Wow, issue 5 is here at last, and if there has ever been a term that has flown by, its been this one. I feel as though I have blinked and the entire term has passed by in a giant swoop. I have really enjoyed being EIC for The Iron Warrior and was happy to be able to accomplish the goals I set out for myself this term. I just want to give you an overview of the term to showcase our amazing team we have working so hard to bring you the paper every two weeks.
Well apart from this last editorial, which I am writing in a very sleep-deprived state on Sunday night, I have been able to write all of my editorials in advance and tried to put a great deal of thought into them. For those of you who actually took the time to read them, thank you for taking the time to do so. I hope I didn’t waste your time.
I have also introduced a few additional columns into the paper this term. The “Letter from an Alumus” column has started off well. Thank you to Amanda Hoff for your idea sharing and for writing the inaugural letter. I would also like to thank Sean O’Neill, EngSoc’s Alumni Officer, for helping me to contact alumni for the purposes of writing articles for us.
Engineers Without Borders have also been fantastic contributors to The Iron Warrior this term. I would like to thank all of the EWB Correspondents for their wonderful and insightful articles. Thank you also goes out to Connor Allaby, EWB VP External, for coordinating all of their submissions.
Next, I had the pleasure of working with Chris Vandevelde, EngSoc’s Historian Director, to obtain WEEF funding. Our WEEF proposal requested $2500 to have our old archives professionally scanned and placed online. The older issues of the paper going back 30 years are very delicate and in need of some tender, loving care. After the funding council meeting, we received $625, 25% of our total funding request. I will be presenting this same proposal at the Spring 2011 WEEF meeting and hopefully start the archiving process sometime in August. Stay tuned for old issues of The Iron Warrior to make their way to the website relatively soon! Thank you to Chris for all of your assistance in making this possible, go team!
Now for some big big big time thanking to the wonderful staff who have been working on the Iron Warrior this term. This has really become an IW family this term. I had a goal back in January to expand our staff and make the paper as inclusive as possible. I wasn’t really sure how to go about this, but talking incessantly about the paper for the past four months seems to have done the trick. There are always people in the office, stopping by to offer a hand in whatever way they can, and several new faces have joined our team who have been fantastic contributors. I loved having you around this term!
Then there were the production weekends. For anyone who hasn’t seen one of our production weekends, let me paint a mental image for you. Imagine coffee, and more coffee, all around. And laptops. And yelling, crying, laughing, hysterical laughing, singing, power napping and snacking. There is definitely an emotional roller-coaster ride that goes along with these weekends and I wouldn’t change them at all. “Where is your face?!”
Before going any further, I must thank the graduating contributors to The Iron Warrior. There are so many people graduating this term who have added such amazing variety to our paper and worked with the paper for as long as I can remember. Your amazing writing, which has been passionate, insightful, and hilarious, will be missed. Previous contributors who are now graduating include Lisa Tong and Jay Shah. Shout outs to two amazing EICs from terms past, Amrita Yasin and Michelle Croal. You have both been very welcoming and inspirational to me over my time working on the paper. Our recent addition to the paper, Bobby Leung, has done a great deal in the short amount of time that he has been writing for us. Thank you for taking on little tasks this term and offering such great ideas at our meetings. Spencer McEwan, you have been a frequent contributor to the paper over the years, writing on a variety of topics this term alone. Jon Radice of Review Based on the Trailer, is also graduating this term. Your articles never cease to make me laugh, thank you for sharing your awesome movie insight in such a fun way! Our much loved Brew Man Group is also graduating this term. Dan Armstrong and Neil Partridge, thank you both for your witty and well-written articles that have shown me all that beer has to offer. Props to hops forever! Another fantastic columnist has single-handedly gotten many into running, the safe and healthy way, rain or shine. Kirsten Hoedlmoser always manages to inspire me and I am very sad to see her graduate. Thank you so much for sharing your amazing drive and zest for fitness and wellness, it really is contagious. Finally, I would like to thank Sean O’Neill for his Chad Sexington articles. You have written for The Iron Warrior for as long as I remember. I have no doubt that you will always stay sexy.
I would also like to thank Mary Bland for all of the advice she has offered me this term regarding The Iron Warrior and just about everything else in my life. I cannot tell you how much it means to have your help answering all of the questions I have and that you are always there to share your wisdom and listen. I am really looking forward to working with you for the next year with 2012 GradComm plans.
Many IW staff members have gone particularly above and beyond this term. Firstly, to the wonderful copy editors – Sydney Bateman, Alex Hogeveen Rutter, and Adriana Cameron – you have done a brilliant job editing, always in a very timely fashion. Thank you for your precision and flexibility. I would also like to thank Jacob Terry and Adriana Cameron for their distribution expertise! I really appreciate all of the help you provided getting the paper out all over campus and beyond!
Thank you so the wonderful staff writers who take on so many articles every issue. Adriana Cameron and Trevor Jenkins, you are like a swarm of writing furry. And it’s awesome! Thank you for covering all of the serious topics that you did this term.
Now, Angelo Alaimo, you get your own paragraph for sure. I cannot thank you enough for your help. Beyond help. You have been way more than an assistant editor this term. You do layout, copy editing, photo editing, answer all of the technology related questions I have, help me make basically every decision and have been the best teacher of how to be an EIC that I could ask for. And it’s your 3B term too! You are a rock star and a great friend, thank you!
This brings me to The Iron Warrior staff awards for the term. This term we had two outstanding contributors worthy of the Editor’s Award. First is Erin Matheson – you write like a fiend, you are as sassy as they come, and I don’t know how you find the time in the day to do all that you do. How did you get so fantastic girl? Thank you for your wonderful contributions that never cease to make me laugh out loud over and over. Your advice on layout and content suggestions has been brilliant all term long and I cannot thank you enough for your dedication.
The next Editor’s Award goes to Jacob Terry. Dear Jacob, you are only in 1B and have already taken on a huge role in with The Iron Warrior. You distribute papers like a mad man, have been an IW Twitter champion, and think of the most amazing article topics. You are always here to help and it has been a pleasure working with you this term. I cannot thank you enough for having offered such a refreshing and positive perspective for IW and myself this term. Stay awesome!
The next award is that of the Iron Pen. This recipient wrote over 15,000 words for the paper this term and has been an outstanding contributor to the paper for years now. Coincidentally, he is also going to be the next Editor-in-Chief of The Iron Warrior. Jon Martin, you are amazing. Thank you for your dedication, editing, distributing and writing at a moment’s notice. You were around for every production weekend and have learned a great deal to be EIC already – especially a huge thank you for this last production weekend for stepping in on Saturday for me. Best of luck as EIC in Fall 2011. I will be here to help you in any way I can.
I would also like to wish Mikayla Micomonaco good luck next term, Spring 2011, when A-Soc comes back on term. Let me know if you need any help, I am also a call away.
Lastly, I must mention the amazing people in my life who have made everything I do possible. Your support has really saved me this term. My wonderful family – thank you for your support, for reading The Iron Warrior, for always encouraging me and understanding why I am always so busy. Can’t wait to live at home this summer! I also have the best friends in the world. Mike Soares, Kev Ling, Adam Klett, Sydney Bateman, Graham Stonebridge, Natalia Skomorowski, Trevor Jenkins, Mike Seliske, Hannah Lindsey, Scott Rankin, Kirsten Hoedlmoser, Jon Warren, Marc Tan, Drew Lemke, Kristen Roberts, Scott Hooker, Chris Szybalski, Megan Pollock and Noel McGregor. I love you guys, thank you for always being there for me, to listen and to help and, most importantly, to have fun. You are boppin’! <3
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