Sydney Martin

My Print Work

Through my time as a student, I've been extremely lucky to work at three amazing publications. Both the Glasgow Guardian and The Ithacan are award-winning student papers at Glasgow University and Ithaca College, respectively. During the summer of 2023, I was also fortunate to serve as an editorial intern for the Steamboat Pilot & Today, which serves Routt County, Colorado. These articles represent the work I've done across many topics, including the environment, political coverage and college administration. 

The Ithacan •

Revision of private lesson times sparks frustration among music students

The Ithaca College School of Music, Theatre, and Dance announced revisions to private lesson times in an email sent to music students March 23, sparking frustration among students. 
The new system divides students across 30-minute, 45-minute and hour-long lessons depending on the major. The changes will take effect in Fall 2026. 
Bachelor of Music students who are performance or composition majors will receive 60–minute lessons. After their first year, Bachelor of Music students enrolled in the...
The Ithacan •

Izzy Fest brings independent media to students

The Park Center for Independent Media brought together independent journalists and media scholars from across the country to Ithaca College’s campus for the first Izzy Fest, a two-day event focused on independent media and press freedom.
As part of Izzy Fest, the PCIM presented the 2026 Izzy Awards, which celebrate “outstanding achievement in independent media.” This year’s honorees were Abby Martin and Empire Files; Gwynne Hogan and Haidee Chu of The City; and the Texas Observer. 
Though the Iz...
The Ithacan •

Ithaca protesters demand ‘No Kings’ in third wave of nationwide anti-Trump rally

Hundreds of protestors came together on The Commons on March 28 to protest United States President Donald Trump and his administration as part of the nationwide “No Kings” rallies. Many in attendance held signs that called attention to issues in the Trump administration like the Iran war and the president’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein, while others protested rising gas prices and crackdown on immigration. 
This is the third wave of the “No Kings” protests, whose organizers claim that 8 million...
The Ithacan •

Ithaca College professor awarded for combining music with social justice

Baruch Whitehead, a professor of music education in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, was presented with a New York State Senate Commendation award from Sen. Lea Webb’s office Feb. 19. The awards, given in honor of Black History Month, celebrated the work of five local community leaders from the Southern Tier. Whitehead was honored for his work with the Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers, a choir named after civil rights activist Dorothy Cotton. Assistant News Editor Sydney Martin sat down wit...
The Ithacan •

Lack of area coordinators leaves RAs unguided

A lack of area coordinators has left resident assistants at Ithaca College with a lack of guidance and sparked concerns over points of contact and resident safety.
In Fall 2024, there were eight ACs, at the time referred to as residence and community directors, split across eight different clusters of housing. By Spring 2026, only one AC remained, with a second one announced as recently as Feb. 16. During the Spring 2026 semester, RAs have been navigating a decrease in reliable communication and...
The Ithacan •

Hundreds in Ithaca rally against ICE after Minneapolis crackdown

This story was updated Feb. 4 at 12:50 p.m.
Over the past week, Ithaca residents came together as a community to protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. From an anti-ICE rally on The Commons, to a general strike on the Ithaca College campus and fundraising programs by small businesses, Ithaca has been mobilizing. 
Sparked by the Jan. 6 deployment of 2,000 federal agents to Minneapolis and the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, activist groups across the country have taken...
The Ithacan •

Museum of the Earth avoids foreclosure through community support

The Museum of the Earth in Ithaca has avoided a looming foreclosure after its parent organization, the Ithaca-based Paleontological Research Institute, raised millions of dollars in donations.
The museum had to pay a $3 million mortgage by Dec. 31, 2025, to remain open. The $3.7 million in donations came after the organization turned to media outlets to cover its situation and allowed the organization to avoid having to rely on unstable federal funding. Now, the organization is seeking ways to d...
The Ithacan •

Park School classrooms affected by drastic increase in heat

Over the last month, several classes in Roy H. Park Hall have been affected by a drastic increase in heat, with some classrooms displaying temperatures as high as 90 degrees. 
The problem began in mid-October, caused by an issue in the building’s duct work, and prompted several professors teaching in the north side of the school’s second floor to seek alternative locations to hold their classes. Todd Schack, associate professor in the Department of Journalism who teaches three classes a day in o...
The Ithacan •

