Amanda Hsu: Managing Editor is a leadership role on The Rubicon print staff tasked with keeping the staff organized, running smoothly, and writing with correct AP style. I’m Amanda Hsu, and in this podcast episode, I talk to junior Juan Miguel Adams, who has contributed to the staff as Managing Editor since his sophomore year.

Hsu: What is your role on staff this year?

Juan Miguel Adams: I’m the Managing Editor.

Hsu: What are some of your responsibilities as Managing Editor?

Adams: Managing Editor, I think I am more in charge of promoting a good staff culture, but also with design help and helping with drafts, and just kind of focusing on communication.

Hsu: What is your favorite part of being Managing Editor?

Adams: I think getting the chance to talk to every single section. I think when I was doing sports, I would only talk to either the writers or whoever was editing my stories. But with this, I know everyone in the cycle, I know what position or what stage of the cycle they’re in, and, you know, I can kind of help out.

Hsu: And how do you help out with the production cycle specifically?

Adams: Mainly just asking how they feel, like, how when they’re in the draft cycle, like what they’re missing, editing drafts, helping edit pages, and just making sure that we’re in a good place.

Hsu: What are some of your goals as production manager this coming year?

Adams: Promote a great staff culture. I think with a larger staff, it’s going to be more difficult, since we’re not going to be able to be in as close communication, but I want to make sure that people feel, you know, comfortable in the room, safe to ask questions. And then also, I think Sonia is definitely pushing this a lot, but you know, more enforcement on deadlines. I think we’ll be there a lot later if we can get our drafts in on time. Start the cycle earlier.

Hsu: What kind of leadership style do you try to emulate as Managing Editor?

Adams: Well when I was working with Annie last year, I tried not to be more of a strict leadership style, because I felt like we would go off each other easier if I was more a helping hand, and I was just asking what you need, but not necessarily, you know, being someone who was like, get your drafts in on time or else, which maybe Annie did more. I was mainly just trying to give a helping hand and make sure there was clear communication.

Hsu: How did you come up with your staff culture activities like “Motivational Monday” and “Wellness Wednesday,” things like that?

Adams: We definitely had some activities two years ago with Orion and Claire, but I think the issue was we didn’t have to do something, so I feel like we would end up just doing work time instead, rather than team building, because it just kind of went to the back of their minds [becasue it was] more important to get the draft cycle done. But as a leader, I think it’s important to understand that community building and some of these other activities that may not be the first thing that you think about doing on a regular day [are] actually the most important. So by doing the “Motivational Monday,” “Together Tuesday,” “Workshop Wednesday,” I was making sure that we were doing something every day, an activity, and it was forced, you know, and I think it ended up working well.

Hsu: What day is your favorite to do, or what activity is your favorite to do?

Adams: “Friday Fun” [activities] I think are the most fun because I’ll try to make up a game or activity. Like, I don’t think it’s the best for me; I enjoy “Motivational Monday” because I feel like it’s a pretty easy one for me to do. But “Friday Fun,” I feel like people have the most enjoyment, whether it’s a puzzle game, Jeopardy, or something like that.

Hsu: What do you think has been the staff’s favorite “Friday Fun” activity?

Adams: I think probably… it was a Friday Fun activity, I don’t know if we did on Friday though, but going outside, like that last activity that we did all together, that was kind of sentimental, [playing] mafia.

Hsu: And what is your favorite memory from this past year?

Adams: It would definitely have to be sometime in the late nights. I feel like that’s where most connection is built, when you’re tired, but working through it all together and knowing you guys are working towards the same goal of finishing this issue. But like, specific moment…there’s a lot of like, Peter playing some music, and, you know, everyone vibing or something.

Hsu: How much time do you usually spend on Rubicon per week?

Adams: Definitely depends what week, but last year, I spent so many hours on Rubicon, going through drafts and looking at pages, especially towards the end of the draft cycle. I could see it felt like a job, but I was always enjoying it, so I never got angry. But like an actual time, maybe towards the end of the draft cycle, I think it was like an hour and a half per day.

Hsu: What is the latest you’ve ever stayed on a late night?

Adams: Probably like 11:30.

Hsu: Wow, when?

Adams: Wait, was it 11:30? I’ll be honest, I don’t know the exact times, I just know I’m so tired when I leave there that it could be one in the morning or something.

Hsu: What has been your favorite issue this past year?

