By Tyler Diedrich
Editor-in-Chief
My diploma and transcript won’t show it, but I double-majored at St. Bonaventure. I’ll wear a maroon journalism and mass communication hood on graduation day, but my fondest memories stem from my other major: The BV.
Let me tell my favorite story from my four years here once again.
I entered St. Bonaventure shy and awkward, relying on a dry sense of humor and obscure sports references to preserve conversation.
I leave St. Bonaventure shy – though that may be difficult for my fellow editors to believe – and awkward, relying on a dry sense of humor and obscure sports references to preserve conversation. But now I have a bit more confidence and clearer prospects for the future.
In between then and now, I hit a low point before The BV swept me up sophomore year.
Freshman year was great, meeting new people and doing freshman things like taking intramural flag football way too seriously and covering the hallway walls with chalk drawings. I also wrote for BV Sports most weeks.
But sophomore year, things settled down and my stubborn adherence to a straight-as-an-arrow, good-boy image left me bored, homesick, lonely and uncertain following Christmas break. If I hadn’t been doing so well in the classroom and hadn’t trusted the journalism program’s opportunities as much as I did, I would have considered transferring. But I kept the faith.
Little did I know, I had already made the best decision of my four years at Bonaventure two months prior, when Tim Gross, Jake Sonner and Ryan Papaserge lured me into the archives room and asked me to be the next BV assistant sports editor.
I wasn’t particularly excited to begin my duties upon returning. I mostly hid in the Sports corner Sporcling on my Notre Dame-emblazoned laptop while Jake instigated Paps, and Bryan Jackson and Alex Fioravanti yelled about everything, Mike Vitron hailed his beloved Erie while swearing at the News computer, and Dan McCarthy entertained us with “Creative Cursing.” It was intimidating. I barely spoke all semester and would often fall asleep while Jake taught me how to lay pages at 5 a.m.
As the semester wore on, however, I came to enjoy it, and suddenly I didn’t miss home anymore. Everything came to fruition the final BV Wednesday two springs ago, when Tim, then managing editor, suddenly ran out of his office and instructed someone to “Do something stupid!”
I figured that was a sign, so I launched a yardstick across the newsroom toward (presumably) empty space. Instead, with Mark Sanchez-esque aim, I struck the innocent little assistant features editor, Elizabeth Grady, who naturally assumed Jake was guilty.
Once everyone realized who was actually guilty, we laughed it off and, thankfully, all was forgiven. More importantly, and ironically, I was no longer the quiet kid who hid in the corner and played a six-song iTunes playlist; I was a true BVer. After spending some quality time with my fellow editors the rest of that semester, I couldn’t wait to get back to my newfound BV family in the fall.
The ensuing four semesters proved to be worth the wait. I found a voice outside the written word while gaining valuable experience and developing friendships with fellow students who had so many similar-yet-different interests and stories.
I’ll never forget the double-digit-hour nights and afternoons in Rob 111 spent blaring questionable music and YouTube videos while attempting to provide the campus journalism. Between buzzing towers with the XFL pigskin, talking Super Bowl with T-Pain and the Miami Dolphins, Paps getting constructive, Jake gliding across the newsroom in a chair singing “The Circle of Life,” countless sports debates and hometown-heckling sessions, and Mike and Bryan bodying each other up on the makeshift Nerf basketball court, I’m surprised how productive we were in the most unproductive work environment imaginable.
When Amanda Klein and Kait Laubscher asked me to be the next managing editor (and eventually editor-in-chief) last March, I accepted without hesitation, even though it would mean devoting most of my senior year to The BV. I wanted the challenge, but, most importantly, I wanted to be with my friends as much as possible and mentor the next core of BV editors.
Being a BV editor is often a thankless job, but so many of my colleagues deserve recognition for their roles in making my time here so memorable and meaningful:
Kristy Kibler and Tim Gross, for setting an example I always tried to emulate of remaining as cool as the other side of the pillow amid the chaos.
Ryan Papaserge, for being equally passionate about all things BV, for showing me how to effectively manage a section and being the only person on campus I can have a legitimate NASCAR discussion with. Hopefully our paths will cross in the press box at Daytona someday.
Elizabeth Grady, for being a good sport, for putting up with me on various road trips and becoming one of my best friends at the BV, even if you always insisted on ruining my favorite songs.
Amanda Klein and Maria Hayes (“Hayessasser”), for entertaining us with your sappy, silly friendship while always offering a helping hand to any section at any time. I hope you both get the recognition you deserve.
Mike Vitron and Bryan Jackson, for bringing energy and comic relief to the newsroom. Oh, and I guess you’re solid writers.
Kait Laubscher, for showing me how to be a strong leader, professional and when necessary sassy as The BV’s top dog.
Alexandra Salerno (even though you hate when I do this), for trusting me when I called you up a semester early, for putting up with my sense of humor, for keeping me professional when I got a little carried away, and for proceeding to exceed my highest expectations. I couldn’t have asked for a better sidekick. We ran a heck of a newspaper this semester, and I owe most of the credit to you.
Sam Wilson, for being a level-headed team player, a phenomenal writer and the best Sports successor I could have asked for, even if our tastes in NFL teams clashed. Whatever organization you end up working for will be lucky to have you.
Kyle Zamiara, my protégé, for always taking my advice (even when you didn’t need it), for appreciating my infatuation with Notre Dame and keeping the BV Sports tradition alive during the craziest semester in recent memory while crafting the cleverest stingers of all time. You made me look like a blue-chip recruiter, and I’m proud to pass along Christmas Enforcer responsibilities to you.
Last but not least, my BV mentor, Jake Sonner, for sticking to your strikingly sarcastic sense of humor and your politically incorrect-yet-honest statements, and always offering me your advice on journalism, life and all things masculine. You gave me my big break at St. Bonaventure. I will absolutely call you if I ever need a lawyer.
It was an honor to have the opportunities and responsibilities I did at St. Bonaventure’s news leader – even if the eds were sometimes too liberal for my liking; even if my sense of humor and honesty rubbed people the wrong way at times; even if Skye Tulio liked only 5 percent of the songs on my iPod; and even if everyone (except Kyle) was annoyed by my earnest Christmas enforcement and Miami Dolphins/Tim Tebow/Notre Dame/Brittany Mallory-inspired propaganda. I can only dream of working in a professional environment as enjoyable as this one.
To my classmates – Bryan, Mike, Kait, Amanda, Maria, Paps, Sam, Chris Graham, Kaitlin Lindahl and Emilee Lindner – you were a blast to work with, and I wish you all the best in the future.
To those returning to The BV, thank you for putting up with me while we turned out a fantastic newspaper. I hope you appreciate the help I’ve tried to give you. I’m always a phone call away if you need anything, but I know you’ll be “perf” under Alexandra and Mary Best next semester.
If you’re going to take one bit of advice from me, it’s to be honest to yourself and to others, and, most importantly, keep the faith.
And if someone tells you to do something stupid, do it – but just once, and only if it’s legal. It might just give you the break you’ve been waiting for.
With that said, battle tough, ball so hard, claim victorious and you will soar.
God bless.
P.S. Brittany, if you’re reading this, call me maybe?
diedrits@bonaventure.edu.
