The Tartan (Radford University)

The Tartan or The Tartan: Radford University News is a student-run newspaper published weekly for readers in and around Radford University in Radford, Virginia. Its function is to provide the students and faculty of Radford University, as well as the residents of the surrounding city of Radford, with news pertaining to the university and surrounding community. The paper is circulated every Tuesday (Tartan Tuesdays) as part of their bi-weekly newspaper, and is the most widely circulated publication in the town of Radford. The paper was first published in January 1921.

History
The Tartan was originally named The Grapurchat. Its first issue was four pages, featured one picture, and detailed a cocktail party which had happened the week before. In 1978, The Grapurchat rebranded to The Tartan and its staff has now grown to include an Editor in Chief, a Managing Editor, a Section Editor, three Copy Editors, five staff writers, and a Webmaster The Tartan has a weekly circulation of 4,000.

The Tartan utilizes the RU Student Media's in-house advertising agency, SMADS, to gather and design advertisements which it uses as its main stream of revenue. The paper nets about $2,100 a week in ad revenue alone.

In March 2011, The Tartan launched a WordPress website to complement the print form of the publication. The website features a mix of articles published in the weekly issues of the paper, but also plays host to content uploaded throughout the week that does not get published in the weekly Wednesday editions.

Staff Members
Editor in Chief: Serenity Sears

Major: BFA Dance & BS Media Studies

Managing Editor: Abigail Ridpath

Major: BA English/ minor in Creative Writing

Section Editor: Stephanie Perez

Major: BS Public Relations

Copy Editor: Owen Saunders

Major: BS Communication Studies

Copy Editor: Bella Smith

Major: BS Dance Education/ minors in Entrepreneurship and Photography

Copy Editor: Alex Castanien

Major: BS Media Studies

Staff Writer: Goldie Owens

Graduate Student in Strategic Communication Program

Staff Writer: Abigail Morin

Major: BS Media Studies

Staff Writer: Aidan Hilton

Major: BS Theater/ minors in Cinema and Environmental Science

Staff Writer: Kimberly Barajas

Major: BS Criminal Justice

Staff Writer: Lauryn Washington

Major: BS Dance/ minor in Education

Webmaster: Benjamin Goldfeder

Major: Information Science and Systems/ Concentration in Security Management /Minor in Legal Studies

Faculty Advisor: Bill Kovarik