Like most students, we at The Plainsman are happy the school year is coming to an end. The break is needed.
But with that relief and happiness comes the sadness of seeing some of our best and brightest staff members go out into the “real world.”
This yearly exodus never gets any easier, and so we use this space to honor those who have made this paper something those who work here can be proud of.
Cliff McCollum was our Opinions Editor this year, and he served this paper well while in this position.
What many would probably find most remarkable about McCollum is he did this job as the staff’s only unpaid member.
The nature of McCollum’s job means he dealt with a lot of angry people and never saw a dime, and he was fine with that because he cared about this paper.
McCollum is also the guy that fills one of the drawers in our file cabinet full of candy every Monday night, makes constant references to movies other staffers have never seen and pretty much fills The Plainsman office with laughter at all times when he is around.
We are still not sure who will be filling that drawer next year.
Kendra Carter filled two positions this year. She started as Intrigue Editor in the fall semester, but had to take a leave of absence due to a battle with thyroid cancer.
After she kicked the cancer to the curb, she came back and served as News Editor in the spring semester.
We are proud of Carter’s determination throughout her medical ordeal, and her unending kindness and ability to turn anything into a joke will be missed around the office. She really is one of the sweetest people many of us will ever know.
Ross Johnson and Rachel Morand, the Sports Editor and the Associate Sports Editor respectively, both helped create some of the best sports spreads we have ever had. The YouTube clips they find of the previous night’s “South Park” are always a treat, and Loco’s trivia with this pair is a blast.
Kyle Cooper, what can we really say? In the immortal words of K-Ci and Jojo: “All my life, I prayed for someone like you.”
You have been dependable and willing to help out whenever needed.
David Ingram, our editor-in-chief, steered this paper through some rough waters. Never bending to the will of outside forces, Ingram represented this paper well in whatever he did. He put his heart and soul both into this paper and on the line.
Ingram was always helpful and available to his staff, and so it was a joy to work under him.
He is also a really funny guy who can deflate any awkward situation with a well-placed joke, as well as spawn a million inside-jokes within an hour. His love for this paper may just surpass his love for Celine Dion, but it is close.
McCollum, Carter, Johnson, Morand and Ingram not only worked very hard, but they all contributed largely to the atmosphere The Plainsman’s office has taken on: a second home for its employees. We wish them all the best of luck and congratulate the places they are headed, because those places are receiving our best.
Our Policy
The opinions of The Auburn Plainsman staff are restricted to these pages. These unsigned editorials are the majority opinion of the eight-member editorial board and are the official opinion of the newspaper. The opinions expressed in columns and letters represent the views and opinions of their individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the Auburn University student body, faculty, administration or Board of Trustees.
