“We move fast at The Daily Orange” is a phrase that’s constantly run through my head throughout my 1.5 years working in-house; it most certainly doesn’t feel like it was more than a year ago I started this career, but I’ve learned on the fly and my final role as digital managing editor was the epitome of moving fast.

I did nothing extracurricular my first two years at Syracuse University, and I felt quite bad about my resume and wasn’t focused. I was not involved on campus and didn’t feel like I was making use of my degree and opportunities at Newhouse that seemingly everyone else was — and I did not feel like a journalist.

Fast forward, and I’ve held four different jobs at The D.O. — columnist, assistant editor, head editor and management. In a span smaller than nine months, I moved from an out-of-house writer with two bylines to the paper’s leader of its entire digital team.
In an almost direct personal parallel, my junior and senior years here at SU have felt a bit like my junior and senior years of high school: I captained my varsity basketball teams as point guard, carrying responsibility for the point of attack on the court but also that of my teammates and closest friends, ranging from other seniors to freshmen and sophomore players.

I realized I get extremely territorial about whichever team I’m leading. Senior year of high school, it was my four-win basketball team. Senior year of college, it’s a much bigger stage and a much more sacred responsibility — one that dates back decades and demands excellence under immense pressure. In my packets moving up the ranks, I always mentioned how I feel I shine best under pressure and when my performance involves reinforcing my team — but, I could not have had this beautiful and moving time at The D.O. without the names on our roster. I’ve worked every single print night for one and a half years, and I kept telling myself I’d feel thankful to bow out. Instead, I’m grateful, but I’ve shed my tears and am going to miss the hell out of my team:

Kendall: Always a graceful leader, and such an amazing friend. Thank you for bringing me onto your first of two management teams — reaching that stage and being a leader was always my goal and to do it alongside someone who’s sure to become a recognized and respected professional journalist, at our young ages, will always be special and dear to my heart. Thank you for always having my back, Kendall! You’re the boss and our fearless leader.

Rose: A wonderful, organized leader of people. You’re effortlessly Type A, while I’m laboriously Type Z — but that fueled such a dynamic wavelength in management and helped us come to the correct consensus as a team time after time. The creator of the “United Front,” you taught me more than you think about how to carry myself professionally and as a leader of a wide-ranging team of ages, personalities and capabilities that I’ll carry into my next leadership position. And, my dear friend, I’ll see you when I go to therapy in Berkeley!

Stephanie: Thank you for always supporting my career, and I maybe never would have worked up the courage to apply for management if you had never pulled me aside and asked me if I was doing so. I was like, “Oh s***, Stephanie thinks I want to apply, I’d better jump at this,” before I submitted my DME application a few days later.

Cassie: Thank you for pushing me, and for welcoming me into The D.O. as a clueless digital editor and for supporting me after you finished up your in-house editing. You’re such an inspiring person outside of journalism, and I love how our West Coast roots cross up!

Savannah Grunmeier: Savannah, Savannah. Being your boss was so easy, because you were good at assistant opinion editor and seemed so smart, that I often felt like YOU were MY boss. Like, just take the job already. It made my transition to DME much easier because I trusted your talent and your vision for the section. Again, I said you’d turn in a better semester than me, and I told you so. One of the few things I’ve been correct about when it comes to you and me: you published almost 120 articles in your term, and it was vital to me to be able to support you and your section from a seat in management. You have much potential to take your career in different ways, but I’ll be following along the whole time. After all, you’re literally still just a kid. Cheers to the ride to desolate, God-forsaken Kia of East Syracuse, and to south campus when your engine exploded, and to finishing your dig work hours before I finished editing the pieces and rides up home to the Mount, and to phone calls when something inevitably blew up in my face and thus yours. Trial by fire, but you learned to channel that fire into success that I know is now instilled for life.

Paulina: Thank you so much for our friendship Paulina!! I loved being able to work alongside you for a whole year, because now every time I see you it’s so natural and easy to catch up. You’ve watched a lot change for me in a short amount of time, and have been part of two of the most important years of my life. That goes for you too, Savannah, but I seriously would not have had our section any other way. Make sure to keep pushing P!

Layla: You are one of the funniest people I’ve met, which helps explain why your columns you wrote for my opinion section were so well thought out — it all takes a certain kind of wit. You’re the kind of dig editor who’s naturally good at it, so you’re able to have fun and make friends around the house. I hope you come back after abroad and expand on your creativity and love for The D.O.! I was always happy when you’d come into work, and inevitably clock me for something I did or didn’t do or say, and you kept me as honest as I can be. I’m so glad I got to work with you in my final semester, Layla!

Griffin: My good old buddy. Despite the intensity of our two jobs this semester, we forged a friendship for the ages as each other’s confidant through a lot and a constant flow of communication. Like Griffin always says, I’m excited to simply be friends, and not co-workers as well as friends. But that said, I wouldn’t have wanted any other person by my side these last eight months — you’re incredibly hardworking, you’re Type A where I’m not; I’m a slow-burn, big-picture evaluator and leader by example, where you take a much more hands-on, detailed approach to teaching, leading and editing, which is are traits and a combination I’ve watched work wonders for the better part of a year. I’m extremely proud, happy and excited to pass the torch because I’m confident, like I was with Savannah, that you’ll make it burn brighter. You’re a program tenet, as are your various visions, and I’ll always be here to help support you — and I’ll be following your adventurous career!

