Today is my last day as the Editor-in-Chief for The Michigan Review. In order to ease the transition into the new leadership team, I am giving up the position and will be acting in an advisory role during the winter semester. Executive Editor Lindsay Keiser and Editorial Editor Charles Hilu will be taking over in my place. I am very thankful to them both and know that the paper is in good hands. They have both worked very hard this semester and I am looking forward to seeing where they take the paper in the future.
The Michigan Review has been the defining part of my college experience. Before I came to college, I had no writing experience. I was naive and unaware of what lay in store for me in campus journalism. Joining The Michigan Review, however, turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. The Michigan Review gave me the freedom and space to become a better writer and thinker and helped me grow as a person. For that, I am eternally grateful.
I am also thankful to all of those who read my articles over the years. There are plenty of examples of incredible reader interaction, but there is one article that stands out. At the end of my freshman year, I decided to take a risk and write for the first time about my struggle with a language-based learning order and the resulting depression I experienced from it. The response I received was overwhelming. I am so thankful to everyone who read my work and everyone who took value in it. My hope is that other pieces, including my reporting on COVID-19 or Greek Life, or fun articles about Star Wars and sports have added some value to your life. Regardless, thank you for taking the time to read them. Every single article I wrote meant a lot to me, and I hope that came through.
Finally, I have to thank all of you, the readers. The Michigan Review would be nothing without all of you
To my bosses, Jake Thorne, Cole Carnick, Amo Manuel and many others thank you for showing me the way. You all helped me grow as a thinker and a person. I can only imagine the number of bad articles I sent your way. Thank you for working with me, for helping me get the best out of myself, and for showing me how to do that with others.
Frances and Cameron, thank you for working with me in a tumultuous year for the paper. Without you guys, the paper may not have lasted. I am so thankful for all of your efforts while I was just learning the ropes of how to run a student paper. Both of your continued guidance and support helped me so much in my first year in charge.
Lindsay and Charles, thank you for your hard work and enthusiasm. You guys are both passionate and such hard workers. You guys have a bright future ahead of you, and I cannot wait to see what you both do with the paper moving forward. I leave with full confidence that you guys will do a great job.
To me, what makes The Michigan Review special is the freedom it gives to those in charge to shape its image, and those contributing to pursue the stories they want.
Finally, I have to thank all of you, the readers. The Michigan Review would be nothing without all of you. The comments, the support, and the feedback are what keep our paper running and I am so thankful for all of you, even those of you who read and disagree with our takes. Hopefully, others can learn from people like you who read and challenge themselves to learn from others, even those they disagree with.
Many have asked me why I joined The Michigan Review instead of other papers on campus. This is complicated, as I can see the appeal of joining other student publications. To me, what makes The Michigan Review special is the freedom it gives to those in charge to shape its image, and those contributing to pursue the stories they want. As a college student, why take orders from an editor when you can pursue your own story? When you can write your own opinion and see if it stands to scrutiny. College is a unique time in your life, where you can write articles for a well-respected newspaper that you can be the main guide of. I feel that many would benefit from taking that opportunity and challenging themselves to write and think better.
If this appeals to you and interests you and you are a University of Michigan student, there is one thing you can do. If you are interested in joining The Michigan Review, you can email us at mreveditors20-21@umich.edu. We would love to hear from you. Joining The Michigan Review was the best decision I have ever made, and I encourage you to do the same.
