Well this is it. This is goodbye. It’s been an amazing run, and I’m definitely going to miss my time at the Daily Beacon and at UT.

Back in high school, in one of my English courses we read a poem entitled “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns. Now, while I may not have understood the Scottish poem then, or still to this day, to be honest, I do remember one line:

“The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men / Gang aft agley”

Essentially, it means that the best-laid plans never work out according to plan, and something is bound to go wrong.

And it’s 100% true. I knew coming into my freshman year that I had plans and goals and expectations lined up for myself and more than likely, things wouldn’t go according to plan. But no one could have predicted just how much change would happen.

While the coronavirus may have drastically altered my last few months at UT — taking away the opportunities of participating in graduation traditions, making a few last memories on campus, spending my last days within the orange walls of the Beacon’s office and so much more — it doesn’t change the fact that I truly had an amazing four years before that.

And out of everything that happened, the Beacon will always hold a special place in my heart. It has been an honor and a pleasure to be with the editorially independent news organization since my freshman year and to be able to lead a staff of dedicated students this last semester.

I mean, how many people can say they lead students through a pandemic and managed to somehow pull through? The Beacon is truly an important entity on campus for the very reason of what we’ve been trying to do all this time: keeping the UT community informed, giving students field experience and being a place to learn.

And that’s why we carried on with the plan to focus on one last special issue throughout the entire month of April: Climate Change and Crisis. Focused on climate change and the growing crisis of global warming, as well as keeping the community informed about the coronavirus, this special issue was aimed at informing the community about other issues that are still going on, even if they are put on the back burner as the world works towards grappling with the coronavirus pandemic.

But I couldn’t have done it without the help of so many people; individuals who pushed me to be a better leader, were there when I was down and made my college experience truly unique. I wanted to take a moment to thank them.

I want to first thank everyone I have met through my time with the Office of Student Media; from my staff who stuck through the tough times and came together to continue the legacy of bringing news to light, to the friends I’ve made with many at the Beacon, to people I met through interviews and connecting with sources, to those who were with the Beacon for only a short period and those I’ve known the whole time I’ve worked there. Each and every one of them has made my time at the Beacon memorable.

Next, I want to extend a huge thank you to Jerry Bush, John Kennedy and Summer Johnston. Without these three wonderful individuals, the Office of Student Media wouldn’t exist in the capacity it has. John’s mentorship and enthusiasm to help students learn about videography and explore different branches of media has helped start so much great content. Jerry’s advice and guidance in this position has been invaluable in helping to figure out how to navigate difficult times and so much more. And Summer has been a guardian sitting up front and always taking a moment to speak with each person coming in, putting us all in a better mood.

Lastly, I want to thank my family who have stuck with me since the beginning. I want you all to know that all of my accomplishments and my college journey wouldn’t have been the same without you. Mom, Dad, Konrad — you all have been my rock during the toughest times, kept me sane when the anxiety got real and cheered me on with every small milestone. Thank you for everything.

Thank you to the students, thank you UT and thank you to the Volunteer community for making Rocky Top my home.

The Beacon is in great hands as I have no doubt that Alexandra DeMarco and Calista Boyd will do an amazing job as Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor, respectfully.

Good luck with everything Vol nation!

And with that I’d like to introduce the new Editor-in-Chief: Alexandra DeMarco!

Hey all, I’m Alexandra, and I’m so looking forward to serving as the Beacon’s Editor-in-Chief. I’m currently a sophomore studying journalism and electronic media and French, and I have a passion for student media and empowering students’ voices. I am so excited for the future and enthusiastic about working with the UT community in the midst of the craziness that our world is currently experiencing. Here’s to a great upcoming year!