The Mountaineer Jeffersonian in Morgantown is more than a year old and going strong.

Chris Walters, now a senior at West Virginia University, launched the paper with some friends in September and October 2008 -- a time when most entrepreneurs likely were waiting for better times.

"WVU was one of the largest universities in the nation that only had one student newspaper," Walters explained. "Also, the one student newspaper" -- the Daily Athenaeum -- "did not have any conservative ideals in it, so I felt I saw a niche to have a second newspaper that would also allow some conservative ideology inside of it."

He describes the Jeffersonian as a "weekly news, economics and political journal servicing the Morgantown community."

The paper's mission, as stated online, is to defend conservative ideals such as personal freedom and responsibility, limited government and American patriotism.

The mission pledges to "challenge the leftist dogma of biased administrators ... and attack incompetent and uncaring bureaucrats that abuse student rights."

"We will present conservative views that are currently suppressed, advocate aggressively for students against the campus administration and cover the stories other publications are afraid to touch," the mission statement concludes.

The weekly print edition, distributed on Wednesdays, consists of two six-page, full-color sections, Walters said.

The section "Mountaineer Jeffersonian" covers community and WVU events; "Mountaineer Entrepreneur" focuses on business, industry and commerce.

On Mountaineer football game weekends, a second edition, "Mountaineer Sportsman" focuses on the game.

The weekly print run totals about 6,000, and 10,000 during game weeks.

The Mountaineer Jeffersonian is distributed ree across campus and downtown Morgantown. In addition, it has about 200 paid subscribers out of town that Walters said are "mostly parents of students."

After just one year in print, The Mountaineer Jeffersonian is able to pay its staff of about 15 college students -- the Web site lists several section editors and an editor-in-chief as well as a graphic designer, a Webmaster and staff writers -- and to support a 3,000-square-foot office and vans.

Walters pointed out that his main competition, the Daily Anthem, is supported by the university.

He attributed his paper's success, in part, to its relationships with advertisers.

"Our rates are lower than our competition throughout the community," he said. "And we treat our advertisers amazingly: We run stories to help promote them; we go the extra mile. They respect that and continue to advertise with us."

That doesn't mean the news isn't fair and unbiased, he said.

Reaction to the paper on campus has been supportive, Walters said.

"Students have come up to us to say it's great there's an alternative to the Daily Anthem," he said. "We have an extensive readership that sends us comments and letters to the editor. Our readers are involved."

Walters is in his final undergraduate year with a major in international business and a minor in French, but he said he's not going anywhere after he graduates.

"I'm a permanent resident of Morgantown," he said. "I'm running for the House of Delegates here in Monongalia County."

His father Ron, is a Republican delegate from Kanawha County.

"We need to create as much international development here in the state as possible -- approach things in ways they've never been approached before," Walters said. "I'm going to use my language skills to bring as much business and jobs here to the state as I can."

The Mountaineer Jeffersonian may be found online at www.mountaineerjeffersonian.com.