A fond farewell from the managing editor

As I rummaged through bins of old Sandspur issues with our staff in preparation for the newspaper’s 125th anniversary, I was in awe of decades worth of material. Thousands of staff members have worked diligently over the years to memorialize our school’s history. And, I am so honored to have played some small part in keeping this tradition alive.

The yellowing pages from past Sandspur issues chronicle hundreds of years of Rollins’ past. The great peaks and valleys that this school has faced are preserved in real-time. Inspecting these issues makes it clear just how large of a role the Sandspur has played in protecting Rollins’ legacy. Under Ellie Rushing’s fearless and dedicated leadership as editor-in-chief, we have tried desperately to restructure The Sandspur into a more investigative news source over my tenure as managing editor. However, the truth is that this newspaper has always been a treasure.

Looking back at my past four years at this school, there are so many defining moments that stand out.  Rollins will be missed.  But since the first moment I joined this staff as a freshman, The Sandspur has been a staple to my story. While running a weekly publication with so few staff members entailed a lot of hard work, it has well been worth it, and the dedication from our staff members has shown through time and time again.   

Our school’s mission of global citizenship and responsible leadership permeates throughout so many aspects of student life. However, The Sandspur is at the heart of it all. 

It is within these pages that the students’ voices are represented, that the accomplishments of the community are highlighted, and that light is shed on some on the pressing campus issues. Our staff works tirelessly to ensure that we are able to publish stories that need to be told. We do it because we understand the immense value of this publication—and we are so proud to be able to give the various facets of this community a voice.  

In a post-truth era of fake news and alternative facts, it can be difficult to work in journalism. 

Distrust ravages the discipline. Though I am well aware that not everyone reads The Sandspur every week, it is important that this publication continues to flourish. While other student publications flounder and dissolve, ours must continue to stay strong. Even if it only serves a small service to the community, a free student press must always be preserved at all costs. So, fellow Rollins students, I hope you protect it well, now that we’re gone.

Here’s to another 125 years.

Christina Fuleihan was the managing editor of The Sandspur.