The first issue of the SUSU’s corporate publication, the SMART University newspaper, was published on December 6, 1956. On the occasion of the professional holiday, editor-in-chief Nadezhda Yushina shares on the traditions and everyday life of the editorial office.
– Why is it namely January 13th?
– Russian Press Day was established in 1991. January 13, 1703 had marked the beginning of periodical printing in our country: the first issue of the first Russian newspaper had been published. It had been called Vedomosti and had been created following the Decree by Peter the Great. Until 1991, Soviet Press Day had been celebrated on May 5, to commemorate the first issue of Pravda, published on this day in 1912.
– Are there any traditions for celebrating Russian Press Day?
– On this day, it is customary to congratulate everyone who is in one way or another related to the work of the printed media: today, we are talking about not only journalists, printers, layout designers, but also, for example, website editors. Our team celebrates two professional holidays, which stand almost next to each other in the calendar: December 6 (the newspaper’s birthday) and January 13 (Russian Press Day). Therefore, before or after the New Year, we get together, discuss achievements, share ideas, make plans...
– Please, tell us a little about the history of the newspaper.
– Initially it had been called Polytechnic Personnel and had only two black-and-white pages. The university grew and developed, and so did the newspaper: it “became thicker” up to 16 pages and became colourful. Its title also changed: in 1991 the publication became Technopolis, and since 2018 it gained its current title: SMART University. The names of outstanding editors-in-chief will forever be part of the history of both the newspaper and our university: Gili Palei, Sergei Tulinskiy, Larisa Biteeva, Mikhail Boguslavskiy, Andrei Glushkov. Thanks to these people many student correspondents were able to develop their literary talent, become journalists and writers.
– What topics does the newspaper touch upon?
– Everything that both students and teaching staff are interested in. We cover the scientific, educational, cultural, sports, and social life of SUSU. Our topics of publications include science, studying, internship, construction, sports, art and culture, amateur performances, thoughts about the present, past and future, about the chosen profession. Researchers speak about their developments; university veterans share their memories: this is how the chronicle of the university is compiled line by line. SMART University also has a similarly-named website, where, some time after the distribution of printed copies, an electronic version of the newspaper is uploaded.
– Who takes part in the preparation of the issue? What role do students play in it?
– Our newspaper has a wonderful team. In addition, future journalists learn the basics of the profession in practice and gain experience in editing and reviewing. They collect materials: and in the process they learn how to report, conduct interviews, and understand why fact-checking is important. Articles fall into the hands of a proof-reader: typos, stylistic errors, and unnecessary repetitions need to be removed. Next is the layout. And here you are – readers can take a fresh issue, that still smells of printing ink, in their hands!
