Today, the word “bittersweet” is on my mind, as I need to start this message by letting you know it will be my last as editor of Wider Horizons. I left for the only job I could ever imagine loving more than editing this publication, which is editing Arches, the alumni magazine of my alma mater, the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash. It’s a part-time, remote contract position, which means I’ll still be based in Lethbridge, and now will get to head back to the Pacific Northwest a bit more often to share in celebrations and get a sense of the campus and its people today. I can’t wait to tell the stories of the alumni who learned and grew in the place that shaped me so much.
As excited as I am, it was a really difficult decision, as I have loved being a part of the Kodiaks community for nearly 13 years. It has been a complete privilege to share the stories of the people, places and ideas that make this place so special. And I’ll confess that it has been hard saying goodbye to so many good people – including you, our readers. You have been patient and supportive as I learned something new with each issue, and I became a better editor because of your generosity of ideas, feedback and encouragement.
Thank you. Thank you for helping make this magazine a reflection of the dedicated, vibrant, interesting and fun community of grads, employees, partners and friends. Thanks for being people I feel so very connected to and part of a community I am honoured to have a place in. Thank you for helping make Lethbridge feel like home.
The sweet part of bittersweet is that my talented colleague Tina Karst (Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism 2005) has been promoted to the institution’s senior writer and will be the new editor of Wider Horizons. Our team has been deliberate in succession planning, and Tina and I collaborated on a number of projects these last two years including the memorable “The New Buffalo” issue of Wider Horizons last fall.
While the succession came a little sooner than anyone had planned, our whole team is confident that Tina has the great storytelling skills, the deep knowledge and experience, and the incredible connections within the institution and in our alumni and southern Alberta communities to thrive in her new role. And it’s pretty cool knowing both of us will be editing the alumni magazines of our alma maters (which you can read more about on p. 2). I hope you welcome her as warmly as you’ve welcomed me.
The other reason we are confident you will be in good hands is because art director Dana Woodward, the creative rockstar of a designer who has made these pages look so beautiful the past 13 years, will continue to bring you a publication that has an incredible look, feel and focus. Dana is one of the best in the design business, and working on these last 36 issues with him has been both a privilege and a pleasure. Thank you, Dana.
And now, it looks like I am running out of space, and so for our last time I’ll say it (this time with tears in my eyes): Thank you for reading. We hope you enjoy this issue.
