CAPE GIRARDEAU — “The beat goes on” for Nathan Gladden, and it started on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Gladden, scheduled to graduate in December 2023, is the editor-in-chief for the campus newspaper Southeast Arrow for the second year. He also contributes to the Southeast Missourian, a publication of Rust Communications distributed three times weekly in Cape. In April 2022 he became president of the Missouri College Media Association for the current school year.
That’s quite a detour for one who started his college studies at Cape College Center as a graduate of Springhill School of Hope, an institution under the guidance of Springhill Missionary Baptist Church in Fairdealing. “My original idea was to actually go into health science or personal training,” said Gladden. “That course of study didn’t interest me. It didn’t click.”
Gladden’s parents are Leonard Gladden of Doniphan and Tracey Shamess Fish of Cape. Several in his family are accomplished musicians, so one might have assumed that music studies would have been a natural progression. “I play the bass guitar. I did some writing. I like being in a creative space,” noted Nathan.
During a SEMO visit he scheduled a tour of the film and television department with Dr. Kate Stepaniuc, a former assistant professor and mass media instructor at the four-year university and a former co-advisor for the Arrow. “I didn’t necessarily have any set goals of where I wanted to be,” remarked Gladden in a January 2022 interview with The Prospect-News. He also met with Dr. Tamara Buck, department chair of the mass media department. Gladden decided to pursue that curriculum.
Involvement with the Southeast Arrow - in page design, writing or video - is part of class requirements. He started as a volunteer reporter. His first couple of story assignments didn’t gel but eventually seeing his byline and photo in the paper was “a very weird experience” and a confidence booster.
“It wasn’t the best story, just coverage, but it turned out pretty well not knowing anything about AP style.” (This is a set of guidelines for news writing used by the Associated Press). He described his first full-story assignment as “nerve-racking” but it was through the research/interview experience that he realized he loved doing it and considered it rewarding. “I received an email message from my former general advisor: “Good job on being reporter of the week.” That was an additional encouraging push into newspaper work.
As jobs became available on the Arrow staff, Gladden first thought about trying for a multi-media position, then decided to go for the editor spot. “This is something I’m going to do for a career. It’s challenging to do a lot of personality management for a team of 12 to 14 people. I meet with them three times a week to make sure they have what they need and are on track. My colleagues are my best friends. Sometimes I have to wear a boss hat, which is super stressful at times, but I wouldn’t trade it. Being an editor is a job that changes day to day. I like that.”
Since Gladden assumed the editor-in-chief role, the Arrow staff has gained fame for its journalistic accomplishments. Most notable is receiving for the first time ever the coveted David L. Adams Apple Award during the early spring conference of the College Media Association held in New York City. The Arrow was selected as the Best of Show among four-year universities with enrollment over 10,000. The staff sent their first three issues of 2022 for consideration. Judges looked at overall design, the combination of hard and soft news, headlines and article placement.
Arrow staff members received 20 awards in 15 categories in competitions at the Missouri College Media Association conference held in St. Joseph in April 2022. Nicolette Baker was awarded Journalist of the Year at the MCMA conference, the second time a SEMO student has received the prize.
“And the beat goes on” as Nathan Gladden pursues a career in the newspaper industry. No doubt he could play the guitar riffs for the familiar hit made famous by The Whisperers and Sonny and Cher. More encouraging is knowing there are young talented writers/editors/media design specialists like Gladden pursuing print news distribution in an era when print publications face challenges and setbacks in an era of increasing digital access.