Congratulations to The Current, Again

For the third year in a row, The Current student newspaper at The University of Missouri-St. Louis has won the highest award, Best in State, at the Missouri College Media Association conference. I was at the banquet Saturday night because I was enticed out of retirement to substitute for the person who usually reads the list of awards in some 28 categories. Best in State is the last one to be announced and the winner was covered by a strip that I had to remove from the sheet. I was almost speechless, and so proud of this staff that I had advised for 14 years, from August of 1994 through August of 2008.

Congratulations also to the officers of MCMA this year for a well-organized convention. Sarah Hale was a great president and her adviser, Jason Young, was great as MCMA adviser--a job I've done three times during those 14 years. It takes forbearance to guide and encourage young people to lead their loosely structured organization without grabbing the reins and doing it yourself in the guise of "showing" or "helping" them. This group did it right, and next year's president from CMSU will also do a commendable job, based on my conversation with him tonight.

Norm got to go the the dinner with me. Oh, and my former colleagues, the dear advisers whom I have loved working with for so long, who have inspired me on many fronts, all got together and made up an award for me, too, which was presented in surprising fashion: Adviser of the Year for 2008. I've received this award twice before, but this one meant a lot. It means that maybe I've said one thing or helped someone and that has made a difference somewhere. Just as The Current's strong showing says that they are continuing a legacy that is now in their hands. It was a good evening and a good farewell to my advising days. I am grateful.

The Current's online edition is found here if anyone wants to check them out.