There’s a little wooden plaque that sits on my nightstand at home that reads, “when you get there, remember where you came from”. When I first started my journey with Odyssey, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Initially I wanted to be a content creator for my university’s team, however my enthusiasm for Odyssey grew exponentially when I took on the role of EIC.

As with most things, there was (and still is) a huge learning curve. I had to learn how to manage a team of people I didn’t really know, inspire them to create incredible articles, get the word out to my school and the public, and balance it all while actually attending classes and maintaining a strict golf schedule, so I thought adding EIC to my list of commitments was both a curse and a blessing. I never dreamed I would get so lucky to be a part of IWU’s Odyssey community. A community that is bursting with brilliant writers, who challenge concepts, support each other, and love to laugh.

I have learned that while being EIC is a challenge, it is also so full of opportunity. My creators push me to strive to be the best leader I can be. When I need support, they are the first ones to let me know they are there for me. Because of my team of content creators, I am constantly reminded how important it is to just be myself. They teach me that confidence in myself, and my team, is by far the most important part of being a leader.

My team of creators never fails to write from their hearts. They consistently stand behind me and write for Odyssey because they simply love to write. And let me tell you, they’re damn good at it too. Every article I edit, I am in awe of the writing voices each of my creators have developed. Sara, one of my contributing editors, has the most perfect conversational voice. I can hear her voice in my head, as if she’s sitting next to me, reading her article aloud. Arjun has this incredible newspaper voice. He can write about any topic with a completely unbiased viewpoint, but he can also calmly present a touchy subject that I could never do. Arielle writes about things that are important to her, and because of that, I have learned so much about things I never used to know existed, and she does it all with an incredibly beautiful and witty voice. Sam has captured writing about college in the most perfect way. She is real and honest and expresses emotion through her writing voice. Megan has nailed her writing voice. She challenges stereotypes and/or concepts without attacking anyone. She wrote this incredible article on beauty pageants and why eliminating the swimsuit portion won't help change the way people view women. I mean, if that doesn't get you fired up, I don't know what would. Hadeley’s articles can inspire just about anyone, regardless of your beliefs. She has such an empowering writing voice that makes you feel like you can do just about anything. John is hilarious. He can write an article filled with pictures of delicious looking grilled cheese sandwiches, and make it eloquent and funny and memorable. Cady’s writing is witty, but she also uses her articles to inform people on concepts that many don’t know anything about. Maddie is just fun. I never really know what kind of article to expect from her, but her writing is happy and super real. She can capture everyone’s thoughts perfectly, particularly when you read her article on "Bachelor in Paradise". Olivia is so sweet. I mean, she wrote an article entitled “50 Thank You’s to My Love”. It is the most genuine and kind writing, and she captures things in her life that are so relatable. Kevin’s writing is so blunt, and I love it. His articles are full of humor with a side of realism, explaining to readers things like why we need to read more horror stories because they’re exhilarating. Melissa is real. She addresses all kinds of topics, and always nails the feelings and thoughts going through her readers' heads. Diana captures feelings. She writes about raw human emotions and why it’s okay to feel them, something not many people can do, and do well. And last, but not least, we have Paula. Paula has the uncanny ability to capture everyone’s thoughts and feelings at that moment. I read her articles and suddenly am like ‘yeah, I do that!’ or, ‘yeah, that is definitely me’.

So, to my creators, I know I don’t say it enough, but thank you. Thank you for supporting me, and for writing some killer articles that I truly love to read. Being your EIC is so rewarding. You make my job fun! Thank you for all you do. You all are, by far, the best part about being an EIC.

I don’t know where or what “there” signifies on that little wooden plaque. But I can assure you, I remember where I came from. I remember having an average of 32 questions a day when my community launched, and I remember some of the most awkward phone interviews ever. I remember hiring each of my creators, and I remember learning the ropes of Odyssey right along with them. It has been an incredible journey, and I can’t wait to continue to watch my team grow.