We've been called many names here at the Collegian.

Our original name was The Free Lance. Then came State Collegian. After that Penn State Collegian.

I've heard others; "The Daily Comedian," "The Daily Communist."

You name it; we have been called it.

"The Daily Collegian" has been our name since 1940, but what you should know, and what's more important than any name we are called, is that for 116 years, passionate, motivated students have been working to bring you the news each day.

For 116 years, students like myself have been trying to the best of his or her ability to put out this newspaper.

Many people do not like it. Many people think it's corrupt. Some people pick it up for the crossword puzzle. Some for sports coverage.

But the Collegian is more than an "it." "It" is home to 200 news division members and about 100 business division members.

Two hundred Penn State students give to you their best efforts at journalism -- whether it be campus news, downtown happenings, sports, arts and entertainment, the latest in science and health news -- we try to give it all to you.

And we make mistakes. We screw up. But there is something to be said about this newspaper.

It's a student-run, independent newspaper. I have many personal and sentimental feelings about it, but it doesn't matter what I think.

It matters what you think.

You, the person who is reading this right now; you are the one who matters to us.

Students at this university are who matter to the people working to put out this newspaper every day. Because we're students too.

But I don't know if that has been very clear in the past or even if we've done that great of a job of doing so. I don't know if every person who reads the Collegian feels represented by it or a part of it. It would be ridiculous for me to assume that you are.

More than 40,000 students walk around this campus. More than 40,000 individual personalities interact in this community.

Obviously, it's nearly impossible to meet the wants and needs of each individual on the pages of this newspaper, but I can tell you we're going to try.

I want you to be able to pick up the Collegian and see yourself, the 20-year-old biology major, mirrored in our pages.

I want you to be able to read about current events in the community. I want you to be able to read about the latest movie, album or sporting event. I want you to feel like we're writing for you, as an individual, at this massive university.

That's what newspapers are all about; we write for the readers.

Sometimes that has gotten lost here. Sometimes we have forgotten about you and what you want.

I think now you will open your college newspaper, The Daily Collegian, and read about things that interest you as a college student.

The students who run this paper are the people who sit next to you in class. We're the men and women who are drinking beer at the 'Skeller right next you.

We go to football games and wave the silly blue and white pom poms and attempt to sing along to the Penn State Alma Mater ... "we don't know the ..." Nope, we don't know the words, either.

I want you all to realize the Collegian -- "it" -- is a major part of this university.

It is your student newspaper.

We try to put together what we think you want to read every day. I can tell you we'll be trying even harder this year.

Expect to see more in-depth coverage of local and national issues that affect you. Look for a stronger opinion page, including polls in which you can participate.

Most importantly, look for yourself in the pages of the Collegian.

If you think you are not represented, let me know. I promise to try to give you the representation you deserve.