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Saying goodbye to Appalachian |
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Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
On the 5th of May I graduate from Appalachian State University with a double major in journalism and public relations and a minor in sociology, but I leave here with so much more.
College is an opportunity for you to take four years (at least) and devote that time to finding out who you really are.
It’s a time to learn about yourself, your peers and the world around you.
Students: stand up for issues you are passionate about. Never be afraid to fight for something you believe in.
If
you do not like The Appalachian’s coverage, join the staff; if you
dislike how things are being handled politically, write your senator,
and if you do not agree with decisions being made by this university,
get in touch with members of the Board of Directors or Chancellor
Kenneth E. Peacock himself.
I don’t think our generation realizes what an impact we make with our words and our actions.
Be remembered for greatness.
This
is an amazing time when the university is planning for a lot of change
with the upcoming strategic planning proposals. Students must get
involved with this progression or they will be left out of the
decision-making process.
In order to make a difference, though, we must be educated.
To do so, our generation must get back into reading, especially newspapers.
We have come to rely too heavily on sensationalized television news and commonly biased Web sites.
I am not completely putting down either news source, but you cannot get the whole story into a 15- or 30-second news segment.
Don’t rely on just one news source for all of your information.
In order to be fully informed we must also never stop asking questions.
Do not just accept what you are told in life. Go find out what the real truth is and why that has come about.
Trust me, it will get you much farther in life.
Our generation faces many different challenges than those before us.
We have been forced to face a lot, including Sept. 11, the War in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina and most
recently
the Virginia Tech tragedy, but just as in the past, these events will
prove to only bring us closer as a community and as a nation.
We must show how strong, intelligent and resourceful we are.
So many students are out there doing amazing things for our university and our world.
Thank
you to all of the student leaders on this campus. You all do so much
for the university and its students, with such little recognition.
A
special appreciation goes out to my co-Leadership Cabinet members:
Whitney E. Baker, Kara A. Brown, Sarah M. Buchanan, Courtney E. Cooper,
Richard E. Davis, Forrest S. Gilliam, Chris C. Houska, Jonathan Jai
Jackson, Justin J. Julian, C. Fletus Poston III, Deanna R. Stoker and
Cathleen E. Thore. I am so proud of what you all have accomplished this
year, and I am blessed for the opportunity to have learned with and
from you.
There are also amazing resources on this campus available at your fingertips for advice, guidance and friendships.
Administrators
like Vice Chancellor for Student Development, Cindy A. Wallace and Dean
of Students, Susie Greene really understand that in a university
setting, students come first.
Knowing I can always turn to them for support and friendship is a large part of why I feel so at home on this campus.
This university employs some incredible professors as well.
In the communications department in particular, professors like Dr. Calvin Hall, Dr. Sharon Pennell, Dr.
Janice
Pope and Dr. Larry Taylor are always available to give a helping hand,
extra encouragement when you need a boost and some amazing advice.
Thank you to all of you.
There
is such a thing as “the Appalachian family,” and if you take advantage
of the opportunities this university offers, becoming a part of that
family is not hard at all.
The Appalachian
I
cannot write my final commentary without including the one aspect that
has most impacted my collegiate experience: The Appalachian student
newspaper.
What an experience it has been working for The Appalachian these past four years.
It
is incredible to see a group of 45 to 55 students, all having different
backgrounds, majors and viewpoints, come together to work for a common
goal.
One
of my biggest accomplishments this year, in terms of the newspaper, was
having the opportunity to build such an incredible staff.
The
one thing I asked from the staff at the beginning of the year was
dedication, because I knew we could make it though any obstacle as long
as the staff was committed to this publication.
This staff has given me that and so much more.
To the staff
You
are some of the hardest-working students on this campus with little
recognition for the time and effort you put into making this
publication what it is today.
Our struggles and successes this year have made us who and what we are.
I hope you have learned as much from me as I have from you.
Each of you have impacted my life.
Although
we have had frustrations along the way, this paper has always and will
always be an incredibly important part of my life.
I
look forward to the growth I expect to see next year and the
opportunity to continue to watch each of you develop and grow as
writers, graphic designers, photographers and online multimedia staff
members.
David
Freeman: your critiques of our newspaper were sometimes hard to swallow
but hearing at the end of this semester that you were proud of this
staff and our accomplishments meant the world.
Thank you for your knowledge and encouragement.
For
those new to the staff next year; be ready. You will never have an
experience like working for The Appalachian. You will work harder than
you ever have in your entire life but it is all worth it in the end.
There is nothing like it.
To the readers
Thank you for the loyalty and enthusiasm you have shown to this publication.
I hope we have done our part in informing this campus while also acting as a forum for your voices.
The
Appalachian is a learning tool for its staff members, so of course we
have had our ups and downs, but through it all we have been devoted to
working our hardest to publish a quality newspaper for our community.
Next year will come with even more changes as the staff works to improve and develop the best possible publication.
Please
continue to hold this publication and its staff accountable through
Letters to the Editor and online comments at theapp.appstate.edu, just
as you have this year.
Remember that life is not about the final destination but about the journey one takes to get there.
Cherish the good times and remember the bad, but make sure you are learning and growing through them all.
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