Until something convinces me otherwise, I’ll keep saying that there’s not anything quite like student media. We hustle and grind and respond to endless Slack messages like the pros, but we also bond over bad professors and weekend parties like typical college students. We have nearly infinite freedom to take risks and learn whatever skills we want to, but we’re also restricted by our full-time student schedules.
As our digital consultant Rob Denton likes to say about student media, our staff take nothing and make something. And it constantly impresses me.
Working in student media is fun, but it’s also hard. Hearing about the times our ‘something’ — our news coverage, our community, our training opportunities — made a difference is what’s gotten me through the year.
Sometimes it’s a difference in our community, like when an Emerald cover story on campus COVID cases and a lack of transparency in UO’s case-reporting policy was followed by an almost-immediate policy change increasing transparency. Otherwise, it’s about individual student’s journeys, like when someone uses their Emerald portfolio to get that dream internship or leans on newsroom friends during a tough week.
Whatever type of difference you’ve made or experienced, thank you to each person in the newsroom for letting me be a part of those moments. I’m excited to see where you go next, to see your adventures and your bylines around the world as we take off. And don’t hesitate to text me if you need anything — a reference, information or advice about the Emerald, a listening ear. Anything!
Additionally, thank you to the Emerald Media Group’s pro staff — Bill Kunerth, Kathy Carbone, Shelly Rondestvedt and Sam Rudkin. As much as I’d like to focus solely on the art of journalism, someone has to think about the business of journalism if this place is going to stick around (and the world needs it to). Thank you for the office banter, for being a steady and reliable resource to us students and for fighting so hard to keep the Emerald alive as independent, student-run media.
It’s a mystery how long my sanity would have persevered this year without Jael Calloway, Anna Mattson and Sam Nguyen (or the EMG Gals, if it’s trivia night). When I applied for this job, the Emerald hadn’t had a woman editor in chief in five years, and I felt intimidated and worried about whether I’d match the leadership style people were expecting. But I ended up with the grandest girl gang possible. Thank you for Sunday morning coffees, letting me complain as much as I needed to, for late nights in the office, weekend getaways and for telling me to please, for the love of God, stop checking Slack.
It’s been a ride, and while I’m partially relieved to be stepping off the roller coaster, I’m also going to miss the community and sense of purpose constantly pulsing through the Emerald office. As I write my last Emerald assignment, I’m happy to be passing the newsroom into the capable hands of leaders and journalists like Hannarose McGuinness, Sarah Matlick and Brandon Roth.
You three — and everyone you’re leading at the Emerald — are going to do incredible things. You know where to find me if you ever need a sounding board or some obscure piece of information I forgot to train you on. But otherwise, trust your instincts, enjoy the ride and don’t forget to Fuck Shit Up!
