Last will & testament of editor

This archived article was written by: Alexander Holt

When I started at Utah State University Eastern spring semester 2016, I honestly had no idea I would be where I am today. I was fresh out of Advanced Individual Training for the United States Army and decided to come to Eastern to follow my friends Rodrigo Leon and David Rawle, both of whom, I met in high school debate.
Suddenly, I found myself with new friends and on the newspaper staff, which helped me decide on my communication studies major. Four semesters and a over a year later, I found myself as editor of The Eagle, an accomplished and award winning writer, halfway into my bachelor’s degree and on my way up to Logan to finish my education and hopefully become a lawyer.
Along the way, I have been surrounded by some amazing people who made my life better and will always be a part of my memories at Eastern. It would be wrong of me not to give them a shout out for being here for me before I depart. Thank you, Rodrigo Leon, David Rawle, Hannah Coleman, Esther Melendez, Nathan Pena, Kevin Soto, Jorge Lascano-Ayala, Brett Smart, Audrie Frasier, Mara Wimmer, Nathaniel Woodward, Corey Ewan, Brent Innes, Danni Fitch, Gabe Marcotte, Emma Campbell, Chris Anokam, Renato Magalhaes, Scott Froehlich, Kalli Prendergast, Alex Anderson and Tate Sommerfeldt, with a special thanks to Susan Polster, who has been like a mother to me. I honestly could not tell you where in my life I would be without her.
Onto journalism, throughout my career at the Eagle, I have covered news, the 2016 presidential election, politics, science and throughout this semester, sexual assault. I want to leave behind a few bits of advice for those considering journalism a career.
First: be passionate! To be an effective writer and to have others care about what you write, you need to care yourself. It enhances your writing and pushes you to strive for perfection and energizes readers.
Second: have courage. Do not be afraid to take on controversial issues and fight against injustice. Even talking about the issues with any university you go to is on the table. Stand up and do something and be the voice for change.
Lastly: be creative. Find topics and issues that others might not think of. Find different sources that might have an angle you didn’t think off. Mix things up a bit; in interviews, come up with questions outside the norm, or when covering a series, do not present the same information on the subject, find another aspect.
As I leave your paper in the hands of Scott and Kalli, let me say it has been a ride and a pleasure to serve the public even when the media and I have been called the “enemy of the American people.” I will treasure what I learned with the Eagle and take it with me as I continue to work with the Statesman in Logan.