Written by: Mikayla Coleman

Hello Western,

We have come to the end of an era. As an employee of two years, it is unbelievable to me that this will be the last article I will write for the Western Howl. 

There is an overwhelming amount of things to reflect on. For one, the Western Howl celebrated its 100th year of publishing student-run news in 2023. 

I’ve had the privilege to transition through many different editorial positions at the Howl. I initially started as a News Editor — doe-eyed and so incredibly stoked to be able to get paid to write. I am happy to say that despite many challenges, that passion and drive to write and create still resides inside of me. 

There has been a huge amount of transition and change during my time at the Howl. The leadership in the team that I started with graduated in the 2021-2022 academic year — teaching me their ways and handing over the reins to me. We were a really strong and cohesive team, and I found myself wondering if I may ever be able to replicate that feeling again. In the 2022-2023 team, there were some incredibly strong returners with a few new faces sprinkled throughout. 

Leadership from higher-ups has been constantly shifting. Dealing with the losses and additions of advisors, as well as the lack of advising that existed for most of this year, has been strenuous. Leading a group of my peers in a time when communication and information were scarce proved to be incredibly challenging. I am thankful to my team for backing me up and boosting my confidence when things seemed dire. 

Despite the challenges we faced, the Western Howl has consistently been able to publish weekly issues containing relevant news and information for the Western community. The passion of our editorial team is present within each article we have published. I am incredibly grateful and proud of the creativity our section editors have been able to maintain through challenging themselves each week. We have had several of our employees move from in-person to remote positions, and I am thankful for those that have been able to maintain journalistic and workplace standards from afar. 

We would truly be nothing without our designers and photo editor. In all aspects, this part of our team figures out how to make our papers work visually — which is a huge feat. One cannot thank them without mentioning the charisma they bring into the office and their complete and utter love for Harry Styles, Taylor Swift and Elvis Presley. 

Many of the 2022-23 staff will either be graduating or not returning, but let me be clear — the staff who are returning are excellent and raising the bar for what the Howl can be. 

Gretchen Sims will be a valiant leader in welcoming and establishing a new team for the 2023-24 academic year, continuing the legacy of those who she has worked alongside. I have every confidence that her leadership will cause the Howl to grow and exceed in being a trusted community resource for students, staff and beyond. Addie Floyd will be entering Fall 2023 as a seasoned leader and accomplished head designer. Readers must stay tuned to see how they will flourish with a new team in the Fall. 

It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of the Howl for the past two years. In my time here, I have met and grown with friends and peers that have truly changed my life for the better. I would not change it for the world. 

Sincerely, 

Mikayla Coleman