Congratulations to the Publications Student of the Month for April... Landen Looker from Daytona State College. Landen was nominated by her advisor, Dr. Harun Karim Thomas! Here is what Harun shared with us about Landen:

"Occasionally, I’ll meet a student who might not necessarily know what she wants to do in life exactly but still moves through life with a purpose. She isn’t driven by grades or lured by a sense of competition that can sometimes be the result of unreflective pedagogies or administrative malaise. This person shows up to learn, to want to be able to make a difference one day. For me, this describes Landen Looker. Before Landen joined In Motion, she was my student. She sat in the front and reminded me of people I’d known in my graduate school days, stylish yet simple, thoughtful and responsive. She embodied honesty, in strikingly refreshing ways. She’s bashful about an anecdote I like to share with her about the time she made me admit in front of the class and confess to a couple of fault lines in familial and environmental accountability. It was harmless, really, but her ability to connect with me on a personal level and still feel comfortable enough to challenge impressed me. It was *that* moment that made me realize I needed her on the news team. For the past two years, she has been a constant, committed to the staff and personal improvement. She has a tough time saying “no.” She’s done far more than her fair share of social media posts and crafting for our media table. She’s one of the few who will insist on being present virtually at meetings when she cannot make it. She lights up the room with her smile, charms us with her wit, and delights us with her humor. Her humility is endearing, both a gift and a strength. I count my blessings daily when I think of Landen’s time with In Motion.

She is one of the few in my tenure who have risen through the ranks at In Motion, starting as a staff writer last academic year, moving up to managing editor last fall, and now serving as editor in chief her last semester at Daytona State. I have been fortunate to have had good editors in chief over the years, some known for their intellectual gifts, others known for their prolific achievements. But if I had to identify Landen’s abilities uniquely, I would say that she has been brilliant at capturing the moment in a way that allows her to do the right thing. Year after year, some stories just wouldn’t get done at the newspaper, but Landen at least acknowledges the importance of doing these stories. Her desire to help others might be best illustrated in her work with the Youth Action Fund. Most recently, she travelled to Tallahassee for an activism event, and she has always been a staunch supporter of using her voice to advocate for others who are not as fortunate to be in her position. She doesn’t sit idly in the background; she cares about the world and wants to make it a better place."

Congratulations, Landen! Thank you to Dr. Thomas for nominating her for this recognition!