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In 1925, a group of students came together to create The Snapper, Millersville University’s student-run newspaper. This year marks 100 years of the newspaper on campus, making The Snapper one of the longest-running organizations at MU.
The first-ever edition of The Snapper was released on Oct. 1, 1925. Before then, the student newspaper was called The Tipster, which began on Dec. 20, 1923.
The name for The Snapper originated from a form of communication students used on campus, and the story has been passed down through generations of Snapper editors. Back in the early years when Millersville University was originally called the Lancaster County Normal School, it was against the rules for women and men to speak with each other on campus. Naturally, the students found a way to bend that rule by developing a code language through snapping their fingers. Each sequence of snapping meant something different and often signaled meeting at specific places on campus to talk after dark, when administrators were not around. The snapping language is now obsolete without any living students who remember the code, but the concept lives on through the title of The Snapper.
Many strong journalists began their career working as an editor at The Snapper. One of these notable journalists is Dan Good, a book ghostwriter who has worked for well-known companies like the New York Post, ABC News, New York Daily News and NBC News. Good served as editor-in-chief of The Snapper, graduating from Millersville University in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication/broadcast option. Good recalled his time at The Snapper and how it helped him to become the writer he is today.
“I’m forever proud of and grateful for my Snapper experiences. I came to Millersville as a transfer student, and I found my career calling, and established some of my best friendships, through my time with The Snapper. I miss those days. Our coverage had a real impact on campus,” says Good. “My Snapper experiences taught me how to lead a team and how to dive deep on stories, and there isn’t a week in which I don’t use those skills. The Snapper is a vital part of Millersville’s campus culture, and my tenure as The Snapper’s editor-in-chief provided me with lots of lessons that shaped my personal and professional journey.”
Making up a full century of the 170 years that MU has been around, it seems The Snapper is not going anywhere, as it has become a staple of the institution. The Snapper team plans to continue to leave a legacy of strong, independent journalists through a time capsule. Each current editor will contribute an object that symbolizes their time with The Snapper, and the capsule will be opened 50 years from now in 2075.
“The Snapper is an essential part of the character of Millersville,” says Dr. Robert Spicer, associate professor of communication and faculty advisor of The Snapper. “It’s part of the history of this campus and community. I consider it an honor to be the advisor for the newspaper and to be part of that history.”
Editions of The Snapper are released almost every Thursday during each semester. Official print schedules and other information can be accessed through Instagram @thesnappermu. For other inquiries, contact editor@thesnapper.com.
