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Greetings from new DPAA President Amy Gardner

Dear DPAA Family,

It’s hard to believe that it was 33 years ago when I first walked through the doors at 4015 Walnut St. to start my journalism career at The DP. Today, I am a political reporter at The Washington Post, and I’m proud to serve as the new president of the DPAA — a role that has allowed me to reconnect with old friends, recall fond memories, mentor a new generation of young journalists and do my part to protect and preserve an institution that must continue to shine a light on the Penn community.

We have entered a time of transition and innovation at the DP and DPAA. The student staff is working hard to keep pace with a rapidly changing industry while also paying close attention to the fundamentals of journalism. We hired Steven Molberger as our new development director, with a focus on helping secure the DP’s financial future. And of course we are preparing for departure later this year of our beloved general manager, Eric Jacobs.

With all this change comes opportunity. Our organization has arrived at a crucial moment that requires leadership, strategic thinking and a willingness to lay the foundation for a more prosperous future. It also requires more engagement from our alumni community.

Over the course of the next year you will begin to see changes and adjustments to how we position our organization. One of our goals is to create a more meaningful alumni experience. Another is to secure the DP’s future.

I’ve been excited discussing future plans with Steven, and I hope many of you will get to know him in the coming months and years. Steven has been on board for only a few weeks, but he has already developed a framework to strengthen our purpose and understanding of what the DP can do for us and what we can do for the DP, called the 4 C’s of DPAA Participation:

Connection
Stay in touch and informed about all things related to the DP and DPAA

Commitment
Provide resources and time to ensure the best student experience possible

Celebration
Share your achievements and help to recognize others 

Career Support
Receive mentorship and guidance from our esteemed network of DP Alumni

Our goal is ambitious: to position the DP with the necessary resources and alumni engagement to be the best college newspaper in the country. I know we can do this. In my three years on the DPAA Board, I’ve connected with enough of you to know what we all share: a deep and abiding fondness for The Daily Pennsylvanian. 

Please stay tuned for more news on how you can be a part of this exciting period of change.

Warmly,

Amy Gardner ’90
DPAA President