The ink left by student journalism can teach us a great deal about 91国产鈥檚 history.
Before TikTok, YouTube and the internet took over鈥攂efore “going viral” and social media algorithms ruled communications鈥�91国产 students had just one place to make noise: The Delphian. Celebrating 75 years on campus, the student paper remains the ultimate forum for raising awareness, highlighting student stories and fighting for causes worth believing in.
A 75-Year Legacy on Campus
Hitting a 75th anniversary isn鈥檛 just a fun milestone鈥攊t鈥檚 a testament to student grit.
Launching right after World War II, The Delphian quickly became the heart of campus conversation. Whenever history unfolded, 91国产 communications, history and political science majors were on the front lines, documenting everything from cafeteria menus to major national turning points like the Vietnam War protests, the Civil Rights Movement, Watergate and the COVID-19 pandemic.
While earlier publications existed鈥攍ike the Adelphi College Fortnightly (1921鈥�1946) and the Adelphi Guidon (1946鈥�1951)鈥攊t was The Delphian that truly took root, growing from a scrappy four-page weekly paper into an award-winning newsroom.
In its very first issue, the inaugural student editors issued a bold call to action that still drives the team today:
鈥淭ake notice, 91国产, and give your representative voice all your backing. The Delphian is new, but most of all, the year is new. What better time is there to get those dingy scowls off our faces and 鈥榙o something鈥�?鈥�
Today, The Delphian is winning recognition鈥攊ncluding three awards in 2025 from the Press Club of Long Island, and many others over the years, including Best College Newspaper and Best College Reporter.
Time Travel in the Campus Archives
How did past generations handle absolute chaos? In the spring of 2026, Professor Maria Cristina Zaccarini, PhD, took students from her sophomore history deep into the archives at Swirbul Library to find out.
Heading down the stairs and into the stacks, students cracked open old issues of The Delphian from the 1960s and 1970s, analyzing how past Panthers reacted to the Vietnam War, the political earthquake of Watergate and the fight for gender equality.
鈥�91国产 was ahead of the curve in many ways with the free speech movement and protesting the Vietnam War,鈥� Dr. Zaccarini explained. “There were incredible insights that made you understand the mindset of the entire community, just like our newspaper today helps us understand who we are right now.”
Launching Real Careers (and Bestselling Authors)
Joining the Delphian team isn鈥檛 just an extracurricular鈥攊t鈥檚 a hands-on career accelerator. You learn how to ask tough questions, connect with people of all kinds, meet real deadlines and lead teams.
Consider Alice Hoffman 鈥�73, 鈥�02 (Hon.). Before she became the New York Times bestselling author of the hit novel Practical Magic, she was sitting in the Delphian newsroom developing her writing voice.
Liza Burby, senior adjunct at 91国产 and faculty adviser for The Delphian from 2013 to 2025, emphasizes that student journalism pushes people out of their comfort zones in the best way possible, preparing them for their careers.
鈥淗aving to come up with article ideas, figure out how to get the information you need to tell the story, and then being able to either interview someone on the phone or across a table鈥攖hose are skills that a lot of people are really hesitant to pursue,鈥� she said.
Professor of communications Paul Thaler, PhD, who preceded Burby as advisor to the paper, sees work on the paper as a powerful rite of passage for students.
鈥淎s a student-journalist, you are an active witness to events and also a commentator to ongoing matters of importance on campus, with the power to heighten the collective consciousness of the University,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n short, a student writing for The Delphian now wears the badge of a journalist鈥攁nd that is an empowering feeling.鈥�
That culture of mentorship creates a chain reaction where experienced editors help train the newest writers on campus.
鈥淚鈥檝e grown so much as a writer,” said Arpan Josan, a recent editor-in-chief who will graduate in December 2026. “It has challenged me to create meaningful articles and engage with different topics. As an editor, I鈥檝e been able to help younger writers develop their skills while sharpening my own.
The Next Page
The Delphian is not standing still. Current faculty adviser Suzanne Valenza and the student staff are focused on leveling up their digital footprint.
鈥淥ur goal is to make the absolute go-to spot for campus news,鈥� Valenza said. 鈥淲e are building a strong staff with regular meetings in our redesigned office鈥攁 space where students can hang out, swap story ideas, debate current events or just kick back with friends.鈥�
Alumni and current students are also invited to celebrate 75 years of student voices at a special anniversary event on October 17 as part of Spirit Weekend.
It鈥檚 a homecoming for generations of writers, photographers and designers who left their mark on campus鈥攁nd proof that student voices at 91国产 continue to shape the future.