It’s been real, it’s been fun, but it hasn’t been real fun

“Hi, Advocate/Venture – this is Adam speaking, how can I help?” Is a phrase I’ve said at least 500 times this year and it seemed fitting that I start my last story for the Advocate with the words that have been stuck in my head all that time.

Well, the year has come and gone and now I’m supposed to write a letter from the editor summarizing my experience because that’s what the previous two editor-in-chiefs did. But, to be totally honest, I haven’t learned anything incredibly profound. Most of the time spent here felt like I was just trying to get my feet on the ground, and somehow we happened to publish a paper every week along the way. And then somehow we won first place for general excellence from the Oregon Newspaper Publisher’s Association last month.

Which is surprising, because last year we took third place, and the year before we had a duo of actual grammar nazis for editors and only got second.

My associate editor called me a jackass for writing this so pessimistically. To which I would reply, If I can be a jackass and a winner, doesn’t it hurt worse when I rub in the fact that I won?

You might be thinking I regret taking the role as editor. I don’t. I wish I’d had more time to breathe, for sure, but if I did, it certainly wouldn’t have been as rewarding an experience. Some of my goals for the paper at the beginning of the year were to publish in all-color, all the time. Check. Win first place. Check. And provide students with a fantastic local news beat. Easier said than done, if I’m being honest.

We brought you coverage on the Portland mayoral race, with interviews from the candidates; we reported on MHCC’s push to pass a general obligation bond and its eventual failure, and updated you on the state of Mt. Hood along the way. For a campus newspaper I’ll call that adequate.

And oh, I almost forgot (no I didn’t):

We got you! April Fools suckers. As much fun as the April Fool’s issue was to make, the following weeks were even more fun. After our papers were confiscated by the administration (which is illegal) we spent the better part of two weeks doing investigative journalism, which is rare for a campus publication, and infinitely more interesting than reporting on ASG’s latest shindig in the courtyard.

Although the results are still inconclusive, no one was prosecuted and the Advocate wasn’t compensated for the stolen papers, nor was any reprimand issued by the MHCC District board to Jim Zordich. There was talk towards the end of those two weeks of hosting a “free speech in the press” seminar at MHCC, which fell flat when the Advocate started communicating with the school staff members who usually organize these things.

Speaking of investigative journalism, we discovered something interesting during our 50th anniversary coverage this year. All year we were wondering why we were on Volume 51 while the college was on Year 50. Well, ponder no longer – in 2004 we skipped a year. Whoops.

In conclusion, I would like to thank Dan and Howard, our helpful, humble, and under-appreciated advisers; Debbie Derr and David Sussman for their openness and devotion to a uninhibited student press during the April Fool’s snafu; our staff, who I can’t thank adequately enough in the space I have here; and last, but never least, my lord and savior Baphomet. Adam out. Good luck, Ivy.