BY JONNY WALKER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
A couple weeks into the first semester of my freshman year, I told the BV’s then sports editor that I wanted to write for his section. But when assignments were emailed out later that week, I didn’t receive one. The rest of the year came and went — and still no assignment.
Well, to hell with those people, I probably thought to myself at some point, unjustifiably confident. They don’t know what they’re missing out on. Who needs the BV, anyway?
As it turns out, I did. I needed the BV. I needed a place to hone my writing and reporting skills. I needed a platform from which I could dive into the sports-media world. And, although it took me some time to realize, I needed an opportunity to meet and collaborate with some really cool people.
This BV would not exist without the help, support and dedication of my editorial board. Each of the eight editions we produced this semester is a physical representation of the memories we made, laughs we shared and curse words we lovingly exchanged as Wednesday nights inevitably blurred into Thursday mornings.
So, I guess now’s as good a time as any for some thank yous.
To Will Poladian, my managing editor, thanks for stepping up in ways that weren’t always recognized, such as spearheading our page-design efforts and waking up way too early on Friday mornings to help deliver papers. I’m excited to see the BV excel under your leadership next semester.
To Nathan Solomon, my predecessor, thanks for naming me your managing editor two semesters ago. If you hadn’t believed in my leadership capabilities, I likely wouldn’t have gained this experience.
To Cassidey Kavathas, my predecessor’s predecessor, thanks for sticking around way longer than your title required. If you hadn’t jumped in as de facto features editor this semester, I’m not convinced that section would have survived.
To Meghan Baehl, my opinion editor, thanks for heading the section that, once again, mostly ran itself without needing much input from me. In true Meghan style: You slayed opinion this semester (not to suggest that you didn’t also slay opinion every other semester you’ve been on the editorial board).
To Joseph DeBell, my opinion assignment editor, thanks for letting us jam with you this semester. If your music reviews are any indication, I’m sure the opinion section will rock with you as its editor next semester.
To Andrew Hale, my sports editor, thanks for remaining patient through all our last-minute scrambles to meet that Thursday-afternoon page-submission deadline. Good luck as managing editor next semester — not that you’ll need it.
To David Scibilia, my news editor, thanks for essentially functioning as the BV’s entire investigative team while also coordinating much of our news coverage. Your willingness to take initiative saved me a lot of stress, and I’m confident you’ll dig up some hard-hitting investigative stories next semester.
To Morgan Kilger, my news assignment editor, thanks for not letting me scare you away even when my edits seemed to take up more page space than your story itself. I enjoyed watching you improve as a writer and a reporter, and I’m excited to see you take additional steps forward next semester as news editor.
To the em dash — my favorite punctuation — thanks for always being there for me. Your versatility never ceases to amaze — whether signaling abrupt change or filling in when a simple comma wouldn’t suffice.
And to the BV, my newspaper for the past twelve weeks, thank you.
We got off to a rocky start three years ago. But what’s a good love story without highs and lows, twists and turns, rising and falling action? Looking back now, I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunities you provided and the experiences you bestowed.
But, my beloved BV, the final pages of our story remain unwritten. I’ll be back to gift you some basketball coverage next semester. Until then, for never was a story of more woe.
@walkerjc22@bonaventure.edu
