After eight semesters, countless nights in the office, more than 300 articles and obscene amounts of pizza, my time with The Rotunda has come to a close. When I stepped into my first general meeting almost four years ago, I just wanted to get involved with the student newspaper. I did not know that I would become a copy editor just a few weeks later, nor did I know I would eventually take on the role of Editor-in-Chief. While that last one would have surprised me, I think what was even more unexpected was how The Rotunda has changed me not just as a journalist, but as a person. My confidence and my outlook on life have changed drastically just from being a part of this organization.
I will admit that while the good has outweighed the bad, there were times when I got frustrated or discouraged. Sometimes things ran smoothly, other times it was a complete mess, but not a single time would I change a thing. Every part of my time with this newspaper, the calm and the crazy, the fun and the dull, has been crucial to my personal growth. I am so grateful for every bit of it.
I could not write a reflection without thanking Nicole Dales and Corey Morris. Nicole and Corey built a community within The Rotunda, getting the job done while making us all seem like a family at the same time. Nicole pushed me to look past where I was and empowered me to take on bigger leadership roles. Without her motivation, I probably would not have thought I was good enough to accomplish half of the things I have and never would have tried. She also sends awesome care packages.
Next up is Mary, my fellow tall girl. Mary was one of my first friends at Longwood before we even started working on The Rotunda together. Our sophomore year, she joined as a copy editor, and my time with The Rotunda became even more special. Thank you, Mary, for always, always having my back and committing so much to The Rotunda. It is safe to say that we will always disagree on Oxford Commas.
Kyrie and Kristyn, your passion and general awesomeness made this year fantastic. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Michelle, you are all over the place, but you know I love you and appreciate all you have done. Monica, I have seen you grow in so many areas and cannot wait to see the positive changes you will implement this year as you continue on as Business Manager. Thank you to everyone involved with The Rotunda, past and present. You have achieved more than you know.
Tori, you have a spirit about you that I am confident will lead The Rotunda into a successful, transformative year. Your passion for people and proactive nature are going to change this newspaper in more ways than you could imagine. I am honored to have worked with you this past year.
I cannot wait to see what the 2014-2015 editorial board takes on next. Please know that asking questions is not a sign of weakness (I asked Rotunda alumni questions until the last week of my tenure), and if you ever need me, I am just a text or phone call away. I truly mean that. In the meantime, the most important piece of advice I can give you is this: always tell the truth. It is not your job to make anyone or anything look good or bad; it is your job to tell the truth, carefully but boldly, every single week. Take a balanced, well-researched approach to your work, and you cannot go wrong. You are not public relations. You are the student newspaper. Your role on campus is to represent the information the students have the right to know about.
While my official work with The Rotunda ended a week ago, it’s not really over. What I learned these past four years will continue to motivate me and shape me as I go to graduate school and progress in my career. I hope that anyone who was involved with The Rotunda can take everything about their experience, the good and the bad, and turn it into something life-changing. I know I have.
