After almost two years of reporting, Lily Alexander will hang up her Lobo news cap in exchange for a graduation cap as she retires from her position as editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. Alexander joined the paper in August 2023 as a freelance reporter, quickly got promoted to a beat reporter and then to news editor in November 2023, before being elected editor-in-chief and assuming the role in May 2024.
She graduates this spring from the University of New Mexico with a bachelor’s degree in journalism & mass communication to accompany her wealth of experience, collection of invaluable friendships and numerous awards won for her reporting.
Alexander has dedicated herself to journalism and the Lobo throughout her tenure as a member of its staff. She has written over 70 stories for the paper, including articles about UNM’s police department’s lack of body camera use, UNM’s investment in tobacco companies, the termination of international student records and the identification of a new dinosaur. She has won four awards from the New Mexico Press Association: two for investigative reporting, one for news writing and one for editorial writing.
“Journalism is the thing that gives me motivation and energy and makes me feel kind of complete when I'm doing it,” Alexander said. “The hard parts of journalism are still parts of journalism, which means that when I'm doing it, they don't feel as painful.”
Alexander’s passion for journalism and reporting helps her when struggling to cover more difficult topics, along with the natural stress of being a student, she said. Being a journalism student has also been beneficial, since she finds that her coursework often complements her reporting, she said.
The value of being tenacious and having to persevere even when a source is not responding is one of the main lessons she has learned during her time at the Lobo. The value of collaboration is another lesson she learned. Writing stories with other reporters have been some of her favorite experiences at the Lobo, she said.
“Having a staff that is all students and all folks who are going through the same exact stuff, and doing school and doing journalism and doing editing and all of that – is very helpful, because we can all relate to each other,” Alexander said.
As editor-in-chief, Alexander had to learn how to be in a leadership position, as she had never had to lead before taking the role. She was able to grow into the role and gained a lot of confidence when it comes to being a leader, she said.
In the little time that Alexander spends outside of the newsroom, she enjoys reading poetry and roller skating up and down the corridors of Marron Hall, she said.
After graduation, Alexander will spend a year reporting for the Santa Fe New Mexican as part of the New Mexico Local News Fund fellowship program. While she is excited to be working for the Santa Fe New Mexican and staying in the state, she doesn’t necessarily have an end goal for her career, Alexander said. She wants to stay in print journalism, even though she may be “going down with the ship,” she said.
“I'm of the mindset right now that as long as I'm doing journalism in some capacity, I will be happy,” Alexander said.
Jaden McKelvey-Francis is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on X @jadenmckelvey
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