We’re Back!    

The Nautilus Resumes Publication after Pandemic Hiatus

For the first time in two years, the Nautilus is publishing again for Texas A&M Galveston! Spring of 2022 has seen the Nautilus revived with new writers, a new editor, routine staff meetings, and new stories. The Nautilus is TAMUG’s very own campus newspaper and has been circulated in many forms for decades, delivering news and information to students and faculty around campus. 

Like all student organizations, the Nautilus was deeply affected by the COVID Pandemic of 2020. All normal Nautilus activity had ceased. Newspaper racks emptied and remained empty, online issues went without updates, and staffing faded as remote living and learning became prevalent.

“It was really sad to see things dissolve,” former Nautilus advisor, Dr. Katherine Echols expressed. Consistent staffing and story-writing for the Nautilus newspaper wasn’t an entirely unfamiliar challenge, but as students became more isolated from their campus environment, with schedules changed drastically, and previous members of the newspaper graduated, the struggle to find editors, writers, and publishing became insurmountable.

When asked how she felt about the Nautilus returning after two years, Dr. Echols expressed excitement and delight, explaining how important the presence of a campus newspaper is for a university community: “It is a way for the students to make their voices heard.” 

New Nautilus advisor, Dr. Timothy Ballingall, along with the new staff, agree with Dr. Echols that being involved with the newspaper is abundantly beneficial to TAMUG students, encouraging them to expand their writing skills, build interpersonal confidence, gain publishing experience, and practice working with teams and meeting objectives in a timely fashion.

Dr. Ballingall expressed his excitement and gratitude to be able to work with the student members of Nautilus, and to experience the process of helping resurrect and reform a university newspaper after times of hardship. Dr. Ballingall who has a background in technical and professional writing, and whose dissertation examined women’s advice columns, shared his civic-minded vision for the newspaper’s future: The Nautilus as a student-driven source of news, advice, and critical discussion about what it means to be a part of the TAMUG community. 

In August 2022, the Nautilus will resume regular publishing. Stay tuned for more news, stories, artwork, ideas, and other content produced by the Nautilus for the students, staff, and communities of TAMUG!