Whether you’re a new student or returning to UT, you may have seen a burnt orange box full of newspapers on campus. What you probably don’t know is that it’s the culmination of work from over 300 students every semester. 

The Daily Texan has served the UT community since 1900 with the dedication of our all-student staff. And we want your help to continue producing more award-winning content. 

You don’t need to be a journalism major or have any previous experience in writing. You actually don’t have to be a writer at all to be on staff. With our 15 distinct departments, you’re very likely to find an outlet for your interests. 

If you’re passionate about advocating for the UT community, join me in the opinion department as a columnist or illustrator. This is your opportunity to offer solutions for changing our campus community for the better. Columns can range from sharing our perspectives through personal narratives to suggesting how UT and the general Austin community can improve. 

If you love a fast-paced environment, join our news department to keep the UT community up-to-date with breaking news. Are you the type of person who likes investigative journalism? Join our projects team!

If you like keeping up with the latest news but prefer to know about student life and fun activities in Austin, apply to our life&arts department. And if you always follow UT sports, join our sports department to cover thrilling games.

Maybe you don’t like writing, but if you love correcting people’s grammar and fact-checking details, join our copy department. 

If you’re more of the creative type and like creating illustrations, join the comics team. And if you like graphic design, help us put together our paper by joining the design department.

Are you obsessed with all things digital? Consider joining one of our multimedia departments. If you enjoy capturing life’s beautiful moments, apply to be one of our photographers. If you’re passionate about capturing stories through a video camera, join our video department. And if you love telling stories through a microphone, apply to our audio department.

If you want to spread the news through digital platforms, help us grow our audience through our social media or newsletter departments.  

If you’re passionate about making the Texan a more welcoming space, join the advocacy and belonging board. And our new department, Texan en Español, is looking for translators to help us make our news accessible to the Spanish-speaking community. If you’re fluent in Spanish, help us grow the number of stories we can offer translations for! 

Regardless of your major, The Daily Texan has a place for you. The newsroom is made up of over 300 students each semester, and we would love to have you join us. I found my best friends through the paper, and you can too. 

You can apply to The Daily Texan at this link, and you can find more details in our application guide. Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have any questions. 

If you can’t apply this semester, sign up for our newsletter, check out our work and send us a tip or feedback on how we can improve. 

Whether by immersing yourself in the campus community, working behind the scenes or even following our content, your unique perspective will weave into the fabric of the Texan’s 124-year history. 

Ponce is a journalism and Mexican American & Latino studies junior. She is the editor-in-chief.