As a senior, there are a lot of “lasts” – my last Spree Day, my day of classes, my last late-night breakfast, my last final. But this one, my last edition of The Scarlet, is one that I have been dreading all year. 

The Scarlet was the first club I joined, and the first table that caught my eye at the Involvement Fair in 2021, my first year. I remember calling my mom right after that general interest meeting, exclaiming how excited I was to start writing my very first article! 

I remember that first year, my good friend, and News Editor, Sophia Lindstrom and I were pretty much the only two non-e-board members who consistently showed up to meetings. We were holding down the fort during those post-quarantine times. 

Four years and almost 25 articles later, I am writing what likely will be my last contribution in our 11th printed edition of the year. Through my time, growing as a writer and an editor, I have not only learned so much about the Clark community, but also about myself, and what inspires me to “challenge convention, change our world.”

Journalism, to me, is about starting conversations. Between peers and community members. About vastly different opinions. Asking the who, what, when, where, why and how about issues that matter to them. And I feel like I have accomplished that, not only for myself, but for the Clark community as well.

Throughout my time in The Scarlet, I moved from contributor to Scarlet Staff to editor. I learned something new with each of those roles. But none has taught me more than the editor positions I was lucky enough to hold, especially this past year as Editor-in-Chief. I am so beyond proud of everything each writer, editor and contributor has accomplished this year, and I am in awe of our four other seniors who will be moving on to their next adventure, starting new conversations elsewhere.

I want to thank you all for your hard work these past years. I also want to thank you for trusting me not only to lead but also to work alongside and write with this incredible team. This goodbye is inherently sad. But I am so happy to have something so meaningful to say goodbye to. 

So, as I pass my imaginary gavel to the next generation of Scarlet Staff and editors, I encourage you all to ask the questions you want answers to and be grateful for all the answers you get, even the ones you don’t like or agree with. Because those will only help you grow. Four years do go by fast, and I don’t want you to waste a minute.

All my love,

Ava Orofino ‘25

Editor-in-Chief (soon to be) Emeritus