Editor’s note: Since December 2019, Nova Clark has dutifully served as The Ebbtide’s editor-in-chief. After nearly four years in total with the newspaper, she is passing down her position. We appreciate her leadership and wish her well on her future endeavors.

Nova Clark was outraged when she saw SCC’s 2018 production of the musical “Little Shop of Horrors.” The performance used puppets instead of real actors, and Clark wouldn’t stand for it — she knew she had to write about it. She whipped up a fiery review and submitted it to the student newspaper as a guest writer; and thus, Clark’s relationship with The Ebbtide was born.

When Clark learned that the position of arts and entertainment editor was open that fall, she decided to officially apply to The Ebbtide to share her passion for the classics. She was originally turned down, but continued to show up to meetings — and when the other applicant happened to fall through, Clark was granted a place on the staff. It felt like destiny.

The pursuits of ethics and integrity have also fueled Clark’s writing, but it’s her everyday passion for the arts and entertainment that perfectly coincided with her work.

Clark’s favorite experience working for The Ebbtide took place on Black Friday. A newspaper deadline conflicted with her desire to buy on-sale DVDs to later review, but Clark decided to tackle both priorities and woke up long before the sun. She grabbed her laptop, hopped on a bus downtown and navigated the dim streets of Seattle. While waiting for her target store to open, Clark sought refuge in a coffee shop and got to work, ferociously typing out a bundle of articles to meet her deadline.

From guest writer to A&E editor to editor-in-chief, Clark has made her mark on The Ebbtide, having contributed around 100 articles. Within those publications, she has written about a multitude of subjects; notably, Clark began the column “Double Exposure” to give forgotten films and shows another chance to shine.

When interviewed about future plans, Clark said she does not intend to continue pursuing journalism but is open to writing freelance articles. On the newspaper, Clark said “I’d like to see more physical paper copies of The Ebbtide printed in the future.”

Clark leaves aspiring journalists with this little wisdom: “Make sure that whatever you’re writing, make sure it’s something you want to be writing about. Nothing kills motivation quicker than not being fully invested in a story you’re writing.”

As a dedicated editor and journalist, Nova Clark’s passion has fueled her successes. No matter the deadline, she has always put time in to get the work done.