Editor in chief says goodbye

Published by May 9, 2018 | By Sara Ridgway

I definitely could have used more sleep, but would I be graduating with this sense of pride and satisfaction if I had gotten more sleep? Probably not.

Looking back, as a senior in high school I would have never imagined my journey as an undergraduate student at Kean University would lead me to the places I have been, people I have met and person I have become. A freshman who fell in love with every class she took, every new thing she tried and every unrealistic dream she had, to a senior who knows exactly what she wants for her future. I cannot thank the tremendous people around me enough for helping me realize where my heart lies.

Not only this semester, but my overall five semesters at The Tower has tested my limits and taught me the most. This experience has allowed me to explore the things I was curious about, taught me to question everything I saw, read and heard and showed me how to be a leader.

I joined The Tower staff as second semester sophomore in the spring of 2016 after taking one class in journalism: Intro to Journalism with Professor Kolbenschlag. At the time I was a double major in media/film communication and marketing and thought learning to report via writing would help prepare me for my career aspirations at the time of becoming a broadcast reporter.

Fast forward a year and a half to becoming editor in chief of Kean’s award winning newspaper, even though I had only taken one journalism class. One journalism class but 5 semester of hands on, first hand experience has taught me so much.. By actually doing something, owning it, learning from your mistakes and accepting feedback from those more experienced than you, you can build your skills and knowledge.

So there are two things I hope people can take away from my story: 1) Don’t let lack of experience or knowledge keep you from creating your own experience and learning for yourself. With passion and determination, any unrealistic dream you fall in love with can be possible with attitude and effort. 2) EXPERIENCE. Fully immerse yourself in what it is that you fall in love with. When you find your passion, commit every ounce of your being to it and don’t stop even when it has become you.

The amount of people at The Tower I can credit for where I am today is immeasurable. But thank you Rose-Marie Kitchen for teaching me the ways, having confidence in me from day one and helping me through a number of stressful times. Thank you Josh Rosario, the master of op-eds, my managing/news editor and up in coming editor in chief, for being so selfless in dedicating yourself to this news organization, helping me stay organized and providing comic relief at exactly the point it’s needed. Craig Epstein, it’s been awesome seeing you grow as a writer and transitioning from a reporter to a sports editor without a hiccup. Kiara Mayes, thank you for consistently keeping your section organized, especially when half of the articles in a given issue fall under arts, features and entertainment. Thank you to Jennifer Padilla for managing the social media this semester. Thank you to the online editors Rafaela Teixeira and Cody Louie for staying on top of your role and never letting me worry about the online schedule. Thank you to the dedicated staff from the fall 2017 and spring 2018 semester, for continuously striving to dig out the truth and make your work the best it could be.

A special thank you to Professor DeSocio and Professor Lauro for consistently dedicating themselves to making The Tower so successful and providing the best guidance and advice not only in the newsroom but about life in general. Thank you for helping me make the transition from reporter to sports/managing editor to editor in chief and teaching me everything I know about journalism.

My time at Kean University gave me the opportunity to be myself, find my passions and most importantly The Tower helped me find my voice. But like I said, my experience here has helped me find what I am truly passionate about and that is helping people. I took a turn when it comes to career aspirations and will be continuing my education at Kean University to obtain my masters degree in order to become a speech-language pathologist.

So how do you say goodbye to something that has been a part of your life for two and a half years? You say thank you and goodbye to the people who have impacted you and your place of work, but you continue to utilize and practice the skills you’ve learned and apply the lessons learned to your future. You can move on without losing what you’ve gained.

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