On April 11, junior biochemistry major and managing editor of The Retrograde, Maria Shaikh, was elected president of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, becoming the newest voice at the head of the state’s largest organization for student journalists.
Shaikh, who ran her platform centered on community building and resource sharing, hopes to transform TIPA from an annual convention and competition into a year-round support network for student journalists throughout Texas.
“TIPA wasn’t founded to just be a once-a-year convention,” Shaikh said. “It was founded to bring people together in conversation, to help schools learn from each other, work on projects together, and be in the know together.”
Established in 1909 by a group of students at Baylor University, TIPA was founded with the intent of raising the standard of collegiate journalism in Texas by enhancing the quality of college publications and fostering collaboration among colleges and editorial teams. Today, TIPA continues to empower aspiring student journalists across Texas by equipping them with the tools to thrive in a rapidly evolving media landscape. TIPA primarily helps connect students with internships, mentorships, jobs and other professional development resources. As of its 2025 Convention, TIPA’s membership included 48 colleges and universities representing thousands of students in the state.
Shaikh first encountered TIPA in spring 2024 while working as the opinion editor of The Mercury, UTD’s former student newspaper. That first experience, combined with mentorship from former TIPA President Cataleya DeMarco, sparked Shaikh’s interest in student leadership. Shaikh said that attending a panel hosted by the Daily Tar Heel at the College Media Association’s fall 2024 conference further inspired her because it showed that the most effective education came from speaking and listening to other student journalists.
“I remember sitting in that panel… and I thought to myself, I would love to be in that position someday,” Shaikh said. “This year, getting to present our own panel and run for president felt like a validation of those dreams.”
Though her decision to run was impromptu, Shaikh quickly identified a leadership gap she could help fill. She was elected after giving a three-minute speech outlining her vision for a more connected and resource-rich student press community.
“Electing me wasn’t just about me — it was about all the people behind me at The Retrograde who have worked so hard and want to help others succeed too” Shaikh said.
Shaikh’s immediate goals include increasing inter-school collaboration, creating a more robust communication pipeline between TIPA leadership and student journalists and improving the convention experience itself. Shaikh said she wanted to facilitate more regular communication through efforts such as monthly updates and the potential for schools to co-author editorials and share investigative tools.
“I want this to be a platform for smaller schools to work with bigger schools … to ask questions and share answers,” Shaikh said.
Shaikh said she believes her work as managing editor for both The Mercury and The Retrograde has prepared her for the logistical and emotional demands of leading TIPA.
“Being managing editor gave me an eye for people’s individual talents and goals,” Shaikh said. “And I want to expand that to every TIPA member — helping them develop in the direction they want to go”.
Shaikh said that she would need to scale back some responsibilities at The Retrograde but is confident in her ability to balance both roles: “I ran for this because I know I can commit to it. I don’t want to do everything — I want to do a few things really well.”
Though The Retrograde isn’t yet an official TIPA member because of its independent status, Shaikh said she is exploring ways for independent publications to gain membership. Regardless, she sees many opportunities for collaboration between the paper and association.
When asked about her hopes for her legacy, Shaikh was clear: “I don’t want to be the person who did it all — I just want to be the spark that got things started. I want TIPA to be a consistent, empowering presence in the lives of student journalists in Texas.”