I signed the desk drawer yesterday. It signifies the end. It means the beginning.

This is the moment where I can say I am proud of where I have been, but where I am going gets a bit fuzzy. Change. Transition. I’ve never been good at this part.

For the past four years, I have worked at The Nevada Sagebrush in some capacity. I started as a volunteer reporter in the first days of my college career and moved quickly to assistant news editor. I spent my sophomore semesters as news editor and the following two years as editor in chief.

Every editor of the Sagebrush since 1937 has signed the desk. Past editors include former adviser to Ronald Reagan and Nevada lobbyist Sig Rogich and Pulitzer Prize winner Warren Lerude. I added my name on May 2, 2011. Photo by Tony Contini, tonycontini.com

While the breaking news of student deaths, the loss of a university president, decimating budget cuts, a legislative special session and more threw plenty of surprises — that is all expected in a newsroom.

When I was elected editor, I knew to expect even more of the unexpected.

I battled a declining economy, which put advertising revenues in the gutter. I kept the student newspaper independent while still financially afloat, even though that meant lay-offs and other tough changes. With a leaner staff, I streamlined operations to create a more productive and efficient organization that still produced a top-notch product. I built a stronger infrastructure, focused on the changing technology for online media and taught the younger generation the ins and outs of the journalism industry.

So despite what seemed like constant challenges, I still had a sense of cohesion and consistency.

For every stressful missed deadline, a polished product followed. For each sleepless night, at least ten inappropriate inside jokes and a new friendship formed. For a critical editing session, a thousand words of praise and an irreplaceable lesson were close behind.

To put it simply, as I signed the desk: “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

As I move on, I’m not really sure what’s next. And that part’s scary.

I am starting an internship at the Las Vegas Review-Journal later this month. I eventually hope to move to Santiago, Chile, to teach English and explore other parts of South America.

I know I want to be a prominent force in the journalism industry, but I need to gain a deeper global awareness and happen upon more life experiences first.

I’m excited for the future, but am nervous to leave behind what I have known for so long and truly come to love.

The Sagebrush means a lot to me. It’s not only the place I furthered my love for the First Amendment and came to truly understand the importance of journalism, but it’s the place — in a lot of ways — where I learned and developed who I am for where I’m headed next … wherever that may be.

—JDF