Saying goodbye to Courier, Fisher

I’m sitting in my room by myself.  It’s late.
I’m thinking, in that cliché way that I’m sure only college seniors think, about the past four years of my life.
In less than three weeks I will be leaving a place that has changed me in so many ways.  In a sense, I will be leaving home.
I’ve always prided myself on being someone who never wanted to have “glory days.”  I’ve wanted every stage of my life to be better than the next.  So far, it has.  And maybe it will continue to be.  But my time at Fisher has certainly set a high standard for the rest of the stages to come.
The essence of Fisher for me has become more than what I learned in the classroom, more than time spent with my remarkable friends.  When I recall my college years, I will think of the Cardinal Courier.
I will remember the late nights spent in our little corner of the campus; the whiteboard filled with wholly inappropriate quotes from editors and writers who shall remain anonymous. 
I’ll remember the students who came before me; the ones who not only became my lifelong friends, but who showed me what it was to be a leader, and who instilled in me a sense of pride for this amazing publication.  I am who I am today because three years ago I was lucky enough to meet people like John Follaco, Kara Race, Kevin Aubrey, and Jay Adams, just to name a few.
I’ll remember the students I worked with over the years; the amazingly dedicated and passionate staff and senior staff members who have helped mold this paper into what it is today.  You are the heart of the Courier. 
I’ll remember the ones who were there from the beginning, namely Senior Editor Julie Kane.  If it weren’t for her insistence that I would make a good reporter I would have never showed up to that first meeting in January 2003. 
Together, Julie and I have witnessed the Courier blossom, and together we will leave it in the hands of future generations.  She is my Courier partner in crime, and more importantly one of my best friends.  I couldn’t imagine sharing this adventure with anyone else. 
Perhaps the most vivid memory I’ll recall will be our adviser, Lisa Murphy.  The heart and soul of this newspaper is its students, but without Lisa’s subtle yet fervent way of guiding the Courier in the direction it needs to go, we would be lost.  She has forever changed the dynamic of this
publication,  the Communication/Journalism department, the campus, and myself.  She will be truly missed when she heads to Medaille College in the fall, but she has implemented a style of leadership that will propel the Courier for years to come. 
The newspaper is a gem to this campus, and I thank the Fisher community for always supporting, and provoking us, to do our best.
I look forward to reading future editions of the Courier, knowing that I am leaving it in the hands of incredibly talented and devoted students. 

Good luck, everyone.

By Racheal Henderson
rbh1545@sjfc.edu