The Daily Iowan has announced that Gage Miskimen will be the new editor-in-chief for the 2018-19 academic year.

A native of Marion, Miskimen has served as the creative director for this academic year and has also worked as a news reporter covering the City Council. Miskimen has been involved with the DI since his freshman year.

“This is something I have always wanted to do for a long time,” Miskimen said. “It was a big goal, and it is great to see that finally achieved.”

In his journey from news reporter to DI Films, to creative editor, to finally becoming editor-in-chief, he has had to face many hurdles, he said.

He plans to grow a digital first mindset at the DI. Miskimen plans to merge the print front with the television and digital fronts of the organizations.

It was his initiative to start DI Films in 2016, a section in the news organization that works on mini documentaries and other video projects.

“Gage does a really good job at looking at the bigger picture. He is always on top of things — from print articles to [the] website and making sure everything looks sharp,” current Editor-in-Chief Grace Pateras said.

The paper underwent some major changes over the summer, Pateras said. The headline and body copy fonts were changed, a new rail was added to the Sports and News sections, and adding more graphics to the paper was a major push.

Miskimen played a vital role in this remodeling and adding consistency to the paper.

“Gage has shown a lot of determination. He has worked here for three years and has shown the drive to continue working hard,” said Paul Jensen, the chair of Student Publications Inc.

Miskimen has a passion for journalism and the desire to make the DI grow, Jensen said.

“He has the right experience and a good understanding of multimedia,” said DI Publisher Jason Brummond.

He has worked for different platforms and will integrate the digital platform and the print front of the paper in a way that will best benefit the organization, Brummond said.

“I am excited to work with him,” Brummond said. “He has a good understanding of the bigger picture.”