Bringing the News to Readers, Striving to Be the Best

As I flip through the pages of the 22 issues of the DIGEST published this year, my heart burns with pride and sincere joy when I think of the great strides we have made. 
We are not your average HBCU newspaper.
As a matter of fact, we are not like any other collegiate newspaper.  I accredit this fact to the devotion of my staff and the tremendous support we have received from the student body, faculty and staff, administration, and alumni.  Sometimes people may not like what they read but we have gained the respect and reputation as a first class news publication. 
Besides winning several awards, the DIGEST has become a publication that prides itself on providing the latest and most accurate source of information to the entire world–not just the Jaguar Nation.  We have received feedback from readers of our online edition from countries as far away as China and our stories have been published in other news publications from coast to coast. 
Journalist and founder of USA Today John C. Quinn said, “Progress, like all other responsibilities in the world of communications, must be built upon honest professionalism. Integrity must be the cornerstone of public trust.”  No one can cover SU better than its own and we are proving that each week.  
Last year when I took on the role of Editor In Chief, I knew that it would be a challenging yet rewarding task, but I never imagined how it would make me grow as a person spiritually, mentally, professionally, and physically.  (I gained five pounds from all the fast food I ate!) 
Learning to deal with people and their personalities on a daily basis has been one of my greatest accomplishments.  I never knew who would walk through the doors of the office on any given day.  From members of the DIGEST staff to university administrators, I quickly learned that my attitude and disposition usually dictated that of the person I came into contact with. 
On a spiritual level, I have strengthened my faith and convictions in a higher being.  Late in the midnight hour, there have been times where only by the grace of God, we were able to prevail over many obstacles. 
This position has also afforded me the opportunity to participate several journalism conferences, workshops, and student projects where I have had the opportunity to work among the top professionals as well as student journalists from around the world.  These experiences have only made our paper better. 
  I became more aware of the importance of my role as a journalist through several rewarding experiences this year.  Besides tackling timely issues such as AIDS in our community and revisiting the deaths of Denver Smith and Leonard Brown through the pages of the DIGEST, I have had the opportunity to get a true feeling for my life’s calling outside of the Southern University community.
During the early days of the coalition invasion of Iraq, I was an “embedded” journalist on the home front.  Deep in the trenches of over 300,000 protestors in New York City, I never thought of the dangers of being arrested, pepper sprayed, or trampled in any angry mob, I was only concerned with getting the story. 
In early April I opened the eyes of over 700 newspaper editors from across the country to the plight and lack of respect of street musicians in the city of New Orleans.  These men and women weren’t bringing their music to street corners, storefronts, and alleys because they were down on their luck or poor–many had traveled the world over with renowned brass and jazz bands.  However, they couldn’t get gigs in their own hometown because they were shunned by jazz institutes because of their lack of formal training.
These are only two of the instances where I have written stories that I feel I have made a tremendous impact on the minds of readers.  Bringing issues and events to the forefront of the consciousness of people is the true essence of my love, devotion, and commitment to journalism.
There are so many people that have contributed to my success and the overall success of the newspaper that I don’t want to call any names in fear of overlooking someone. 
First and foremost I would like to thank my editorial team, staff writers, business manager, and advisors of the DIGEST.  You have been my pillar of strength since the beginning and I know that without you, we wouldn’t have been able to pull this off each week.  We make a hell of a team and the bond we share will last forever.  I know that each of you will continue to grow as aspiring journalist and keep the legacy of the DIGEST alive.
I would also like to thank the administration for standing behind us 100 percent.  Whenever we’ve needed anything, President Tarver, Chancellor Jackson, and other university officials have always came through for us.  For that, we are forever grateful.
I would also like to thank all of my professors for simply understanding. 
I can’t overlook our largest fan based yet our toughest critics, the 8,000 plus student population of Southern University.  Known to many as “Miss DIGEST Lady” or “The Girl That’s Over the Paper,” I truly appreciate their honesty.  Sometimes when people assume positions of power, the sometimes go on a power trip and become disconnected with the people they are elected to serve.  I want to thank the students of SU for keeping me grounded.  They never let me forget that I am a student too.
I would like to thank the Black College Communication Association, the Black College Wire, and all HBCU newspapers.  Through our joint efforts, the quality of all HBCU newspaper will elevate to a new level and we will continue to produce top young journalists of color. 
I would like to give special thanks my “inner circle” of editors and staff members from FAMU, Grambling, Jackson State, Howard, and LSU for sharing my love and passion for this career path we have decided to take.  I know each of you will be successful in your own right and WE will dominate this field in the near future.
Last but not least, I want to thank my family, my true friends, and my mentors for supporting me.  I know that sometimes you may not understand the things I do or the reason why I do them, but it’s in my grand scheme to be the best at what I do.  You have always stood besides me and I will continue to make you proud.
This is not my last will and testament or good-bye to Southern University.  Currently, I am only a junior I will be YOUR Editor In Chief again next year.  Not because I am the only person qualified for the position, simply because a good leader never leaves a project unfinished or her people without the skills and knowledge they need to reach their potential.
This year we gave birth to an award winning publication, exceeded the expectations of many, and stirred up the hearts and minds of people everywhere.  I am proud to announce that we are not expecting twins!  Thanks to the support of the student body, next semester the DIGEST will be published twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays.  We are bringing it to the next level.  We will implement features and make a few changes but we will continue to cover the issues that affect you.
Well, I am off to New York this summer as an intern at Newsday.  Like the song New York, New York states, “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.”  I will continue to represent and promote this great institution which has been my support and backbone in all of my endeavors. 
I would like to leave you with a quote by American Novelist William Faulkner.  Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do.  Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors.  Try to be better than yourself. 
Have a safe and happy summer until we meet again in the fall.