Editor-in-chief Says Goodbye and Thank you to All That Made His UT Experience Great

Charlie Hambos gives a tour of The Minaret office during the weekend.

I’ve always wanted to do this, so here we go:

You know you work for The Minaret when you walk out of the Vaughn Center after deadline and the New York Times has already been delivered, the sun is already rising and Bob Ruday, dean of students is heading to his office.

You know you work for The Minaret when Wednesdays are a blur and before you know it Tuesday nights are here again.

You know you work for The Minaret when Tuesdays are your favorite days of the week. Maybe.

You know you work for The Minaret when you can’t leave the office even when you come in for a few minutes.

You know you work for The Minaret when everyday things become busy, need larger margins, more white space, definitely a picture or maybe a drop quote or something.

You know you work for The Minaret if you have at least spent a half-a-nights sleep on Peter’s couch in the “Online Office.”

Finally, I know I love The Minaret because ever since I stepped foot here at UT, I stepped foot into The Minaret and I have made the best friends, had the most fun and learned the most with all of them.

The Minaret is not just a student newspaper, we are a family and we all have a common goal and that is to inform the UT community about what is happening on campus.

I started as a news reporter, became Arts and Entertainment editor, Assistant Editor-in-Chief and the Editor-in-Chief.

I had known Peter from the very beginning and it was an honor being his Assistant for that year. Finally, when it came time for me to take the next logical step, it was a time I had been waiting for my entire college career.

My year has been great and I can’t believe it is over. I feel like I still need a year to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish. Starting the year without Charles McKenzie was hard but I enjoyed my time as editor, nonetheless.

Dr. Tripp was there whenever we needed her. Thank you Dr. Tripp for standing up for us and for journalism. I will miss the long conference calls with various characters that somehow want to attack us.
Charles, thank you for making The Minaret my passion.

Peter, Steve and Victor, thank you for all being one of a kind. It was an honor passing on the legacy.

Mom, Dad, George and Joe, thanks for supporting me. Without you, I could not have done what I did.

Ellery, thank you for your unconditional support in my endeavors and for being a great friend.

Mel, what can I say, we did it. I don’t know how, but we did it. I’ll miss the arguments both real and fake and all the times when we made up for whatever happened and started anew. I’ll miss the BBMs early in the morning (like 10 a.m). It will be hard not seeing you in the office or making random noises, making fun of my clothing, hanging my keys on the wall (You still get me, every time), writing me post-it notes and spending time in the office and going to you with anything.

Alex, you’re like the assistant to everything. You would do anything at any time for the paper without a fight, usually. You made the online. You are the online. I didnt think that anyone could have more passion for The Minaret but you proved me wrong.

I can’t wait to see what you and Mike have in store for The Minaret and I know that between the two of you, you will reach more of the UT students than I ever could.

Mike, all I have to say is you better get used to staying in the office a little later and a little more often but I’ll miss the early Tuesday afternoons with you in the office, especially this semester.

Kyle, I have seen you grow in great strides this semester and I expect to see your name high in the staff box next year.

Derrick, thanks for putting up with me and just everything.

Thank you for balancing your life with Quilt and giving us a little of your time and wisdom too.

Abby, thanks for all of the photos. Especially for the printing one in this issue.

Sarah, you and I go back pretty far, thank you for laughing all the time and taking the crazy stories that I fear no one will take after you leave.

Daniel, I see a little bit of me in you. You have the passion, you have the skill. I expect to see your name high in the staff box in two years.

J.J. thanks for coming over to the office to play.

Laura, thanks for putting up with my procrastination.

Zoe thanks for bringing in that cash money.

J.P., thanks for leaving me this semester. I’ll miss the late night discussions on higher academia.

Thank you to all of the staff members both present, past and future. You all have a special place in my heart and I am eternally grateful for you made my UT experience the best.

To my professors, thank you for being understanding and in support of my career with The Minaret.

Dr. Blessing, thank you for being my first Psychology professor. It has been an honor to be in your classroom and a pleasure to end my Psychology degree in Thinking Class.

Dr. Hardin, thank you for supporting me all the way through and keeping me on the right path.

Dr. Fridy, thanks for keeping me awake in Politics of Identity on Wednesday nights when we were watching a movie and thanks for your wisdom in all of the classes that I have had with you.

Thank you Stephanie Russell Holz, Cheryl Chernoff, Gina Firth and Mike Gilmer for teaching me and supporting me.

It has been an honor to serve you, UT.