By: James Berreth

Writing a year-in-review may be a familiar exercise when reflecting on personal milestones but doing so for a newspaper is a more abstract task if you ask me. A publication is shaped not only by headlines and deadlines, but by the people who give it life, the staff who report, edit, publish, and persist through both triumphs and setbacks. In 2025, much changed at The Metropolitan, and the year’s story is inseparable from those who made it possible. It is fitting, then, to begin with those who moved on from the paper this year, primarily through graduating from Metro State University. Their departures were milestones worth celebrating, even as their absence is still felt in our newsroom.

Zi Yuan Wong, who preferred to go by Ethan, joined The Metropolitan as an international student from Taiwan. From his initial interview, it was clear he would be a valuable addition. Ethan carried a rare blend of humility and confidence, paired with a thoughtful perspective on the world. Those qualities were evident in the articles he produced during his six months with the paper. Ethan graduated in May with a master’s degree in computer science, after which his student visa expired, requiring him to return home. In his final article, he reflected on the uncertainty ahead, writing, “What’s next for me? Will I be okay? Am I truly ready for this opportunity? . . . I am determined to find their answers as I begin this new chapter back home.” It is a sentiment that captured both his introspection and his resolve, qualities he brought
consistently to The Metropolitan.

Ryan Wolfe also departed following his graduation from Metro State. When Ryan joined the paper, The Metropolitan was understaffed and operating without an official copy editor, leaving multiple responsibilities consolidated into too few hands, mostly my own. Ryan’s first submission prompted cautious optimism; his subsequent work quickly erased any doubt I may have had about his writing abilities as he proved himself not only a strong writer, but a dedicated contributor who consistently went above and beyond what was required of him in his role as a reporter. His willingness to volunteer time and energy, regardless of compensation, left a lasting mark on the paper – one evident throughout this publication while he was on staff.

Completing the list of graduating staff members is Max Jasper, who served as copy editor for much of 2025 and thankfully filled a void in much need of filling. In journalism, the copy editor is often the editor in chief’s right hand man or woman, responsible for accuracy, clarity, and accountability. Max stepped into the role at a critical moment and exceeded every expectation. He worked closely with writers, volunteered for tasks outside his formal responsibilities, and brought steady professionalism and positivity to every meeting. His contributions strengthened the paper in ways both visible and behind the scenes. Those contributions, particularly those behind the scenes, will continue to be used by the paper for years to come, and for that, I am forever grateful.

The Metropolitan also saw the departure of Managing Editor Kaia Ryden, who left under amicable and understandable circumstances. What Kaia left behind was a culture of kindness, optimism, and aspiration, and her capable, can-do approach influenced the newsroom in ways that will not soon be forgotten. Kaia has this soft spoken, unassuming nature of an introvert and yet, when help was needed, Kaia didn’t hesitate to raise her hand. And when she volunteered to get something done, I knew with confidence it would get done in a timely manner.

Beyond staffing changes, the paper itself faced significant challenges. In June, we were notified that our web host would cease operations, leaving less than a month to find a replacement. What initially appeared to be a crisis was mitigated through the quick thinking and technical expertise of our Web Editor Paulo Alencar. With no backups to our data available, Paulo was forced to rebuild the website entirely from scratch; a task made all the more demanding by its urgency. Thanks to his efforts, the disruption to daily news delivery was minimal, and the paper emerged more resilient and with better capabilities as a result.

The year was not defined solely by obstacles. In June, we presented a budget proposal to the Metro State University Student Association (MSUSA) seeking an increase in our funding. While the full request was not granted, the paper did receive its largest budget in recent years, along with the opportunity to request additional funds upon demonstrating progress toward our shared vision. That vote of confidence from MSUSA allowed the paper to expand staff, create leadership opportunities, and invest in its future in ways not previously possible.

One such investment was made in the form of high-quality podcast equipment for us to start our very own podcast, now titled The Metroscope. What most people do not realize is that The Metropolitan has an office on the second floor of the student center, and this is where we have, and will continue to record our episodes of The Metroscope, and expand in other ways as well. Covering the news is rarely simple, and 2025 underscored that reality time and again. Journalism demands objectivity and emotional discipline, particularly when reporting on tragedy, and stories involving death remain among the most difficult to cover.

Gun violence once again dominated national and local headlines. In June, Minnesota lost former Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in a targeted attack carried out by an individual posing as law enforcement. The events of June 14, 2025, continue to reverberate across the state as the debate on gun safety finds new ground from which to take a stand. Reporting on gun violence becomes even more challenging when children are involved. In August, the shooting carried out by 23-year-old Robin Westman against a classroom of children tested the limits of our professional detachment. Similar challenges arose while reporting on the deaths of Hortman and the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and despite logistical hurdles posed by a largely remote staff, The Metropolitan prioritizes timely and accurate reporting whenever possible, and our hope is to bring more breaking news style articles in 2026 as our team grows and becomes more capable.

To focus exclusively on the negative side of the news we reported would be a disservice to the work of our reporters who wrote everything from book and movie reviews, political op-eds, to articles that made you think about various aspects of life. A great example is a short story authored by our writer James Heider. In January of this year, The Metropolitan held a writing contest and James was – if I am honest – the only one who submitted a piece for the contest. That being said, I was blown away by the James’ use of the English language to tell a short, yet spellbinding story. My only wish was – and remains – that he would continue to write the story he began during the contest and finish it with as much eloquence as he started.

Looking forward to 2026 and the potential this year holds for all those associated with The Metropolitan, the paper and podcast themselves, and all our readers, I can’t help but be more than a little excited. I take my position and the subsequent responsibilities as editor in chief seriously, and my hope is that the efforts of many put forth to bring the news to our readers is appreciated and gives the students at Metro State a bit more pride in their school. If things go according to plan, there will be more pride to be found in this institution as we grow from just a few writers and a website that didn’t work in November of 2023 into a multimedia source of news our readers can rely on to bring them accurate, timely, and thought provoking articles.

And as the year comes to a close, The Metropolitan stands shaped by loss, growth, resilience, and recommitment. The challenges of 2025 tested the paper, but they also clarified its purpose; to serve its readers with integrity, persistence, and care. That mission remains firmly intact as the paper moves into the year ahead. There is much to look forward to from The Metropolitan in 2026 and the honor remains mine to serve as the chief editor of this team.

Happy New Year, Metro State.