Dear TMS … I love you :)

I’m not the best at goodbyes.

They hit me the hardest because I don’t feel them coming until they’re actually here.

But, here we are.

I can confidently say that I wouldn’t be half the journalist I am today without The Miami Student.

This newsroom has been my home since the moment I stepped on campus. For four years at this university, I’ve spent countless hours in our newsroom surrounded by pea-green-colored walls. In this room, I pitched some of my favorite story ideas, was mentored by people I admire and made some of my best friends.

But more importantly, this is where I fell in love with local news.

The Student created a space for my creativity to run wild, and through my work I was able to see tangible examples of how journalism was informing the community. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing my bylines in print. But The Student showed me that this work isn’t for me – it’s for this beautiful community.

With every story I’ve written I tried my hardest to include perspectives of people who weren’t always in the limelight. Whether it was a young mom balancing classes and raising her son, Miami’s tumultuous history with race, or a student's experience with the Title IX process on campus, I wanted my sources to feel heard and that their stories mattered.

My service as a journalist is to the people, and those roots were planted here at The Student.

But The Student helped me grow more than just professionally.

I spent most of my college career figuring out life at this newspaper. The paper brought me to my closest friends who helped me navigate my early twenties, heartbreak and the anxieties of a looming post-grad life.

It’s also brought me a hell of a lot of laughs.

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The late production nights where myself and friends break out into British accents to stay awake.

The time our editor-in-chief found me asleep under my desk after a long week of classes.

Absolutely crushing other teams in a dodgeball tournament alongside our Sports editor (only to lose on a bogus technicality. Yes, we're still bitter).

Volleyball with the staff at Hueston Woods.

I have so many happy memories with this staff. I know they say time goes by when you’re having fun. But damn, that was quick.

So I just want to thank The Miami Student for connecting me with the best people, giving me good laughs, memories to last a lifetime and challenging me to be the best I could be.

I’m so grateful for this experience and can’t wait to see what the future holds for this publication.

I love you TMS. Thanks, for everything.

@briah_lumpkins

lumpkibm@miamioh.edu