Eighteen-year-old Amanda knew she was going to flourish in Eugene, but little did she know just how much of a powerhouse she would grow up to be –– and there’s still plenty more growth on the horizon, as I’ll join The Chronicle staff in Springfield as the news reporter less than 24 hours after graduation.

I interviewed for the Daily Emerald’s sports desk at first, but I turned that down and joined the copy desk two months later in April 2020. In my first term as Copy Chief as a junior, I took a sledgehammer to copy’s foundation, destroying it to rebuild to new heights. I continued to elevate our standards this year. Choosing copy over sports changed the trajectory of my career, and without that initial gut decision, I wouldn’t have met some of my best friends. Thank you to Dylan Farrell, Gabriel Tsui and Logan Robertson for letting me boss you around these last couple of years.

I wish everyone understood copy’s worth. It’s become my baby, and I’ll always have a soft spot for copy editing. Copy works behind the scenes to help writers get their stories to their full potential. We edit for AP Style, grammar and comprehension, and we also fact check. It’s not easy work, and it’s often dismissed, but I was OK working in the shadows.

As my friends know, I love pursuing side quests, especially within EMG. Junior year, I was Copy Chief for Ethos, creating and implementing a style guide. Last month, I joined Green Eugene just days before sending to print. I edited every article and earned two bylines because I’ll never turn my back on a friend in need –– even if that means staying in the EMG office until 6:30 a.m.

I went from going to seminars to leading them, from studying style guides to creating them, from applying to be hired to being in charge of both hiring and firing.

I wouldn’t have had the audacity to keep my shoulders back and chin up as a wee freshman if it wasn’t for my high school journalism teacher Caitlin McCranie (Fowler). I owe my success to her for nurturing my passion and pushing me to be the best.