Sophia: “I could tell you were intimidated,” Sophia Burke told me, finally, as I sat comfortably in the Zak Wolf family La-Z-Boy in one of my final dig meetings. She’s referring to how every time I texted or approached her for so many weeks during our tenure together it was with a sheepish, “Hey(yyy) Sophia, are you able to…” And she’s right, I admitted, I was always a bit intimidated by Sophia and I think we should be — she’s a tireless, impressive worker who carried much of our digital production and carries a fire probably a step above what I claim myself. Which is intimidating!! You consistently brought out my best and inspired me to keep working hard, both for myself and for my teammates. That said, you and I learned we can share a real hard laugh, and you’re just a really cool person all around. I am so grateful to be your friend and to get closer while we worked together, and for leading the dig meetings I was never thrilled to attend as a dig editor myself. You helped make dig fun! The picture of you, me and Griffin holding the 18 thousand cake should be framed in 24 carat gold.

Ilana: You were my first friend at The D.O.! You’re so easy to talk to and such a cool person, Ilana — even though you’re totally brainrotted, it’s okay, because I am too and so many of our conversations involved a lot of laughter. Which is your most effortless trait! Thank you for such steady leadership and for rising to the moment as presentation director — as a former opinion editor, your flexibility there is so validating. The first place I ever met you was in the opinion section with Cole Ross, and I was like, “Okay, these people are so nice… I can do this,” and just like that, one and a half years pass. I’m so excited to see what you do with your career, you have so much potential Ilana and you’re incredibly accomplished already! Thank you for always being kind.

Cole: Yes, I met you in the opinion section, and yes, you literally never sounded like you wanted to be at work, but you’ve also always been so supportive of me and such a kind and welcoming face to have in the workplace. I’m so happy our friendship’s grown to getting matcha together and eating jello-o at your birthday party. And for when I was down, and going through a lot personally outside of work, you sent me one of the kindest, more unexpected pick-me-up messages I’ve received in… years!! That was very perceptive and I still appreciate it, weeks later.

Quinn: Dear Quinn, I wanted to be your friend as soon as I met you — you’ve got such an easy smile and a knack for rage-instilling, conversation-fueling banter. You’re a lad I need a sopping pint and a nice Sunday roast over a TV-cast footy match in an old pub with. I’ll be following, hopefully physically closely, what you do in the future, Quinn!

Henry: We were already friends before I became DME, and I certainly did not envy your transition into sports digital. It’s a very difficult and demanding job, but one thing that’s always stood out to me about you is how you never complain. You’re a tireless worker, and a commendable one at that — someone so easy to root for and whom I always want around. Thank you for being a pillar of my senior fall semester, Henry, and I’m so happy you’re rooming with Quinn next year.

My dig editors: Ally, Madeline, Grace, Lily, Tara — you all were such bright spots my whole semester. Consistent laughs and being easy to teach led to fast learning and a lot of fun on nights where we also accomplished a ton of serious work. Each of you needs to take a moment, breathe and recognize the number of hours, thought, clicks and swipes did not go unseen by me. Please be proud!

Mia: Hi Mia. Congratulations on finishing out your time at The D.O. Both our times lined up exactly the same. We both joined late, with no transition week before becoming dig assistants together. I always thought your style and way you interacted with staff was so cool, and I’m proud to call you my friend. Congratulations on graduating early, and I can’t think about my time at The D.O. without Mia Jones in the picture. Go conquer NYC!

Noah: Noah, thank you for being such a good kid all semester. It was wonderful to see you open up to the whole house as sports editor, which is something very needed. You always made me laugh, and always let me hang out with you guys in sports watching games and cracking jokes. I can’t wait to see what you do next with your career, and the rest of your time at SU!

Charlotte: Charlotte Price — I’ve always called you by your full name, there’s just a ring to it. Thank you for being such an easy friend and person to talk to, and for trusting me to help you with your work. I cannot be more proud of your year at The D.O. so far. You’re a talented writer, a good editor but most importantly a wonderful people person. That will take you far in life, so never lose your light and keep smiling.

Duncan Green, Justin Girshon, Ben Butler, Lucía, Leo, Delia, Solange, Sid: It was so meaningful to serve as senior editors with you all! I was proud to stand alongside you, and I continue to reminisce about our time as head editors. We did a great job.

To every person I’ve shared a smile and a laugh with — aka every single Daily Orange staffer from fall ’24, spring ’25 and fall ‘25 — thank you for making my college experience and growing journalism career feel real, and feel worth it. It’s also felt surreal, unreal and absolutely insane at times, and working with these three groups of people made me feel very important, invested and fulfilled.
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Due to mental health reasons, I very nearly did not return to Syracuse University for my sophomore year. I then spent that second year hibernating, healing and appreciating what it felt like to be alive again.

I pushed through a very dark place two times, once in high school in 2020 and once in college in 2023. I learned to find meaning in work and movement. I began calling this my “second life.” Promptly afterward, I began work at The D.O., and I never imagined I’d find this much value and emotion in something again. You have all played a massive role in healing me — I’m eternally grateful.
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Thank you, Rose, for giving me a chance into the newspaper, because once my foot was in the door I was set on leading and making a difference.

I genuinely love and cherish the relationships I built here. In my second life, I’ll never forget you guys. I could put every staffer’s name, but I am so Type Z that I procrastinated writing this duck until past the deadline, and I would hate myself I accidentally left anyone off. If you’re not named here, you mattered to me and I’m thinking about you as I write. Quick: think of a time I looked at you, or I spoke to you; I probably either said something stupid or made a funny face, all the while acting like I know what I’m doing. That’s the secret — we’re all just doing our best!

I can always be reached, and I always want to help where I can. I sincerely hope I’ve had a fraction of the impact The Daily Orange and its staff and culture and tradition have had on my life — and I’m not going anywhere. I plan to join our board, and I’ll be an incredibly proud alum. I cannot wait to continue supporting our mission.

Published on December 12, 2025 at 1:49 pm