we’ve built mutual trust, a key aspect of our managerial style," said Forrest and Fuentes-Rohwer in a joint statement, "That trust extends to the IDS staff, which continues to produce professional content".
The two editors have been witness to many notable events throughout their time at IU, such as the coverage of the Dunn Meadow encampment, political elections, staff changes, and the College Football National Championship.
"We’ve lived these moments from the perspective of staffers, which gives us the experience needed to lead through whatever may happen," said Forrest and Fuentes-Rohwer.
Forrest and Fuentes-Rohwer are committed to upholding a high standard of quality coverage at the IDS while also finding new ways to connect with readers. In preparation for the role, they spoke with 20+ professionals including past Editors-In-Chief, reporters, and leadership within IUSTV and WIUX to determine areas of growth. Primary goals include fostering a positive newsroom culture, reinstating the Community Engagement position, and supporting Black Voices by funding reporters covering aligned subjects.
