Wednesday, April 24 marks my last official day working as an editor for The Whit. Four years of being on staff, two as an editor and 97 articles later, this is the end of the road.

I wouldn’t have wanted this any other way.

I’m finally realizing the magnitude of the moment I’m placed in. That in three weeks, I graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and am tossed into what I’ve come to believe is the most uncertain industry that the world has to offer. I don’t know where I’ll be six months, two years, five years from now. I’ll never be able to answer the question “Where do you see yourself ‘x’ years from now?” because I’m not supposed to know that.

I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I’ve learned so much from these past four years and feel very fortunate to have the people that the College of Communications and Creative Arts offers. So this one is for all of you that have gotten me to where I am.

I don’t think I could’ve started this with anyone other than Professor Kathryn Quigley. Even from freshman orientation, you made sure that I was in good hands and made the transitioning process smooth for my dad and I that day in July of 2015. I remember being so scared of how big the world had become around me. Same for my dad, as I’m the first in the family to graduate college. Everything was new and you made it feel like an everyday routine. You’ve been there for my family when things start to feel like they’re going dark, and you’ve been one of the biggest steps to get me to where I am now, graduating with more experience, connections and a good job with The Philadelphia Inquirer. All things I never saw myself having and excelling in four years ago. Thank you.

Professor Mark Berkey-Gerard. I’ll tell you what, your data journalism class is still one of the best classes I’ve ever taken. Not only is looking into numbers my favorite thing to do, I also did get the chance to boast about my love for Didi Gregorius as a final project. That’s always a plus. Your guidance and willingness to be there for your students no matter what is one of the greatest things I’ve been given here.

To all of my other professors, Professor Candace Kelley (by far the most challenging class I’ve ever taken but I survived and everyone else that takes Media Law should know that you will be O.K.), Deborah Woodell, Nick DiUlio, Hausman, John Giannini, Dianne Garyantes, Christina Lynn, Philip Anastasia. All of you have been factors in getting me to where I am today.

And I love where I am today.

To all of my past and current Whit colleagues, I can’t begin to tell you how lucky I am and feel to have been able to not only work alongside you, but to know you as friends. We’ve accomplished so much and have created a bunch of memories together. As much as I might’ve dreaded Wednesday nights for the amount of day they consumed each week, I will miss them. The weekly grind was always something that I loved once we got into it and the ideas that we strung across the board week in and week out, I think, truly define what it’s like to be a journalist and member of the CCCA. I wish nothing but success to those I’m graduating with and those that are going to be continuing their educations for the next year or so.

This is beginning to sound more like a love letter and I’m not sure where else to go with this, so I’m going to stop. I hope that I was able to bring a bit of life into each one of your lives just like you have done to mine.

Campana, out!