By Ally Uhlendorf
Former Editor-in-Chief
When I was 15 years old, I accidentally enrolled myself in an elective. I was just starting high school and had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life or what my passion was. After completing the first class of the random elective I took, I knew I had found something that I truly loved; that elective was journalism.
What started as a small scheduling mistake turned into the moment I realized my passion for the value of storytelling.
Journalism is not just writing articles and interviewing people. Journalism is the art of giving people a voice and an opportunity to tell their story. Journalism holds such an incredible amount of power: the power to challenge, to educate, to share passion and to spark change.
Journalism teaches the value of listening. It pushes reporters to ask questions, dig deeper and be open to outside perspectives. It taught me how to be more of a well-rounded individual, how to utilize my curiosity to get to the bottom of things. It taught me empathy and responsibility that I had never known before.
It not only provides others with a way to tell their story publicly, but it also gives you, as a journalist, a platform to amplify what you believe is important. It provides confidence in finding your voice and not being afraid to share your opinion.
Storytelling is an art that can build bridges between people, experiences and ideas that may not have otherwise crossed paths. It provides a sense of community when reading stories similar to yours.
This early passion for storytelling and journalism that I found at the pivotal age of 15 has shaped who I am today. Each story I encounter reminds me of why I fell in love with this field as a teenager. Behind every headline, interview and every detail is a real human being trusting you to share their story.
I continued to write and edit stories throughout my entire high school journey, working my way up to editor-in-chief of The Wessex Wire, my high school’s newspaper. I will never forget where I started and learned about the beauty behind storytelling. Journalism consumed my life, and I am so thankful for that. When I committed to the College, I knew what I wanted to do with my life and major in.
And that’s where The Signal came in. It is hard to describe in words how much love I hold for this organization and all of the work we have created. I started as a scared staff writer for the features section my freshman year, and ended the fall semester of my senior year as editor-in-chief.
Aside from teaching me how to professionally manage time, mentor others and keep stories moving, being a part of The Signal has taught me so much about the sheer amount of heart it takes to be a journalist.
Through The Signal, I had the opportunity to write stories I would have never imagined writing. I interviewed a wide variety of individuals and had the honor of giving their stories a public platform. I wrote challenging editorials and expressed my feelings through articles that connected with others. Through The Signal, I found my own voice.
But, The Signal was not just about the writing and editing to me. I gained a second family through this organization. Some of my closest friendships were formed during the late nights we spent in AIMM 227. Through all of the production nights and editorial meetings, there was so much love shared between all of us, and I wouldn’t trade that for the world.
I could not be prouder of the work my editorial board has done this semester. Each and every one of the editors and staff worked so hard to make The Signal the best it can be, and none of this would be possible without them. To my lovely Managing Editors, Izzy and Eddie, you guys truly made this semester so amazing. All of your dedication and passion made being editor-in-chief all the more special, and I am eternally grateful to work with you both. “Big Three” forever and always! To Alena, our newest Managing Editor, I am so beyond proud of you and so excited to see you flourish in this role. Watching you grow in The Signal has been such a beautiful experience. You’re going to do an outstanding job, and I will be cheering you on so loudly through it all. To my entire board, I hope you know how much I appreciate and love you, and how endlessly proud I am of you.
I want to give a special thank you and message to my right-hand man through it all, Izzy. There are truly not enough words to describe how incredibly grateful I am to have met you through The Signal, and especially not enough words to tell you how proud I am of you. There is truly nobody else I would want to pass the torch to, and I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that you will do so many amazing things as editor-in-chief in the spring.
Ending my term as editor-in-chief is an extremely bittersweet feeling; it has been seriously hard to get past my tears while writing this. This has been my dream since I committed to the College, and it is crazy that I am already at the end of my journey. But, I’m carrying everything it taught me into whatever comes next. No matter where I go, a part of me will always be that wide-eyed freshman walking up to The Signal’s table at the involvement fair, ready to discover what stories are waiting to be told.
The Signal did not just help me grow professionally as a journalist; it shaped me to be the person I am today. It taught me resilience and confidence, and reminded me that no matter what people say about their beliefs on whether journalism is “necessary” or not, there is a reason I am where I am.
To any aspiring journalists or storytellers, here are my words of wisdom: There is a reason behind your passion for this art, and the best journalism comes from those who truly care about the words they are writing. Your words hold so much power; don’t let anyone silence you.
