Well, this is it.
At the beginning of the year, I wrote up a to-do list and promised that I’d use this space to reflect upon that list at the end of the year. So, here it goes.
One of the goals I stressed in my letter was putting the Wire online. With hard work from former Communications Office web guru David Caldwell, former EIC (and friend) Micah Malenfant and Wire Web Editor Monica Vendituoli, we made it happen. Because of Monica, the web page is fully functional. It will give us myriad opportunities to bring insightful and interesting journalism to our readers.
Another goal I listed that we met this year was the re-formatting of our print edition of the Wire. Now eight pages, I truly feel that the Wire looks better. We have devoted more time than ever to graphic design, and I think this work has showed up in our layouts.
I think our content is better, too. We’re hardly infallible; we made mistakes this semester, including a few personal ones I’d like to take back. Overall, though, I was impressed by our staff writers, editors and contributors this year. I cannot thank those individuals enough, because without their hard work, creating this paper would be impossible.
We still have a long way to go, though. I think the Wire can be better than it is now. I will continue to work as hard as I can to improve this paper. I will work to bring more features to our web edition, to add even higher quality writing and photography and connect with the Wheaton community on a more consistent basis. Part of what makes my job so much fun is the constant, ever-changing pursuit of perfection that stems from my undying passion for journalism and for the Wire.
Now, on to some more personal thank-yous for leaving and returning Wirers.
Thank you to Alex Butcher-Nesbitt for a great year of news editing. I will miss you as an editor and as a friend. I can’t wait to hear about your journey abroad, and I know you’ll make Wheaton proud. Oh, and try to relax for a second or two if you can. You deserve it.
Thank you to Polly Bickford-Duane for coming in and editing every weekend, and for leaving notes for us to let us know what sections you edited. I never mentioned it before, but I always really appreciated it. Like Alex, I know you’ll make us all proud abroad.
Thank you to Nadine Biss for editing the paper every week, for being hilarious and for music recommendations. In my book, I place those things equally high on a scale of awesomeness.
Thank you to Siri Schoonderbeek for putting up with Wire editing until three in the morning, for putting up with me until three in the morning, and for being one of the coolest, hippest people I know. Thank you for being an amazing Managing Editor; I couldn’t have run this paper without you. I can’t wait to hear about all the amazing things you accomplish after Wheaton.
Finally, thank you to Savannah Tenney, Allie Tetreault and Julie Bogen for supporting the Wire from across the pond. I miss you all to a ridiculous degree, and I can’t wait to hear about your adventures this semester. Savannah: you are an amazing editor and person, and we all missed your hard work and dedication this semester. Allie: I’ve been reading your internship pieces and your blog. It’s all great, of course, and I cannot wait to have your wonderful writing in the Wire again. Julie: I don’t have enough space here to gush about how much I miss you. You’re a great editor. You’re also a great friend—one of my very best. I can’t wait to sit down and talk about a billion different things with you. Seriously. Can’t wait.
Thank you, readers, for picking up the Wire. I hope you continue to do so next year.
Alex
WIRE HACK: This is Siri Schoonderbeek speaking (or, more fittingly, writing). As a senior, this is my last chance to say thank you in print, and it seems like one person is missing from a long list of shout-outs: the author himself. Alex Cilley hardly gets enough credit for the work he does each week, so allow me to gush for a bit…
Alex, you are a wonderful person with a great sense of humor. Thank you for your impeccable Creed impressions that kept me laughing during late nights in the Wire office. And snaps for doing a wonderful job as Wire EIC, obviously. Working with you, even when it meant staying up until three in the morning, has been a pleasure. Stay classy.