New Skyline Editor and Desk Chief
New Desk Chief Maya Tinajero (Left) and New Editor-In-Chief Eliya Alvidrez (Right)
ALPINE – With current Skyline Editor-In-Chief Dawson Beard graduating in December, the Skyline has named Skyline Reporter Eliya Alvidrez as his successor. In addition, Skyline Reporter Maya Tinajero has been named the new Desk Chief, a position that has been vacant since Summer 2024. This transition will mark the first time since Spring 2023 that the Skyline will have two women occupying the top leadership positions of the publication.
“Dawson has done an amazing job, and we’ll miss him,” said Skyline Advisor Sidney Balman. “But I’m confident Eliya and Maya will uphold the tradition of excellence in Skyline reporting.”
Eliya Alvidrez is an El Paso native in her senior year as an SRSU Communications major. She joined the Skyline staff as a reporter in September 2024. Outside of journalism, Alvidrez enjoys working out, photography, and spending time with her family. Like her predecessor, Alvidrez is a former athlete who made the transition into journalism following athletic retirement. Prior to attending SRSU, Alvidrez attended Southern Nazarene University, played for the soccer team and was a reporter for the university’s news page. Alvidrez’s most notable works for the Skyline to date include, “Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach Steps Down After Physical Incident” and “Dryer Fire in Lobo Village 2.”
“I hope to bring great leadership and passion to the Skyline,” Alvidrez said, “I want us to watch each other thrive just like we’re one big family. I’m more than grateful to have this opportunity, and I could never thank Sid and Dawson enough. Dawson was an amazing role model, and I hope I do a good job following in his footsteps.”
Maya Tinajero is also a native of El Paso and is a freshman Natural Resource Management major at Sul Ross. Her interests include literature, writing poetry, watching movies and being outdoors. Tinajero’s only experience in journalism prior to joining the Skyline in September 2024 was a lone high school journalism course she took online during the pandemic in 2020. However, despite her lack of experience, Tinajero has proven herself to be a very capable reporter and writer, earning herself the Desk Chief position after only two months with the Skyline. Her most notable works include “Moldy Dorms at SRSU” and “OPINION: The Unfair Stigma of Being a Male Survivor.”
“I hope to remind students why journalism is so important,” Tinajero said, “I think it’s a vital component of how our world works and it’s fascinating seeing how some of that work is being done right here on campus. I hope to do my best in capturing the attention of our younger audience by telling stories that matter to them and affect their lives personally. I think we have a really good lineup of reporters, and with this being my first year, I am excited to learn and grow into my writing style.”
