"Working my way to the over 1,890 published photos and articles that I’ve accumulated over the years was, quite frankly, an absurd task. First-year me desperately wanted to become an editor — without the audacity that The Student has granted me, I may have ended at just that."
"The energy of the newsroom and watching all these people, print after print, work towards something we loved created a space I never wanted to leave. I felt valued and was given a sense of purpose that filled my cup every single Wednesday."
"It became clear to me that even when I can’t give myself grace or have faith in myself, I have a whole team of people in my corner. People that I consider family and who will shower me with support and love."
"I remember stepping into my new role as editor and dreading going to meetings, editing stories or giving advice to my writers, because how was I at all qualified for this? I don’t belong here, and, in my head, everyone agreed. Nothing ever felt good enough."
"While stepping to the start line feels thrilling, crossing the “finish swine” feels illuminating. I always love seeing the line of goodies and refreshments the race organizers offer, and reuniting with family and friends for post-race debrief and brunch."
"Our nation was built on books, paintings, plays and music — it is a foundational part of our society and censorship directly threatens our democracy."
"Not only did people welcome me with open arms, but the people in the paper have easily become some of my best friends. Walking into the newsroom never felt like going to work. If anything, it feels like heading home after a long day at work. I can put my feet up, listen to music, play darts or cards or just talk about our days."
"And so, to the current staff of The Miami Student, and to all of those students before them, through two centuries … thank you. Thank you for shining a light. Thank you for being leaders. "
My memories of The Miami Student start with wax, not words. In the mid-1980s, when Bruno’s Pizza slices were 50 cents and dinosaurs roamed Oxford freely, student journalists burned fingers twice a week applying hot wax to two-inch wide strips of news copy spat out of a phototypesetting machine and trimmed with X-Acto knives. We literally bled for, and often on, our work.
During my stint as The Miami Student’s editorial page editor in 1974, I put considerable energy into opposing the university’s proposal to build an ice skating rink. I was paying my own way, and considered a $20 student fee for an ice rink to be an extravagant waste.
"If it weren’t for the relationships I’ve built through this newspaper, I don’t think I would still be at Miami today. When I say joining The Student is the best thing I’ve ever done, I mean it."
"The Student is where I found my friends, but also a passion. It has given me a pastime, an outlet, connections, a place on the sidelines, an awesome team and, above all, my best friends in the world."
"The Student has driven me to make college what I want it to be and has taught me not to let myself stick to what is comfortable and easy. Being creative while also working on something that is bigger than myself and can truly mean something has been such an amazing experience that I hope to continue until graduation."
"But as 'the Instagram guy,' I’ve seen the value in capturing many of the behind-the-scenes elements that have kept a publication such as The Student around long enough to celebrate 200 years."
"When I think about what The Student means to me, I think about having somewhere to go where I have a purpose. The Student filled a hole that I didn’t even know existed."
During his time in TMS Sam founded the GreenHawks section, was editor of the Opinion section, and was co-managing editor of The Miami Student Magazine, winning regional and state awards for his work. He’s now a freelance environmental journalist.
It’s been 50-plus years since the last story I wrote for The Miami Student (TMS) appeared in the Nov. 4, 1975, issue.
"My first semester was extremely challenging. But it was my friends at The Student who made me feel less alone."
"While anniversaries like The Miami Student’s bicentennial mark years of impressive tradition, they also act as a benchmark of the evolution of the news industry today. With an estimated 136 local newspapers closing in the last year, anniversaries of long-standing newspapers serve as a significant reminder of the importance of print journalism."