Whether you are stepping on campus for the first time this fall or have called it home for years, I’m excited to welcome you back to the 40 acres. We greatly value what makes our home unique — a diverse array of large and welcoming communities, vast, high-quality educational resources, more burnt orange clothing than anywhere else on the planet — but also know that it takes a great deal of work to maintain it. No matter where you are in your educational journey, I hope you stop to spend some of your time contributing to your university community by working at The Daily Texan.

In its 116 years of print, this paper has given voice to thousands of students. And it is in that diversity of ideas, backgrounds and visions for the future that this paper is able to serve our student body. If we are not able to assemble a cross-section of the University to discuss the issues it faces on these pages, we run the risk of unintentionally excluding many students who may most need their voices heard.

This fall, as you consider how you will fill your time at our University, I hope you consider making the trip down to our basement and helping us fill a few pages. No matter your background or where you hope to be in the future, there can be a place for you here.

Between the departments who work to bring you everything you see in print or online and the people who work behind the scenes to make that possible, there are roles here for students with every conceivable skillset.

Have a nose for uncovering the sorts of stories that change our University? Our news department would love to see you. Are you passionate about UT volleyball, local music or ground breaking physics research? Our sports, Life&Arts and Science&Technology departments are looking for writers. If you want your voice heard on the issues that affect us on campus, make sure to drop in an application to work with us in the opinion department. And if you’d rather make sure we’re using the correct version of their, there or they’re, then our copy department might be just the place for you.

Maybe you’re more interested in images than you are in words. Our photo, video and comics departments could give you just an outlet for that. Or you could help us pull the entire organization together by working in design, technical operations or podcast. If you have a skill and want to help serve our community, we have a department to help you do exactly that.

We’ll be accepting applications online now through Sept. 8 at noon. Before then, make sure to stop by one of our two information sessions, which will be held in our office in the basement of the William Randolph Hearst building at 2500 Whitis Ave. on both Aug. 31 and Sept. 6 at 5:30 pm.

Whether you’ve already decided on a career in journalism or just want to up your writing skills, this is a place where anyone with the right attitude to learn and meet deadlines can succeed. So venture down to meet us, ask us all the the ridiculous questions you can muster, and give us your best shot. Who knows, you might find your voice or a passion for a topic you cover — or maybe you may find that you like it here.

You can find the interest form to try out for The Daily Texan here.