It was rare that I had the pleasure of walking the halls of 744 Ostrom, but whenever I did, I was always reminded of why I took this job in the first place. Admittedly, I was uncertain about taking on the web editor role, but all of my hesitations were quickly erased when I was welcomed with open arms by so many talented and caring people.

To say that working at The Daily Orange is one of the best things to happen to me is an understatement. I’ve learned so much, worked on so many great projects, met countless wonderful people, lost so much sleep and ultimately made the best of my time at Syracuse. It feels like it was just yesterday that I first walked through the red door, but now that it’s time to say goodbye, I’m incredibly grateful for everyone I’ve worked with and all of the opportunities that have come out of my time at The D.O.

Mark & Laurence: Thanks for believing in me. With your eagerness to push the boundaries of what is possible in journalism, I feel that together we were able to put The D.O. on a path to support the next generation of reporters who are looking to tell stories in new and creative ways.

Lara: The D.O. needs a visionary person like you at the helm who will never settle for a paper that is anything less than exceptional. I feel really fortunate to have had you as EIC this year.

Meredith: Your quirkiness never fails to bring a smile to my face. I hope the pink phone isn’t feeling too much jealousy over its replacement.

Casey: You’re one of the hardest working people I know, and an incredible asset to The D.O. It was a pleasure working with you.

Chase: You never fail to amaze me. You have easily shown more dedication to The D.O. than anyone I’ve ever seen, and it’s had a huge impact on the paper. And I don’t know how you rock the jeans-and-sweater combination so well.

Bre: Your title may have been social media producer, but you were the real web editor. The website wouldn’t be where it is today without such a strong advocate.

Dylan: #Lemurs4Ever. I can’t wait to tell all my future friends about how I roomed with a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. Your persistence to get to the heart of a story is nothing short of inspiring. Thanks for inviting me into The Daily Orange family, and rock on.

Margaret: You have no idea how happy I am to see the website in such good hands. You have some serious talent, and I can sleep well at night knowing that the torch has been passed on to someone with so many great ideas and the passion to do great things.

Tyler: All of your work on CuseHousing and The D.O. website hasn’t gone unnoticed. You’re a really talented programmer, and I’m glad that we have you on board.

Stephen, Jesse, David, Trevor and all of sports: Despite all the long nights and punishing deadlines, I actually enjoyed being a surrogate member of the sports department. I’m honored that my work could support such stellar reporting. Thanks for pushing me out of my comfort zone, and, uh, Stephen, let me know if Syracuse.com is ever interested in any alternative story formats.

Jacob: I still remember our first conversation on Professor Breyer’s patio. After three and half years of college, I can now confirm that the one thing I learned from COM101 that got me ahead in life is how to spell “stationery.” Just in case that was keeping you up at night.

Lindsay: Stop being such an amazing designer — you’re making the rest of us look bad. But seriously, working with you has always been a pleasure. It’s rare to find a print designer who is so well versed in designing for the web.

Jess: You’re such a fun person to be around. If I had half the energy or spirit that you do, I could do anything.

Alfred: Sorry that we weren’t able to fight crime together this semester.

Annie: What can I say? You were born to be a journalist.

Nicki: If everyone could be as friendly as you are, the world would be a much better place.

Claire: You’re a lot of things to me — New York buddy, the person who opened my eyes to good music and certain Midwestern sports teams, a fellow caffeine addict, one-time Daily Orange coworker and most of all, a good friend. You stay you, and go change the world, one muffin at a time.

Ankur: MVP! I’m thinking of getting the Deep End Show back together for a revival tour. I’ll bring the Halloween candy.

Maddy: It was so great working with you and Casey. I hope D.C. is treating you well!

Lizzie: Designers are really the unsung heroes of the paper, and you’ve proven that time and time again. All of your work on the paper redesign and leading the charge on the web refresh did so much to make The D.O. a more visually appealing, readable and approachable paper.

Madysan: Hey, I just met you and this is crazy. Please never change, because you somehow always manage to brighten up my day.

Mike: You’re my spirit animal. Without you at The D.O. as Problem Solver in Chief, I probably wouldn’t have stayed as long as I did. The world needs more people who aren’t afraid to tell it like it is. If I ever need an unsafe dose of reality, I know exactly who I can reach out to.

Pete: Thanks for always keeping an open mind about things. With you at helm, The D.O. can do anything.

Jared, Mike, Tito and John: I hope that one day I will be able to give as much back to The Daily Orange as you guys have. I honestly have no idea where I would be right now if it weren’t for you.

George, Emily, Pete, Nathan, Grant, Jeff and Keri: Thank you for an incredible summer.

Mom and Dad: I wouldn’t be where I am today without your support. You’re always the voice of reason, and I love you for it.

Published on December 4, 2014 at 4:09 am