By David J. Cieslak
Arizona Daily Wildcat
May 13, 1998

Don Bolles fellow is Wildcat's new chief

Zach Thomas' life and his Volkswagen Microbus have carried him many places.

Now, his travels have brought him back to the University of Arizona, where he has begun a term as editor in chief of the weekly Arizona Summer Wildcat and will take the reins of the Daily Wildcat in the fall.

Thomas said he has several ideas for the future of both publications.

"The ultimate goal is to put out the most timely, germane and readable campus newspaper," he said. "A good paper should be readable and it also needs to have the most important stories of the day."

Born in Houston, Thomas moved to Phoenix in 1983. His newspaper days started at Phoenix Country Day School, where he was editor in chief of the school paper.

In a high school adventure sports class, Thomas learned to hang glide.

"It's like riding a motorcycle in the air," said Thomas, who also owns a 1970 BMW motorcycle.

Thomas then came to the University of Arizona, but "got tired" after three semesters and left for bigger and better places.

He interned for a newspaper wire service in Washington, D.C., in spring 1997, then covered casino roof-top suicide jumpers for the Las Vegas Review-Journal during the summer.

And this semester, Thomas, a 21-year-old senior who's seeking journalism and international studies degrees at the UA, also has covered the state Legislature in Phoenix. Last year, he was awarded the Donald Bolles fellowship, which gave him the opportunity to work in the capitol pressroom, writing for 111 rural Arizona newspapers through a wire service.

Thomas started writing for the Wildcat as a freshman, handling the Associated Students and police beats.

He covered the aftermath of an alleged 1994 rape, in which a former UA student pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault, as well as the sentencing of the man who killed a UA music professor three years ago.

After Thomas returned from his stint in Las Vegas, he became a columnist and then an assistant city editor for the Wildcat.

Mark Woodhams, director of Student Publications, said although Thomas was the only applicant for the editor position, the Board of Student Publications, which consists of nine voting members and several other non-voting officials, was "happy with Zach in any regard."

Applicants for editor in chief must write a statement of vision for the future of the Wildcat and endure a panel interview by publications board members.

"The board is impressed with Zach's ideas on how the paper fits into the university community," Woodhams said. "I think Zach is going to be a great editor."

Tom Collins, current editor in chief of the Daily Wildcat and Thomas' roommate, said Zach is full of good ideas to make sure the paper includes well-written and well-reported stories.

"Anyone who makes the commitment of being the campus' No. 1 source for news needs to be aware that this campus is our neighborhood," Collins said. "I think Zach's aware of that."