About the Concordy

Concordiensis is the student-run newspaper of Union College in Schenectady, New York, United States. It was founded in November 1877 and is the thirteenth oldest student newspaper in the United States and is the oldest continuously published newspaper in the city of Schenectady. The newspaper’s title, meaning “of or pertaining to union,” has been in use since 1890 and has since been informally called “the Concordy.” The publication was preceded by the College Spectator (1872–75) and the Union College Magazine (a literary magazine in 1875). Throughout its existence, the Concordy has been a critical piece of news on Union College’s campus.

Founders

Edward Payson White, Founding Editor, class of 1879 – White founded the paper, but resigned before the first issue appeared on campus. He had reported a hazing incident to the administration and become massively unpopular, which jeoapardized the success of the early Concordiensis.

John F. Greene, Editor in Chief, class of 1879 – first editor in chief of the Concordiensis. Succeeded White after his resignation.

Frederic F. Chisholm, class of 1879 – named the Concordiensis, after the latin adjective meaning “of or pertaining to Union.”

Notable Alumni 

Mark S. Watson, class of 1908 – after graduating from Union, Watson served as an editor and correspondent for The Baltimore Sun. Watson won the Pulitzer Prize for Telegraphic Reporting – International in 1945 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963.

Howard Simons, class of 1951 – Managing Editor of The Washington Post during the Watergate scandal in 1972. Simons attended Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism after graduating from Union, joined the Post in 1961, and became the managing editor in 1971.

Joanna Stern, class of 2006 – Current Senior Personal Technology columnist for The Wall Street Journal. Stern has won the Gerald Loeb Award in 2016 and 2022, and a News & Documentary Emmy Award in 2021. While at the Concordiensis, Stern served as the National College News Editor, Managing Editor, and Co-Editor in Chief.