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A farewell letter from your editor-in-chief

Men’s soccer won the America East championship back in November 2016. (Matt Dwyer/Connector)

Dear UMass Lowell,

It has been an absolute pleasure serving as the editor-in-chief of The Connector for the last two years and bringing you news for the last four. As we present the final Connector issue of the year, I want to sincerely thank you, the readers, whether this is the first or 25th issue you’ve picked up this year.

I want to remind you that are the reason The Connector has been improving rapidly along with the entire campus. We comprise a more talented, engaged and driven student body than ever before that has translated from the classroom to the newsroom and any other extracurricular venture we have undertaken thus far.

From convocation to this weekend’s Spring Carnival, we have logged countless hours making UMass Lowell the most interactive environment for everyone, and those efforts have certainly been noted and rewarded.

We have been an active, forward-thinking campus, challenging the status quo and fighting for what we believed in this year. We participated in the Women’s March in Boston, spoke our minds about hate speech on campus and university policies, and peacefully protested the election of President Donald Trump. Our social and political activism is a flame that should only burn brighter on a such an educated campus, and that is something to remember and celebrate.

Athletically, we have put forth our best year of Division I competition turning the corner on our transition to full eligibility. We won our second America East championship as a university in as many years, putting on our best men’s soccer season in school history as one of the top teams in the nation. And who could forget the Hockey East title we claimed just over a month ago? On the field, on the ice and the hardwood, there’s nowhere to go but up.

Most importantly, we continue to learn from some of the professors – industry and research leaders – who make us some of the smartest students in the area before we even hit the workforce. We have put that knowledge to excellent use this year, whether through DifferenceMaker, the America East Hackathon or anything in between. This certainly is not your parents’ University of Lowell or your grandparents’ Lowell Tech or Lowell State.

I apologize if this sounds like a commencement speech, but after four years, I could not have had a better experience at UMass Lowell and being involved with The Connector.

Most of all, however, to every person I have had the experience to meet, collaborate or be affiliated with at this prestigious institution, I cherish that experience from the bottom of my heart. I wish my graduating class, all returning students, and everyone affiliated with UMass Lowell the best of luck in your future endeavors.

As for The Connector, your news tips, comments, questions, and concerns will be in good hands with rising junior Taylor Carito taking over the paper starting in May. The future of your news, however, is in your hands as much as it is hers and the newspaper’s, reporter or not.

The Connector will look for new and innovative ways to keep you informed in the future while continuing to operate from a neutral journalistic standpoint to serve the needs of this campus. Together, you will continue to make UMass Lowell better one step at a time, and that’s something you will want to read all about.

Sincerely,

Marlon Pitter

Marlon Pitter is a former editor-in-chief of the UMass Lowell Connector. Hailing from Hartford, Conn., he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in journalism and professional writing and a digital media minor in 2017. Follow him on Twitter @marlonpresents.

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