From the Editor's Desk: The difference a year can make

Now as I close out my final semester in this position, I feel obligated to reflect on how much can change in a year. Not just in a newsroom, but within a person.

I’ll be honest: it hurts to write this farewell so soon. I thought I’d have a little more time in this role and in this newsroom. But even with the unexpected timing, I am grateful — so deeply grateful — for every moment I got to spend leading this staff and helping shape the stories we told.

This fall, our news staff accomplished something truly special. Together, we tripled our story output, jumping from just over 35 stories in the spring to about 100 published this semester across the news and A&E tabs.

That number isn’t just a metric, it represents the late nights planning, frantic messages, rewrites, revisions, breakthroughs and every moment where a writer found their voice and ran with it. It reflects a team that showed up everyday with passion, curiosity and a real commitment to informing this campus. Getting to lead that kind of staff has been one of the greatest privileges of not just my college career, but my life so far.

Personally, being an editor has changed me in ways I’m only just now starting to understand. It has made me more confident, more patient, and more sure of the kind of journalist I want to become. It has taught me how to guide others, how to listen, and how to trust the process even when deadlines feel impossibly close. Above all, it reminded me that journalism, at every level, is a community effort built on collaboration, trust, and the belief that every story matters.

To the entire Journalism and Strategic Media department, thank you for always encouraging me, answering every question, and creating an environment where curiosity is welcomed and growth is expected. To go from having no prior writing experience before joining the Helmsman to playing such a vital role in keeping it running has been a surreal path. A path I would not change for anything.

I owe so many personal thanks to the people who helped shape my journey here.

To Candy Justice, who first encouraged me to write for the Helmsman and believed I could be an editor, thank you for seeing something in me before I saw it in myself. Your guidance and never ending support has opened doors that changed the trajectory of my career.

To all of the fellow editors I have had the pleasure of working with – Joel Haley, Sam McCormick, Brett Gibson, Stormi Adams, Nick New, and Robert Randall – thank you for being anchors in this newsroom. The laughter, problem-solving and teamwork made this job not just meaningful, but genuinely fun. I couldn’t have asked for better people to work alongside.

To every writer I’ve had the privilege of editing, thank you for trusting me with your words. Watching all of you develop your voices, take risks and step into bigger stories has been one of the most rewarding parts of this job.

To the readers and supporters of student journalism, thank you for encouraging us to keep going. Your engagement, your messages, your shares and your belief in the work we do matter more than you know. Student journalists pour their time, energy and heart into telling the stories of this campus, and your support is what makes that work possible. I hope you continue to support The Daily Helmsman and every young journalist who steps into this newsroom with a story to tell.

And to my family and friends of family, thank you for always supporting me. Through chaotic schedules, long nights, and the moments where I doubted myself, your belief in me has carried me through every deadline.

I am forever grateful for this chapter. For the growth, for the relationships, and for the stories that shaped me. I know the next group of editors who come after me will continue to uphold the great reputation of The Daily Helmsman.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for supporting student journalism. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Managing Editor.