Editorial

Challenge Accepted

As the days are getting shorter, the weather getting cooler, and the leaves beginning to change, a new academic year is upon us. With the start of the new semester comes the promise of a fresh start and new challenges.

General George S. Patton once said “Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.” It is this feeling of success and accomplishment that we all try to reach.

Challenges are faced by everyone–from a first year student all the way to the University’s administration.

Each year, the University challenges itself to be the best university it can be. Whether it’s making meal swipes available in more buildings for students or completely remodeling academic buildings, the administration is always striving to be better.

This year is going to be President Gaffney’s last as president of the University, and now the administration has the challenge of finding a replacement to fill the big shoes he is going to leave behind.

The class of 2012 has to overcome the challenge of succeeding in their respective fields and beginning the next chapter of their lives, as the class of 2013 most likely does not want this current chapter to end.

I know I’m not ready for college to end, so instead I’ll embrace the tests and challenges that will come my way in my senior year.

The biggest of these challenges is, without a doubt, taking over as Editor-In-Chief of The Outlook. It’s going to be a very big task but it is one I’m not afraid of.

I had the pleasure of working alongside previous Editor-In- Chief, Gina Columbus, who accomplished much in her two years as the boss. The Outlook won first place with special merit from the ACPA, rarely had any front page mistakes, and she brought the staff together like no one has before. In May, she passed the torch on to me, leaving me with the task to build on what she had created, while also leaving behind my own legacy.

With this in mind, I have challenged myself and my staff to continue working at making The Outlook better than it has ever been before. We want to keep bringing the University interesting content which faculty and students will want to check out every Wednesday when The Outlook is released.

I want to continue to experiment with the front and back page and see what different kinds of things we can do from a design perspective. The previous two editors both had their own unique style in doing things and I believe I too will find my own style after the first couple of weeks.

We are also looking to continue to build our website and develop even more of an online presence through Facebook and Twitter.

Running The Outlook is going to be no easy task, but with a strong support system around me I have full faith in myself and the ability of those around me. We have a great advisor in Professor John Morano, a wonderful office assistant in Sandy Brown, and an outstanding eboard staff. K nowing all of this makes me feel a lot more at ease with this transition.

Something else I want to make known is that the doors to our office are always open (well most of the time). We encourage anyone who is interested in joining a part of The Outlook to pop in and become a part of our staff. Again, if you have an interest in writing please stop by, send an email over, or even call the office.

George Carlin once said “The only A’s I got in school was their attention, their approval, their admiration, their approbation, and their applause and those were the only A’s I wanted and I got them.”

My staff and I hope to gain these same A’s from all of you when all is said and done on the 2012-2013 academic year.