To the East Tennessean readers,

In August 2019, I wrote my first article for the East Tennessean as an arts and entertainment writer. It was about Gabriel Iglesias coming to Freedom Hall for the Fall 2019 SGA Concert (even though it wasn’t a concert). 

One of the first people I interviewed was Carter Warden, the director of student activities and organizations, someone I still talk to frequently today.

I remember being so nervous about my first few interviews I did for the paper, wondering if I was even good enough to be on the staff. It was really only a semester and a half before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down, and I was devastated as the East Tennessean halted production and assignments for the majority of Spring 2020. Several ET reporters volunteered their work during that time. They couldn’t get paid, but were still led by their passion for journalism. 

Fall 2020 meant more regular coverage, but most of the events were online. During that time, I was given the opportunity to cover online concerts and events, including the X Ambassadors, Chloe Fineman, Brett Young and Jonathan Van Ness. It might have not been the same as engaging with those types of events in person, but it at least was something.

Fall 2021 I started my time as executive editor, and it was really the first semester where things were back to normal. More students returned to campus, and there were live events happening more frequently. 

I am really proud of the work the ET staff has been able to accomplish over the past two years. We produced a Hispanic Heritage Month edition, as a collaboration with the Language and Culture Resource Center, to create a bilingual student newspaper edition. This edition featured the English and Spanish translation side by side. In that same month, we worked with Stephanie Horvath, an American Sign Language professor at ETSU to create a “Sign Stories” segment during Deaf Awareness Week. 

We saw the debut of the first Broadway Season at the ETSU Martin Center, and many SGA concerts with artists like All Time Low, Swae Lee, Miranda Lambert, Yung Gravy, Jason Derulo and Rainbow Kitten Surprise. The ET produced a special Miranda Lambert commemorative edition, handed out at the Spring 2022 concert with an exclusive interview with Lambert inside. 

ETSU Athletics saw some changes in leadership and coaching, which required attentive coverage and reporting throughout the whole process. As executive editor, it has been my responsibility to cover those instances ethically and fairly. I hope that I have done so. 

Through campus protests, controversy and changes, it has been an honor to help shed light on some of the various topics and dialogues across this university. Some of my favorite moments as executive editor have been covering the surprise announcement of the Marching Bucs qualifying to be a part of the Macy’s Day Parade and interviewing Kelsey Montague, a renowned mural artist. There are so many experiences the East Tennessean provides that you just won’t find anywhere else. 

Almost four years later, it is time for me to say goodbye to the East Tennessean. Two of those years I served as an arts and entertainment writer, and the last two I have served as executive editor. Getting to know the people on the East Tennessean staff has been the biggest blessing of all, since it introduced me to so many lifelong friends and people who have made my college years so much better.

I would like to thank Jessica Dunker, who told me she believed in me all those years ago, who said I would make a good candidate for executive editor even when I was first starting out.

I would like to thank Kate Trabalka and Raina Wiseman for raising the bar for what being an executive editor means. It was so hard to follow in both of your footsteps, but I gave it a good college try.

I would like to thank Don Armstrong and Trish Caughran, for their endless amount of support and encouragement as executive editor. I will miss hearing Trish singing Disney songs down the hallway and Don popping into the production room to talk to me about Taylor Swift. 

I would like to thank all of the production team members over the past two years for tolerating my nonsense and putting up with my free Spotify account that would constantly play ads while I tried to play music as we worked. Thank you for being dedicated and passionate about what you do. 

And lastly, I would like to thank you, the reader. Thank you for helping me find my purpose in doing something for the university. Whether you picked up a copy every week off the racks on campus, or just happened to see an article on social media — thank you for supporting the work of this publication. We couldn’t do this without you. 

As for what happens next, I know you all will be in good hands with Connor Lute. He will continue to elevate the East Tennessean to new levels and help celebrate the rest of the East Tennessean’s 100th anniversary. 

But for now, I just say thank you, and never stop learning and experiencing what ETSU has to offer.

Author