When I was approached by Her Campus and asked to relaunch Muhlenberg’s chapter of the magazine for the fall of 2017, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I am not majoring in Journalism. I had written articles for the magazine since sophomore year, but I had never been involved in any of the administration of the chapter. However, I took on this position as Campus Correspondent (Editor-in-Chief and President) because I knew I wanted the women at Muhlenberg to have the same opportunities for expression that I had over my time at Muhlenberg.
Quite honestly, when I first started, I thought I was going to fail miserably and be responsible for the end of Her Campus at Muhlenberg. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, no staff, and just a lot of “can do” spirit. Despite all of the challenges, I did everything I could to keep the chapter afloat those first few weeks. This meant nights with absolutely no sleep because I was staying up all night writing articles, just to make sure that we met all of our content requirements for the week. After those first weeks, I finally gained a staff and, from then, everything became a lot easier. My job changed from doing everything, to fostering everyone else’s creativity and making sure that they reached their full potential. Her Campus at Muhlenberg started as just me in the fall of 2017; now, on the brink of summer 2018, we have a staff of 32 incredibly strong, and talented women who work hard each and everyday to insure the success of this magazine. I could not be more proud.
This article is dedicated to those women who have enriched my life beyond what I thought possible (yes, I am crying as I write this). Thank you so much for everything you have done and for caring just as much as I do. Your passion is what has made this magazine great; I am just a facilitator. Nothing has made me happier than getting to read all of your amazing work and seeing you all grow. Many of you are freshman and, if this is the work you are doing now, I can’t even imagine what you will be doing by senior year and beyond. You are the women that are going to change the world. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
I wanted to send a special thank you to my current exec board: Caroline Kinney, Yanet Ocampo, Alexandra Liberto, Ella Bruck, and Julie de Marte. Without you guys, I would have gone crazy this semester. For the three of you that aren’t graduating, I’m entrusting you with this chapter. I know that you will nourish it and help it grow into something much bigger than what I have left behind.
Muhlenberg Her Campus has grown so much over this past year. However, I still see a bright future ahead for this chapter. My hope is that this magazine will continue to be a beacon of light for all who read it and write for it. I hope that they will be able to find a piece of themselves in every article that is written and know they are never alone in their experiences. I hope that this magazine continues to hold itself to a high standard of inclusion, intersectionality, and self-reflection. Writing is powerful. Journalism is a form of activism and all of our writers are so privileged to have a platform; never take this lightly and always use this platform to institute positive forms of change. I am moving on to the next chapter of my life, but I will always support you all and be there if you ever need advice or someone to talk to.
I’ll end this with a quote: “I am proud of the woman I am today, because I went through one hell of a time becoming her.” This magazine helped me become the woman I am today and I am sure as hell going to miss it.