Staff Ed: Reflecting on the year at The Blue & Gray Press

By THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS STAFF

This week’s issue marks the last of The Blue & Gray Press’ for the semester. As we welcome in our new staff and wish our outgoing staff the best of luck in the future, we take time to reflect on this year and our experiences in our roles.

The turnover in staff from last year was enormous. Coming into this academic year, only two of the 10 editors stayed on the staff, due to graduation. As a result, a crop of new, eager, yet unexperienced staff members came into our office as we all worked together to learn how to do our jobs along the way.

There’s a certain comfort in doing a job that you know the person next to you is new to as well, and that is what helped this staff grow together.

What many do not understand is the amount of time these roles take from our daily lives. There is something to be done every day of the week and nearly a whole day of production is set aside for the paper. We do this not for money, or credit, or any other form of compensation. We do it because we love it and are proud of what we put out every week. This paper has a long, storied tradition at the University of Mary Washington and our goal is to continue to build upon what those before us have built.

Like any group, many of us were strangers to each other at the beginning of the year. As the year wore on, we grew closer as a group and now consider one another good friends. Even if members of this staff do not continue their career in the field of journalism, the building of friendships is something that cannot be undervalued in the college experience.

Working with people who are passionate about what they do is truly a great privilege. None of us were forced into our positions – we are here because we want to be and love what we do. Seeing that enthusiasm and dedication week-to-week is something not many people get to do in their career.

But now, we welcome in our new staff members who we hope to be equally as passionate as the editors before. Their enthusiasm for what they do is what will drive this paper to new levels.

Every year’s staff has its own personality and strengths. I truly believe that this year’s staff was a special group of people who will go far in life due to their passion for what they do. To our outgoing editors- we wish you the best of luck and have the utmost confidence in your futures and to our new editors- you have some large shoes to fill, but we have full faith you’ll get the job done.

Welcome:

[one_fourth]Izzy Briones | News Editor [/one_fourth] [one_fourth]Ester Salguero | News Editor [/one_fourth] [one_fourth]Kelly Emmrich | Life [/one_fourth]Tessa Cate | Viewpoints

Goodbye:

[one_fourth]Sarah Grammer | News Editor [/one_fourth] [one_fourth]Emily Hollingsworth | News Editor [/one_fourth] [one_fourth]Della Hethcox | Life [/one_fourth] [one_fourth]Hannah Parker | Viewpoints