Between the Saturday night deadlines, discord messages, updates, and brainstorming sessions to write the next article at TechNews, I was at a crossroads as I signed off as business manager and senior writer this week. TechNews became more than just an on-campus job to fill a sweet spot on the resume. It became more than a weekly gig. It became a little ritual, where curiosity and passion met a community. A powerful community of beautiful people at Illinois Tech coming together to build, create, and publish stories, moments, and experiences.
When I first joined TechNews (shoutout to Kris and Nova for making it happen [Editor’s Note: Of course, it was our pleasure!]), I didn’t fully understand what it meant to be part of a community constantly striving to bring the best stories on campus, global issues, advice, and science and technology advancements to Illinois Tech. Stories that influence, bring real change, make you smile, and introduce a plethora of emotions to its readers. At the end of each week, I realized how every headline, pitch, and experience mattered. Kudos to the team at TechNews for pulling off thoughtful and fun pieces of work every week!
As a senior writer, I embraced the stories I wrote, I welcomed opinions, and I turned to personal experiences for inspiration. Anything that lit a weird fun spark in me, I chased that feeling, and it clicked. My stories found me, and I learned to trust them. I asked questions and found answers in the most unexpected places and moments. This experience helped me realize just how much I love writing, and I finally got to do it again through TechNews years later. It was so worth it.
As a business manager, I saw a different story unfold. One which included budgeting and spreadsheets, talking to people, and exploring a more financial side. Balancing the writer’s vision with the managerial tasks was the real deal. But I’m glad I did it.
I feel we as humans are all just trying to connect. The people at TechNews? Yes, we connect through articles, copy-editing, sharing pictures of a fun new place we explored, local experiences, and just how connected we are to Chicago, Illinois Tech, and the vibrant community here. So yes, at the end of the day, we are all just trying to connect – with each other and our readers. A huge thanks to all our readers. I will soon be one of them, and I already know I’ll have a smile on my face every time I see a TechNews paper around.
That’s the heart and soul of it, isn’t it? We’re all just sharing parts of ourselves and our experiences, hoping someone out there is reading it, smiling and nodding to themselves. Someone who silently says, “Yes, I can relate” or “Wow I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels this way.”
So, this isn’t goodbye. It’s the last song at the party, not the end of music. It’s not leaving the newsroom, it’s just handing over the mic, knowing it’s in good hands. It’s the final article in my chapter, but the story is far from over.
To everyone I’ve worked with, laughed with, and most importantly learned from – thank you! To the readers who gave their attention every Thursday around campus – thank you! To the ones that take up this space next, may you write with trust, wonder, and a sense of bringing about change within your readers.
This is where I leave you. But not really.