Adams: I don’t feel like most people have this shared opinion, but I would say it’s the May issue that we did, you know, two years ago. Starting off in that leadership role and finding a vibe, or a culture and staff, I think that was a really good start that we had. That was the issue that was most fun to make.

Hsu: What has been your favorite story to write?

Adams: I mean, I’ve been writing a lot of feature stories, and I think those can be the most fun with just interview-wise. I enjoyed writing a feature on Mr. Otto [from] college counseling [and] his passion for shoes. Learning about these tiny details in people’s lives is definitely something journalists tend to like, finding out these little details that you wouldn’t know about the community unless you’re in Rubicon and emailing them.

Hsu: What are your favorite sections to write for or types of stories to write?

Adams: I mean, I’ve just been writing so many features that it probably is Feature. But it’s mainly for the interviewing, less for the writing process, but I enjoy writing opinions. I enjoy writing opinions, and I enjoy interviewing for Feature.

Hsu: What do you think is the best interview you’ve ever done, or the most memorable?

Adams: It wasn’t specifically for Rubicon, but the story I did for the Three-Sixty journalism camp, the Medicaid story, where I just got to interview… I wouldn’t say it was even a single interview, but all of them I did with professionals who were so knowledgeable about the topic, who gave me a chance to kind of, you know, just ask them stuff that’s somewhat basic, but also their thoughts on it. I don’t think I’d ever done a story where I was asking people who had been in a field for like 20 years, but I was asking them about, you know, Medicaid and Medicare and the effects for the future. It just felt like I was an actual professional journalist.

Hsu: Has there ever been a story that you have really wanted to write but haven’t gotten the chance to?

Adams: I think Around Towns. That would be so much fun, especially with other people, like you did with your bakery story. That would be a lot of fun. I would just doing it with a few people on staff, and it doesn’t even have to be baked goods, just random things in the Twin Cities.

Hsu: If you could do anyone else’s role on staff for one month, which role would you pick?

Adams: I feel like I would say EIC, but actually it wouldn’t be. I think it’d be…ooo this is kind of hard…I’d be Sports, I would go back to Sports. But I would write A&E, but sports, because I enjoyed designing the pages. I think it’s such a fun section that you can do a lot with, but also you can also just keep it like strict stories, but design-wise wise you could do a lot. But I would also somewhat say A&E, but if I was A&E editor, I wouldn’t get to write A&E. But yeah, I enjoy writing A&E stories.

Hsu: How do you want to help improve The Rubicon’s outreach in SPA?

Adams: I think just having multiple areas of communication with the SPA community. We do submitted opinions already, but I don’t know, maybe sending out more Google Forms would be interesting. I got a lot of people writing back for my turkey story, which was fun to see, like just details, and people were very interested in what I was writing about. But SPA Thinks is always a great option. But I think also reaching out and asking what they would like to see in the Rubicon, because, I mean, the paper is for them in many ways, so asking, you know, what’s missing, what would you like to see, what coverage have you not seen? Just be more transparent with the publication and [show] that we’re willing to, you know, do stories that they suggest.

Hsu: Who inspires you?

Adams: I feel like the other people on staff probably inspire me the most. Like constantly pushing me to put in good work into my stories and help out. You know, you see how much other people are working in the cycle, on their pages, on their drafts, getting interviews, and I mean that promotes you too to want to work just as hard and have just as big of an involvement. Yeah, so just other staffers.

Hsu: And how do you see yourself inspiring the new members of staff?

Adams: I hope it’s through positive staff culture rather than forcing deadlines or something. I hope I influence them by seeing that you know, Rubicon is a space where you can be creative and work with people in a way that you don’t in any other class.

Hsu: Do you want to pursue journalism in the future after SPA?

Adams: I’d love to be involved in a way. I don’t think I would solely pursue journalism, but definitely in college, like something, maybe like freelancing. I would definitely love to keep writing stories and interviewing people, but I don’t think as my job, no.

Hsu: Okay, last question you have to answer this: who is your favorite member on staff?

Adams: I don’t have a favorite. They all have some great qualities to them and some great drawbacks.

Hsu: You sure you don’t have a favorite?

Adams: No, no one comes to mind.

Hsu: You can take a look at Juan Miguel’s latest work in the April issue of The Rubicon. Thank you for listening to this podcast episode. We will be back with more behind-the-scenes stories from staff. See you then!

(Music: “Lightness of the Moment Instrumental” from Wevideo Music Library)