Two years ago, I changed my major from kinesiology to journalism. Of the many critical decisions I had to make in college, this was the second best decision I made. The first was to join The Daily Toreador.
I still remember walking through the doors of the office, nervous about interviewing as a columnist for the publication. And for almost two years I have been part of something special and I couldn’t be more grateful and privileged.
I have so many thanks to pass on, but I’ll be brief. First, I want to thank Gloria Matheson. You hired someone with zero writing skills and took a chance on me, so thank you.
To Chase Seabolt and Mallory Rosetta, thank you for hiring me as your 2020-2021 Opinion Editor. Thanks to the opportunity you gave me, I learned that I am a news junkie through and through. I also learned that I like covering breaking news and covering governing bodies.
I also want to thank the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 Editorial Boards. You made me feel welcome and accepted me as I am. You made the newsroom feel like my family and for that you will always be part of my family.
For my former opinion staff, it was an honor to work with you and help those with an opinion tell their story.
Now here comes the hard part. I want to thank everyone on my staff or who was on my staff this semester. Without you, I might not have made it through this crazy semester. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with you to help grow the publication.
To Tea McGilvray and the staff at La Vida, thank you. Thank you for so many amazing stories and profiles each of you have produced this year. I see a bright future for each of you, keep being amazing.
To Arianna Flores and the athletic staff, thank you for being the ones I could always rely on. It’s been a crazy year, but you’ve all been the one thing constant, unwavering in your resolve towards Tech sports.
To Chyna Vargas and the opinion staff, thank you for the variety of opinions you have shared this year and for the voices you have raised. You will always hold a special place in my heart.
To Katie Perkins and the media team…wow. Your work has never ceased to amaze me and I can’t wait to see what you do in the future. I will always be your biggest fan!
To Toluwani Osibamowo, my copy editor. You saved me and publishing in our time of need and the stories you shared this year were inspiring. I always look forward to seeing what you’ll write next and wish you the best of luck in your final semester at Tech.
To my Bishop Van Buren, my editorial assistant and the press team, your dedication to publishing and your desire to learn gave me the daily inspiration I needed to fight for publication every day.
To the Editorial Advisors and Director of Toreador Media, thank you for believing in me, even at a time when I didn’t believe in myself. You have guided me through many greetings and I have gained a lot of knowledge from you.
To the Student Media Committee, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be the editor of the Daily Toreador. I will always be grateful for the opportunity you gave me and the memories I have of the post.
Finally, thank you dear reader. You are the reason I got up early in the morning and left the office late every day this semester. You are one of the reasons I fell in love with journalism and news writing.
From unpaid columnist to editor, I’ve learned a lot and made many connections along the way. But now I have to say goodbye but I can promise you this: it’s not the last time you’ll hear from me.
So until next time, always fight for honor, long live the Matadors. Destroy them!