IC to discontinue the communication, strategy and design major in Fall 2026

Ithaca College students in the communication strategy and design (CSD) major and minor received an email Oct. 20 explaining that the program would no longer be offered or accept new students starting Fall 2026. In the place of CSD, the school will offer a revised advertising, public relations and marketing communications (APRMC) major and minor.
Over 20 majors across the college have been “sunsetted” over the last five years, for a number of reasons, many relating to the college’s budget deficit...
The Ithacan •

From Ithaca to D.C., millions rally against Trump in nationwide “No Kings” protests

Millions of people gathered across the United States for the Oct. 18 “No Kings” protests to rally against what demonstrators see as rising fascism under President Donald Trump’s administration.
This is the second set of “No Kings” protests since the start of Trump’s second term, with a previous one being held June 14, Trump’s birthday. It is estimated that between 2 and 4.8 million people participated in the June 14 “No Kings” protest.
Thousands gathered at Washington Park for the “No Kings” pro...
The Ithacan •

Greek life students work to help local community

While Cornell University supports over 50 fraternities and sororities on campus, Ithaca College has no affiliated groups, leaving students to form independent groups that pursue the same goals of philanthropy and community building.
Across the country, about 750,000 students are involved in Greek life, with a further nine million involved with alumni networks. The only Greek life organizations open to IC students are unaffiliated with the college and do not have headquarters on campus because of...
Glasgow Guardian •

The real cost of AI? - Glasgow Guardian

As artificial intelligence grows, can we know the actual impact it will have on our environment?Throughout 2024, AI has been at the forefront of the news cycle: every social media app or search engine has come out with an assistant designed to make life easier. It’s even the focus of the newest iPhone. But as the technology expands, so does the demand it puts on our energy systems, and in a world already dealing with drought and global warming, what impact does pursuing these innovations have? W...
Glasgow Guardian •

What does a Trump victory mean for American environmentalism? - Glasgow Guardian

Even with claims of being an environmentalist, many groups across the country are looking towards the new administration with concern over the future.With Donald Trump’s recent victory in the US presidential election, many have turned towards his climate policy as one of his most alarming talking points. Even as he claims that he’s an environmentalist and that his last term saw the “cleanest” air and water in the country, his policy positions indicate otherwise. Trump supports increased oil dril...
Glasgow Guardian •

Mending our environment through sustainable clothing - Glasgow Guardian

As waste in the fashion industry skyrockets, students look for ways to build a community around sustainability.With the rise of social media and a trend cycle that changes faster than ever, the amount of global textile waste has skyrocketed. Every year, almost 92 million tonnes of waste are produced – a number expected to increase to 134 million by 2030. The fashion industry makes up almost 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In response, there has also been a massive spike in interest towar...
SteamboatToday.com •

Dozens of pilots launch Saturday as Yampa Valley Balloon Rodeo takes off over Steamboat

The sky over Steamboat Springs was once again full of hot air balloons Saturday as the 42nd Yampa Valley Balloon Rodeo took flight this weekend.


“I got to say, everything was perfect,” organizer Karen Beauvais said after 29 balloons launched Saturday morning from Bald Eagle Lake, floating over the lake and into town.


The balloon pilots and their teams represented a number of different groups and sponsors from around the country.
“More than anything, I love the people that we meet,” said B...
SteamboatToday.com •

As a record-breaking heat wave bakes the U.S., visitors find relief in Steamboat Springs’ cool nights, mornings

With cities across the U.S. experiencing some of the hottest summer temperatures on record, many people have traveled to places like Steamboat Springs with hopes escaping the heat back home.


While still experiencing its own hot temperatures, Steamboat has been a welcome change for people coming from places like Florida. For Bonnie Pinto, a first-time visitor in Steamboat, it’s been a relief “because the mornings are so cool and the evenings are cooler.”


Florida has been seeing highs in the...
SteamboatToday.com •

Virtual fencing shows promise in North Routt County

A group of ranchers, researchers and Forest Service rangers spent Sunday in North Routt County learning about the potential of virtual fencing.


The group, which included ranchers and researchers at the Colorado State University extension office, was joined by renowned animal behaviorist Temple Grandin, Ph.D., an Animal Science professor at Colorado State University. Grandin, who has expressed great interest in virtual fencing, said that it is “important to have early adopters that want to mak...