BY TUCKER REILLY, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I joined the editing staff of the BV in the Fall of 2019, less than a month into my freshman year of college. The features editor had resigned and they needed to fill the spot; I’d written three articles for the section and was still listed as a contributor. I knew I wasn’t ready for the position – how could I have been? But someone asked for my help. So here I am.
My time at the BV has been full of these moments, of big crises and little victories. I’ve savored every one and my staff knows that I love to hang onto the lessons we take from them – good or bad. There’s a complaint letter from Fall 2021 on the wall behind my desk in the BV room, hanging next to a hand written guide for website maintenance. We’ve gotten a lot of criticism, some very warranted – a thousand thank you’s to our critiquers and the Jandoli staff for keeping us honest – and some less so. Through it all, we’ve managed to evolve, making a better newspaper every week.
Of course, I never would have gotten to this place without help along the way, first from a very good string of EICs. Natalie Forster taught me to listen to my superiors – even if I end up disagreeing with them – because they often have something useful to say. Mike Hogan taught me to confront issues first on my own, instead of expecting someone else to swoop in and save me. John Pullano taught me to make good contacts as a reporter, because it’s important that people know and trust you. Cammie Dutchess taught me an expert-level understanding of Adobe InDesign, alongside an absolute restriction of Oxford commas. And Tom Seipp, who joined the paper at the same time I did, taught me the importance of staying consistent, even when life seems overwhelming. If there’s a list of the busiest students on campus, he’s most certainly near the top.
For my current staff, thank you for sticking by me. I’ve seen you all with heads in hands, pushing long nights to make this paper possible. It’s rarely easy, and we often have to come up with solutions to problems previously unconsidered. You’ve bent mightily but I’ve never seen any of you break. T
Cassidey, Nate, Kurt, Erica, Emilie, Kelsey, Hadley and Will: if you keep the same character you have shown me at the BV, you will do more than fine down the road. You’ve made me very proud to get up every morning and keep doing what we do.
A final thank you goes to Dr. Carole McNall, our advisor, who has consistently given me ideas and experience to add to the craft. Dr. McNall has never withheld criticism or praise – and while I often draw the former, it has always been welcome.
While my official position at the BV is finished, I still have one more year at Bonaventure. When you’ve spent all three of your college years with an organization, it’s hard to disappear entirely. I’ll be around. I’m happy I get to stay and watch what comes after me. I think you, the readers, will be too.
