AACC’s student newspaper has a new editor-in-chief this semester.

Second-year business administration student Audrey Wais said she intends to “home in on the virtual presence” of Campus Current, a digital newspaper that student editors update every weekday with new stories.

Wais, who volunteered as a reporter for Campus Current last semester, said she hopes to add more video and interactive graphics to the stories.

Another priority will be to focus more on issues that affect students of color, Wais said.

“I would really love to share more voices of more students,” said Wais, who participated in the college’s intensive, two-week Journalism Bootcamp — Communications 112 over the winter break as part of her training as editor-in-chief.

Wais said she hopes to expand her leadership skills as she grows into her new role.

“I’m looking forward to building new connections as editor-in-chief and growing as a person,” she said.

Wais also serves as the vice president of outreach and engagement for the Student Government Association and won an Entrepreneurs Scholarship from the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation.

She was involved in a number of other student organizations before turning her focus to Campus Current.

Wais said her extensive connections within the campus community, paired with the business skills she has learned in her classes, make her an asset to Campus Current.

“I’m able to sell others on my ideas and beliefs, and I think that’s important for representing Campus Current,” Wais said.

Campus Current’s faculty adviser, Sharon O’Malley, said Wais is “very enthusiastic and she learns very quickly. She’s a good writer, and one thing that’s very appealing about her is that she really knows the college. She has her finger on the pulse of what’s going on.”

Former Editor-in-Chief Johannes Haasbroek said he hopes Wais will improve on the new digital format the award-winning newspaper adopted when the college closed its campuses as a precaution against coronavirus in March.

“This last semester wasn’t easy for anyone, and Audrey really rose to the occasion,” Haasbroek said. “She has a real ear for stories happening around campus.”

Haasbroek graduated from AACC last semester. He is studying strategic communications at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.