by Sara Wilkerson
The Montgazette Editor-In-Chief
“This is your time and it feels normal to you but really there is no normal. There’s only change, and resistance to it and then more change.”
~Meryl Streep
Sometimes, it’s hard to accept change. More times than not, change comes when we least expect it. The only way to accept change, as I’ve come to realize this past semester, is to simply embrace it, even if it scares the living heck out of you.
Embracing change is not done without the help of others. As the Editor-in-Chief of The Montgazette (MG) this year, I experienced changes that frankly were unforeseen, yet embracing these changes could not have been possible without the help of others. I’d like to take a moment and express my deepest thanks to those who have helped me embrace the changes that I’ve experienced as Editor of MG. Unfortunately, I can’t write personal thank-you’s here to everyone who has helped me, for there are frankly too many people to thank, however I’ll just give shout outs to those who have been integral in the paper’s success this year.
I’d like to start by thanking Tyler Steffy and Diana McGuire in the Student Life office for helping me learn the administrative side of managing MG. Without the both of them helping me, I’d simply be lost as an Editor, and for that and more, thank you.
I’d also like to thank Gail Ramsey, the former advisor to MG, and Dave Aston, my predecessor, who despite not being officially on the staff anymore for the newspaper have nevertheless helped me transition into and become more effective as an Editor. Thank you for proving to be invaluable assets to MG.
Producing the newspaper would not be possible without the help and talents of Joshua Woodroffe, our layout designer. Josh, thank you for being so accommodating and being ruthlessly efficient in designing the layouts for the publication, even on the short notices that I have given you.
I’d be remiss not to mention The Montgazette’s new advisors this year, Therol Dix and Susan Masciantonio. Therol and Susan stepped into their roles, and despite the rocky start of having to learn their roles at the beginning of this academic year, have proven to be effective and communicative advisors who have helped me handle every new challenge thrown into the mix of producing every issue this year. I sincerely want to thank the both of you for being great advisors.
I’d like to thank the students and staff of MG. I’ve had the pleasure of reading and editing remarkable stories from the writers and storytellers in the MCCC community. It is through the efforts of the students that this publication’s mission is alive and well. Thank you, students of MCCC, for allowing MG to have your voices be heard.
Of course, there’s no way I could write this letter without mentioning and thanking my successor to MG. Alas, I will be graduating this May and will be succeeded by Bridget Depew, who has served as MG’s social media editor this year. Bridget joined the newspaper in Fall of 2016. Her presence in the publication has been tremendous. Bridget not only has been instrumental as our social media editor but has helped in editing and producing content for the paper.
Bridget, I’m excited to see you take over MG, and despite how unsure of the change you’ll experience transitioning into my shoes, believe me: All you gotta do is embrace the change. There may come a time where you’ll resist the change of transitioning into a new role for MG, as Meryl Streep says, quoted above, but believe me when I say that you’re more than capable of being in charge, I know you are. Thank you for being an invaluable and irreplaceable asset to MG, Bridget; you’ll do great as my successor.
Lastly, I’d like to thank you, the readers of The Montgazette. Without our readers, then it wouldn’t be possible to have the voices of the writers and storytellers in the MCCC community be heard. Thank you for supporting MG this year and beyond. Sincerely yours with extreme gratitude,
Sara Wilkerson
The Montgazette 