Here it is. The last issue of the year. And on a more sentimental note, my last issue for The Medium. Ever.
This was my fifth year working at The Medium, and in my time here I’ve come to learn quite a bit about the inner workings and history of our student newspaper. I’ve heard stories that, barring an emotional breakdown and tell-all book, will remain unknown to future generations of editors. I, along with some of the most recent EiCs, am all that remains of the present “institutional history”. And that is exactly how it should be.
Student organizations aren’t meant to be static. There’s a turnover of positions every year for a reason: to stay current, and to give everyone the opportunity to participate. “Institutional history”, in a certain sense, is a totally bogus idea when it comes to student organizations. It means things aren’t working the way they should. It means no one has had any vision, or worse, that they lacked the courage to push forward and try something new.
This year’s team has proven that change is not only good, but a necessary part of maintaining a student organization. Our Design and Sports Editors, Sophia and Anna, who joined us late in the year, have changed the way people look at and read our newspaper. Our Features Editor, Larissa, built on the good work of previous editors and made the Features section more readable and current than ever before. Nives, our Arts Editor, has treated student art with the respect and critical approach normally reserved for professionals. Our Copy Editor, Luke, has taught us all the intricacies of Canadian newspaper style and Edward, our Photo Editor, takes some of the best photos I have ever seen (just look at the magazine). Last but not least, Stefanie Marotta, our News Editor and next year’s Editor-in-Chief, has demonstrated her professionalism and integrity in her coverage of UTM news, making it one of the best sections on record.
All of this makes me very hopeful for next year. It is important that we try new things and push into new spaces, especially considering the direction they say print journalism is going. The old way doesn’t work anymore; that much is clear.
I hope next year’s team finds their own creative ways to cover the stories that are important to UTM students—institutional history be damned.
Yours,
Michael Di Leo
