Through my experiences at the Iowa State Daily, I’ve seen the Iowa State community through a unique lens. I’ve also had the chance to represent the Daily at conferences on both coasts, cities around the state and all sorts of places on campus. But there will always be a special place in my heart for 2420 Lincoln Way, Suite 205.

The Iowa State Daily is pertinent to the Iowa State community. I say that not only as the outgoing editor in chief, but as a member of the community. In my four years on campus and at the Daily, I saw just how important it was to have a comprehensive news source on campus.

I’m so appreciative of those who consumed our content regularly. But I also saw that many people were impacted by occasionally consuming our work. And I even saw impact on those who rarely ever consumed our work. Regardless of whether you consume the news or not, somewhere in the line of delivering information news organizations make an educated population and ultimately benefit communities.

My point is the work done by the Iowa State Daily matters and it will continue to matter. Of course, the Daily has a lot of room for improvement like any organization on campus. I’ve seen and helped our work grow from focusing primarily on print to being available in nearly any form that can be expected, and more growth is happening. Whether you regularly consume the Daily’s content or not, the importance of the organization needs to be understood. 

During my last few weeks and days on campus, I wondered if I had done enough in my time at the Daily — in my time on campus. I reflected on all the experiences I had and I thought about the future of the university. And of course the Iowa State Daily was a part of that reflection. 

As bittersweet as it is to leave the university and the Daily, I know the Daily and community will continue to grow. I know because in my time at Iowa State, I saw so many people who made a difference. My favorite part of my job at the Daily was talking to people, who weren’t always well known, that were making a positive impact in some way. It’s these people that make me hopeful about the future of Iowa State. 

Of course, running a news organization, I also saw so many of the ways that campus still needs to be improved. There is still a long way to go in ensuring that each person on campus feels welcomed, can seek resources they need and can afford an education. I wish I could have worked on all of these things more, but my time on campus is up. 

One thing was similar in all of the positive changes I saw during my time at Iowa State: It took people who were determined to make a difference. My advice for those who still have time on campus is to find at least one way to make a difference on campus. Find at least one way you can make an impact by doing what you’re passionate about.

For me, the Iowa State Daily was how I made a difference. I am proud of the work we did in informing our campus, creating public discourse and facilitating civil discussion. Thank you, Iowa State, for giving me the opportunity. I know I will continue to be a long-time supporter of the Iowa State Daily, and I hope you will be, too.