Liam Winstead Elected As 2023-24 Managing Editor

Liam Winstead was elected as Managing Editor of The Triton for the 2023-24 school year by The Triton’s Editorial Board on March 2.

Winstead, a graduating third-year, is a Real Estate and Development major and Urban Studies and Planning minor at Sixth College. After joining The Triton in Spring Quarter 2022 as a News writer and photographer, he became an Assistant News Editor in Fall Quarter 2022 and served in that position during the 2022-23 school year.

Over the past year and a half, Winstead has written 16 articles and taken photos for all of them. He has also contributed photos to other stories in the News and The Conch sections.

“I decided to run for Managing Editor to ensure the continued smooth operation of The Triton and direct the publication on a path of growth and success,” Winstead said. “I wanted to continue the collaboration of our staff so that everyone has the support they need to contribute their talented work to The Triton.”

As Managing Editor, Winstead intends to guide the paper’s reporting to be fair, unbiased, and trustworthy. During this school year, he plans to work with all of the staff to ensure The Triton is a representative publication that highlights all aspects of UC San Diego’s community.

“I have these goals in mind because I desire the success of The Triton and the team that contributes to it,” Winstead said. “I also hope that UCSD’s community will recognize our publication for highlighting all the facets of student life, including success, struggles, and the voices of the underrepresented.”

He will also ensure The Triton’s website is up-to-date by updating staff profiles. Winstead plans to include pictures of staff members to help readers view writers as real people in the community instead of names behind a screen.

“With the addition of profile photos, our readers can readily identify our writers as fellow students, fostering a stronger sense of connection,” Winstead said. “This allows us to better build trust and engagement with our audience.”

Winstead succeeds previous Managing Editor Sarah Naughten. Naughten, a fourth-year Molecular and Cell Biology major at Eleanor Roosevelt College (ERC), joined The Triton in Fall Quarter 2020. During her time on The Triton, she wrote for the News section, served as an Assistant News Editor during the 2021-22 school year, and transitioned into the Managing Editor position during Spring Quarter 2022.

“I wanted to run for Managing Editor … because I was interested in getting more involved with the editorial side of the paper,” Naughten said.

During the 2022-23 school year, Naughten helped the News section navigate reporting on sensitive subjects, placed the finishing touches on stories at the end of the editing process, and published articles on The Triton’s website.

Naughten will continue helping out with editing stories and guiding coverage as the Assistant Managing Editor this school year.

“I hope that during the 2023-24 school year, The Triton continues to provide the UCSD campus community with laser focused news coverage and continues to prioritize investigative work,” Naughten said.

Winstead transitioned into his new position under Naughten’s guidance in Spring Quarter 2023.

“I have full faith that Liam will be a fantastic Managing Editor,” Naughten said. “Liam has been an integral part of The Triton for several years now, both on the reporting and editorial side of things. He has never failed to show initiative and provide The Triton with great reporting.”

Naughten noted that Winstead has grown tremendously while serving as an Assistant News Editor last school year.

“I am most impressed with Liam’s continued ability to cover breaking news, such as protests, in a rapid and meticulous manner,” Naughten said.

In his final year on the publication, Winstead hopes to see The Triton’s growth after the impacts of the pandemic. He looks forward to seeing new staff writers come on board and start contributing under the guidance of the paper’s talented team of editors.

“By the end of the year, I anticipate that The Triton will be well-known by UCSD’s students and staff as a reliable publication,” Winstead said. “Internally, I will ensure that our staff team feels confident in their ability to research, write, and edit articles.”

Winstead is working with re-elected Editor-in-Chief (EIC) Maya Philipp to manage The Triton, expand the staff team, and increase engagement on the website this school year.

The 2023-24 Editorial Board is as follows:

• Editor-in-Chief: Maya Philipp
• Managing Editor: Liam Winstead
  • Assistant Managing Editor: Sarah Naughten
• News Editor: Cydney Macon
• Opinion Editor: Tate McFadden
• Arts & Culture Editor: Tate McFadden
  • Assistant Arts & Culture Editor: Finnegan Bly
• The Conch Editor: Ivy Peng
• Multimedia Editor: Regine Stephanie Delossantos
• Lead Copy Editor: Alorah Atondo
• Social Media Editor: McKenzie Turner

The Triton’s general staff application is open now to anyone who wants to contribute to the paper’s various sections. General staffers are accepted on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions, please email EIC Maya Philipp at editor@triton.news.

Elizabeth Peng is the 2022-23 News Editor for The Triton.