The Free Press Says Goodbye to Several Seniors

Very soon, the Free Press will be losing some of our most valuable staff members as they move on to the next chapter in their lives.

 

Among these is Nathan Wuertenberg, who is currently the Managing Editor. He’s been involved with the paper since he was a freshman. His inspiration for commentary writing

comes from his dad, a the commentary editor for a paper near his hometown.

 

What was your favorite part about being on the staff?

Definitely writing. Always writing. I haven’t gotten to do a lot of it recently and I miss it already.

 

What advice would you give to underclassmen who might be interested in getting involved?

Just do it. It’s really easy and you’ll learn a lot from it.

 

What will you miss most about the Free Press? And about McDaniel?

I’m going to miss the new Free Press room that I was only lucky enough to enjoy for one semester. I wish it had been as nice as it is now my freshman year. I’m also going to

miss my friends and professors, but that’s what Facebook is for, right?

 

Also graduating is Copy Editor Jenna Little, who has held the position for several years now. She will be graduating with majors in Communication and Spanish, as well as a

Film and Video Studies minor. She became involved with the Free Press through her FYS.

 

How did your involvement with the Free Press affect your college career and beyond?

The Free Press allowed me to become more involved on campus by meeting new people while also helping me gain valuable skills such as interviewing, writing, and editing that I have used throughout my classes. But most importantly, I have gained the confidence to learn new things and take on leadership roles.

 

What are your plans for after college?

I am currently applying for jobs and look forward to beginning a career in the communication/media field.

 

What will you miss most about the Free Press? And about McDaniel?

I will miss our meetings, brainstorming story ideas and learning about McDaniel events.

I will miss so many things about McDaniel. I will miss the communication department and the small moments of hanging around campus but I will miss most all of my Phi Mu sisters and their support here on campus.

 

Sports Editor Cullen Murray-Kemp got involved with the paper when he transferred to McDaniel his junior year. He names Dean Lisa Breslin as a big reason why he got

involved.

 

What was your favorite part about being on the staff?

Being able to cover the campus from multiple angles and having people read and laugh at what I wrote.

 

What advice would you give to underclassmen who might be interested in getting involved?

Write stories that interest you. Try to be different, and craft your own unique voice.

 

What are your plans for after college? Journalism- wherever I may be.

 

There are also several graduating seniors who used to be involved on the staff, and without them, the Free Press would not be what it is today. One such person is Megan

Robinson, who stepped down from her position as Web Editor during the Fall of her senior year. She had a large part in the transition of the Free Press from print to online.

 

What advice would you give to underclassmen who might be interested in getting involved?

Definitely get involved in the Free Press or any other media publications you can and don’t be afraid to move around within the organization. It’s great to have a variety of experiences in communications because it makes you more marketable in the work force and might help you to discover a niche that really interests you.

 

What are your plans for after college?

I am planning on attending graduate school either full time and working as a graduate assistant or part-time and working full-time, hopefully in the communications field.

 

Anything else you want to add?

The more you put into college the more you get out of it. Students can easily find opportunities available to them are limited if they don’t commit themselves fully to

exploring every option out there. Always take advantage of experiences that will allow you to grow professionally and personally because they will make you more successful

and self-aware in the long run.

 

Emma Simon was the Free Press Features Editor before she decided to let someone else fill the position so she could focus on her senior year.

 

Why and when did you first get involved with the Free Press?

I first got involved with the Free Press during my sophomore year. I had always had an interest in writing, news, and journalism and had taken a couple of classes in it and decided to take the Newspaper Practicum that semester to start working with the Free

Press team.

 

What was your favorite part about being on the staff?

My favorite part of being on the staff was the openness and freedom that went along with the work. Nobody was ever viewed as silly or outrageous for bringing up a unique

story idea, and I really like that uniqueness in comparison to other college papers. I also enjoyed being a Section Editor because it allowed me to see the amazing progress of newer reporters on the Free Press.

 

What will you miss most about the Free Press? And about McDaniel?

I’ll miss the people here – both on the Free Press staff and within the McDaniel community. People here are so friendly and open-minded for the most part, and that

is a big part of what drew me to this college in the first place (aside from the gorgeous campus).

 

Last but not least, there is Sarah Miller. She did not get involved until her senior year,

but she was a vital part of the renovation project we undertook this Jan Term. Without

her, the Free Press Office would still be dark, cluttered, and full of rats.

 

What was your favorite part about being on the staff?

The Jan-term project took a lot of time and energy, but I got a lot out of it in terms of bonding with friends, learning what skills I had (in construction and otherwise), and getting to meet other people on staff.

 

What advice would you give to underclassmen who might be interested in getting involved?

Start now! There’s no reason to wait. I wish I had gotten involved with the Free Press earlier so I better knew how to fit it into my schedule. I think with all the great changes that are happening, especially with the move online, now is a great time to get involved

(and put it on a CV).

 

What are your plans for after college?

I’ll be attending Carnegie Mellon University where I will study Rhetoric. My end-goal is to teach, but if I get lucky I might find myself writing or doing advertising.

 

To our seniors, we will miss you, and we wish you the best of luck as you go on to whatever lies ahead!