The Cyclone Chronicle Announces New Editor-in-Chief

Samantha Swayze, sophomore managing editor and writing major, has been chosen to take over as editor-in-chief of The Cyclone Chronicle, starting fall 2026.

Swayze started as a staff writer on The Cyclone Chronicle in January 2025 Since then, she has worked her way up to managing editor; demonstrated exceptional skills in feature and news writing, particularly with her deep drives into the Archives and Tillie Smith; set up our website analytics, and so much more. Alexis d’Ambly, current editor-in-chief, will be graduating on May 16, 2026 and is proud to hand over the reins to Swayze. 

“I’ve had the privilege of working with [Swayze] since she and I both started Introduction to Journalism in fall 2024,” said d’Ambly. “She’s such a fantastic writer and has gone above and beyond for The Cyclone Chronicle since she joined our team. I am going to seriously miss the newspaper team when I leave, but I know the newspaper will be in good hands with her as editor-in-chief.” See Swayze’s Senior Spotlight article on d’Ambly. 

Swayze gave an interview about her love of writing and her hopes for next semester on Wednesday, April 15.

Why did you choose to study writing at Centenary University?

I’ve lived in Hackettstown my whole life, and I’ve always wanted to come here. The only exception would’ve been if I had gotten into Princeton, the only other school I applied to. Clearly, I did not. I just love it here in Hackettstown. 

I came here for two open houses, and I couldn’t decide if I wanted to go into education or writing. When I went to the open house for education, I liked it; it was cool. But when I went for writing, I felt like this was what I was supposed to do. I met a lot of amazing people. I’ve known I wanted to write since I was able to write. I just knew this is where I wanted to be. 

Why did you choose to join the newspaper and editorial staff?

Going into college, I was very quiet, the one sitting in the back and not saying anything, never fully taking charge. I came to Centenary to find out what I wanted to write. I love to write. I didn’t know what I wanted to write. I took Intro to Journalism my freshman year, and I really enjoyed it. I was good at it, so I decided to take Student Newspaper Production Studio. 

I sat there and wanted to get better with AP style and news writing, which led me to be more confident in myself. I really enjoyed working as a team and bouncing ideas off of each other. It’s something I’ve always wanted to be a part of; I didn’t expect it to happen as fast as it did. 

What has been the best part of working on the newspaper for the last two years?

The friendship that we all have. Our editorial staff are genuinely some of my best friends ever. It's helped me realize, even as a commuter, you can still create lifelong friends without living on campus. I am truly so thankful to have met each and every one of them. I genuinely don’t know where I’d be without them. 

What does being editor-in-chief of The Cyclone Chronicle mean to you?

It’s not about being in charge or running class. It’s about helping everyone. My goal is to show everyone they can write better than they think they can. I want to help them get to that point of confidence in themselves. Half the time, we are very hard on ourselves, and I just want to show everyone they can write whether they are in sports or something else. Everyone has that ability. 

What are your plans for the future of the newspaper?

I want to stick to the foundation that has been built. I’m excited to get new members and be able to help them through learning how to write in a journalistic style. I find it fun. I love sitting down and writing a news story. 

I’m hoping to go further with analytics and see if we can figure out more about who is reading our stories and how many. 

I want to show we are a big family. Our class talks and is loud, but we get the job done. I want to continue that feeling of being comfortable sharing work on screen and not being afraid to ask for help. I want to keep the family and friend type of bond. 

What is something you learned in the newspaper that you will take with you as you continue your college career?

Newspaper has taught me to not be afraid to use my voice. I have always been the quiet kid in the back of the class who gets the work done but doesn’t talk. I’ve definitely become more confident. I’m not afraid to talk in front of the class for hours, if I have to. If you told my freshman self that, I wouldn’t believe it. I probably would’ve freaked out. I’m not afraid to vocalize something I’m passionate about. I’m not afraid to ask for help either, something I struggled with for a long time. 

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I write and sing my own music. I play the ukulele and piano. I started playing the ukulele in sixth grade. I’ve been playing the piano since my freshman year of high school.  I tried to learn guitar. I’ve been writing music since I was seven and wrote my first song. It was awful, but I’ve always wanted to write my own music. I want to be able to sing my own music, too, but I don’t have to. 

Is there anything else you want to talk about that we haven’t already?

I’m excited to start as editor-in-chief. I’m really hoping we have our staff writers come back next semester and see new people join. Professor Zatta is running Intro to Journalism, so I’m hoping it will get more people to join the team. I’m excited to show people what journalistic writing really is and how fun it can be. 

———

Good luck to Sami and The Cyclone Chronicle next semester as they begin their fourth year. If you’re interested in joining the team, contact Professor Janet Zatta at janet.zatta@centenaryuniveristy.edu or Samantha Swayze at samantha.swayze@centenaryuniversity.edu.