Where do I even start?
I began writing at Technician before I actually started attending NC State in the summer leading up to my freshman year, in my first semester as a Spring Connect student at Wake Tech.
Now, over three and a half years, or 1322 days, or 172 articles later, I feel like a completely different person from when I started.
Throughout my college experience, Technician has been both my greatest challenge and my greatest teacher. It’s where I’ve learned about journalism, sure, but also about myself, including my mental health, my work style, how to treat others and where I want my career to go.
Ben, thank you for being so much more than just a student media adviser. I’m so glad our paths crossed here. You’ve been a constant through so many different stages of my life these past four years, and I can’t thank you enough for that. #CoffeeFirst, always.
To Abigail, Emily and Justin, thank you for establishing such a powerful and damn hard precedent to live up to. Your tireless pursuit of the truth was incredibly inspiring, and it’s one of the many reasons I continue to look up to you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought, “What would [insert your name here] do?”
Ally, I’ll never forget our 1 a.m. lock-in sessions with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons blaring. We’ve made it through our fair share of chaos over these three volumes, and I’m glad we did it together.
Jackson, you’ve been one of the best things to happen to the news section in a long time. Watching our conversations jump from rezoning laws to the Fortnite Item Shop in a matter of seconds is certainly something. Thanks for putting up with my ramblings and helping lift the news section to the standard of quality it commands today.
To Caroline, Damien and John, I can’t thank you all enough for your commitment and dedication to the news section. One of my favorite parts about this job has been watching you grow into the writers and people you all have become since meeting you in your early days of college. I can’t wait to see what you all do with the section! She’s in good hands.
Skye, what a ride it’s been. First of all, thank you for blessing us with Sir Rumpel. Secondly, thank you for being such an intentional and inclusive leader. I’ve never felt more trusted in a leadership space, and that’s something I’ll always appreciate. Reporting alongside you was one of the highlights of my year. I only wish we had figured out sooner how well we worked as a reporting team!
Nicole, Daniel, Kelsey, VDM, Olivia, Alex, Hector, Jakob, Jordan, Amaya, Rachel, Nina and Brennan, thank you all, old and new, for creating such a welcoming and genuinely fun environment. This volume, especially, has felt like a family. I’ll carry the memories we made with me for a long time.
Mom and Dad, thank you for being my biggest supporters. It doesn’t feel that long ago that you were dropping me off at Witherspoon, does it? Walking in on you reading the latest issue means more to me than I can really put into words. Love ya always!
To Ms. Price and the Eagle’s Eye squad, wow, it’s been a while. Ms. Price, I don’t know what you saw in me seven years ago, but thank you for guiding me into journalism and showing me a path that has shaped so much of who I am today.
To my lovely clarinet section, thank you for being my second home over the past four years, for giving me my best friends and for creating such a strong support system. You gave me a space to keep music in my life when it often felt pushed aside, and I’m so grateful I got to grow as a leader with you all.
Bri and Jake, I don’t know where I’d be without you two. I genuinely think you can read me better than I can read myself, and thank you for keeping me grounded, reminding me to step back when I need it most and celebrating every victory with me along the way.
To every source I’ve spoken with over the years, thank you. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. You made this happen, and you’ve expanded my worldview in ways I’ll carry with me forever. There are interviews I did years ago that still stick with me. Thank you all for trusting me with your stories. I hope I did them justice.
To the students and faculty of NC State who have spoken out through protest, leadership or advocacy, thank you for using your voices. There’s probably an alternate version of me out there who ended up as a student senator instead of a news editor. Who knows!
To Jakob and the rest of Vol. 107, you have your work cut out for you. Technician, and journalism as a whole, are facing what might be their toughest challenges yet. A reduced print schedule on top of unpredictable federal actions and unprecedented withholding of public information from the university are setting the scene for an environment where student and local journalism are more important than ever.
No matter how hard it gets, remember the power of your voice and the responsibility that comes with representing others.
For me, the future seems uncertain, yet full of so much opportunity. I hope you’ll see my byline again someday, wherever that may be, maybe even in a book!
With much, much exuberance,
Matthew Burkhart
