Mei Xu: Arts & Culture editor

As Arts & Culture editor for both her junior and senior year, Mei Xu has been extremely beneficial to The Cardinal Times. She looks back at her time on the  staff with fond memories. 

“Being able to collaborate with my friends and other people on articles has been my favorite thing,” she says.

Her start in The Cardinal Times was atypical. After asking herself, “What is something I’m not good at?” Xu joined Intro to Mass Communications as a freshman with the hopes of improving her writing skills. While most students gravitate towards what they can succeed in, Xu chose to challenge herself.

Now, her writing is celebrated not only by other members of the staff, but also Student Newspapers Online (SNO). Three  of her articles have been awarded with a Best of SNO award, with the most recent one being an article on Black Lives Matter protest art. 

Her time on staff has also enabled her to see things in a new way.

“Being on The Cardinal Times has really shown me that authentic journalism is something that incorporates all aspects of a story. Rather than just reading posts online I have become a more critical thinker about issues,” Xu reflects. “I’ve learned how to navigate the 21st century in terms of social media and activism.” 

Xu is looking forward to her multitude of post-Lincoln plans.

“This summer, I am definitely going to continue in the journalism arena,” she says.

Xu will be researching and writing about constitutional law while also doing social, journalistic and media work with nonprofit organizations. 

She also plans to help out the 2021-2022 Lincoln Constitution Team. 

“I am still connected to my Lincoln roots,” says Xu.

In the fall, Xu will be attending Dartmouth College. 

“This is going to sound like a lot,” she says before explaining her major.

 She plans to study government, modified with economics, and Asian Societies, Cultures and Languages.

When Xu was in Intro to Mass Communications, she remembered there being only five or six students in the whole class. 

“My favorite memory was being there from the beginning and seeing everything grow and happen.”