I am not exactly sure how to begin this, mostly because I have not written a “farewell” like this before. I knew that this moment would come eventually but it seems to have come faster than I was ready for.
My time at UT Martin and The Pacer has been a time that I am very grateful for. While working on staff here at The Pacer I have learned many skills that I will be able to carry with me beyond graduation. However, on top of that, I was able to work with many great people who I may not have ever come to know if it wasn’t for this paper.
I want to thank a couple of professors who have impacted me in a positive way during my time here in Martin. First, I want to thank Dr. Nanney for expecting nothing less than the best from me and my fellow classmates. He was the first professor from the Communications department that I interacted with and I am appreciative of the dedication he has to push students to perform at their absolute best in whatever assignment they have.
I also want to thank Ms. Tomi who has been so helpful during these past few years, even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. She has been committed to her students and is one of the most personable instructors that I have had during my college career. I am thankful for her constant patience, encouragement, and guidance whether it is inside of the newsroom or preparing me beyond graduation.
One last person I want to thank is Morgan Owen, the campus minister at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry. Religion has played a huge role in my life for almost my entire life, and this student organization helped solidify my beliefs and shape me into a person who is more confident in my faith. Morgan Owen has played an integral role in this and I am thankful for the mentorship he has shown me and the opportunities that he has given me that, without him or the BCM, I may have never received anywhere else.
I wish I had more time than I’ve had to get to know the new members of the current Pacer staff, however it can be difficult to get to be personable with people through Zoom calls. The one thing I do know with certainty is that everyone involved is an excellent writer, and I have enjoyed being able to read through and edit the work of the amazing articles that you all have composed.
My college experience has been some of the best years of my life, and on top of these people I’ve mentioned, The Pacer has played an important role in these years and I won’t forget the time I spent on staff.
