Brooke Kelly
Blue & White Flash / Staff Writer
College came and went extremely fast. Reflecting on the past four years, college has been at different times hard, easy and frustrating yet oftentimes fun. First and foremost, I thank God for getting me through. Losing a great mom and grandmother my freshman year was tough, but more than anything, I thank God for two great women who helped instill in me what I needed to make it this far.
I thank my dad, step-dad, sister, niece, “surrogate” moms, aunts, uncle, friends, Mt. Nebo Church family and Reformed University Fellowship for all being a part of my support system. Having good people behind your back makes life so much easier. I hope our bonds are strong, and I wish great things for our futures.
I thank my advisor, Dr. Dilworth, for always being resourceful and friendly and for pushing us to get experience. I thank the mass communications department for working to keep up with changes in journalism and telling us early on that it can be a tough world out there but if you work competitively and network you will be better off.
I thank Ms. Dearborn of the Richard Wright Center for being a resident motherly figure. I appreciate things I learned from different professors, but in Robert Walker’s history class and Frankye Adams Johnson’s advance composition class, I learned a lot about myself through family history projects, and for those two experiences I am grateful.
As an art minor, I thank the art department for the skills I learned there. Thank you professors Kim, Chamblee, Harris, Mayers and Stewart. Mr. Stewart’s intro to computer graphics and web design classes have pushed me into 21st century art and design work.
Because having a good education foundation is extremely important, I would like to thank my teachers at McLeod, Chastain, Murrah High School, and Power APAC Visual Arts.
For their financial support, I thank the Horatio Alger Association, The National Newspaper Publishers Association, GEAR-UP Mississippi and my employers throughout college. I thank all the people who let me freelance in their publications, and I thank the Chips Quinn Scholars Program and The Scripps Howard Foundation Wire for an awesome internship experience in Washington, D.C. this past semester.
Last but not least, Ms. Watley, Ernest and Shannon, thank you for helping me and dealing with me. Thank you, Ms. Watley for pushing us to be curious and write interesting stories. Ernest, thanks for your talks of advice and willingness to teach me how to learn different things. Shannon, thanks for your “where is this or that story” texts, the “what were you thinking with this commentary” feedback and for setting the tone for the office to be professional yet friendly! It was all so helpful, and I’m going to miss working in the office.
I hope we win more awards in the future. I hope staffs report on stories that matter to students. Bringing truth to power is a first amendment right at a public university, and I hope people look to the paper for important information and entertainment.
Currently the only two summer plans I have are taking a photography course through the art department and working at the National Association of Black Journalists’ Conference for a week in June. I am currently looking for employment!
I appreciate a lot of people for their help along the way, so I apologize to those I failed to thank.
Congratulations to all my friends and classmates who are a part of the 2012 spring graduating class! We made it! I look forward to seeing my friends and others, who will be graduating in December or next spring, walk across the stage! Wish you all Godspeed and great, exciting things in your future.
