Ask me to talk about the news, sports or issue of the day and I could talk to you for a good couple of hours. Ask me to talk about my relationship to the Northern Star, and I couldn’t even think where to begin.

This semester has been a rollercoaster. It’s given me tremendous pride, but also tremendous amounts of stress. I would never change this semester and the past school year.

The Northern Star was a second home for me. It pushed me to confront my growth areas and allowed me the freedom to explore my career aspirations. For being here for only two years, the Star will always hold a place in my heart.

I began covering the return of collegiate athletics after COVID-19 turned everyone’s college careers upside down. I was comfortable in sports and saw myself making the logical move to sports editor last May, but the Northern Star had other plans. On a risk, I put myself out on a limb and applied to be the Editor-in-Chief. In doing so, I jumped into the deep end of management and the goal of leading a news organization.

Many times throughout this journey, I doubted my abilities as a leader and editor, but I don’t regret taking that leap of faith. I’ve loved helping editors hone their craft, and build products and content that are award-worthy.

The institution is not what makes the Northern Star home, it’s the people who make it a home and I’ve been lucky to have met some great ones along the way. The people that occupy Campus Life Suite 130 make everything worth it.

To my first sports editor Jarrett Huff, thanks for taking the risk and hiring a transfer student who cared a little too much about golf. You gave me the ability to develop my voice and teach me the finer points of journalism that sometimes skip my mind.

To the current editor and page layout staff: Brionna Belcher, Madelaine Vikse, Abby Lamoreaux, Elisa Reamer, Jordan Radloff and Kurt Bitting. You all gave me enough laughs, smiles and proud moments to last a very long time. Keep doing amazing work. It’s been an honor to not just be your boss, but I’m more honored to call all of you my friends.

To our advisers, Shelley Hendricks and Maria Krull. Thank you for always taking my calls, and for listening to my problems, whether work-related or not. You both supported my decisions and passions 100%. You both are amazing women and I cannot thank you enough for all that you did for me and the Star.

To our audience, thanks for indulging a 24-year-old. None of this is possible without your support. I feel honored to have earned your trust and readership over the last year. 

The biggest thank you is to Kierra Frazier. You were my first managing editor and have become my best friend. Even when you were not on staff, you still took the time to listen to me and tell me “it’ll be OK.” Some of my best memories are of Tuesday print production nights with you. You’re an amazing journalist, but an even better friend which is more than I could ever ask for.

My time at the Star has helped mold me as a reporter, an editor and a man. Not everything was perfect, but a part of college is learning, so the Northern Star helped in that department as well.

I look forward to watching the Northern Star grow in the months to come and know that you will always have my support.