It’s the last issue of The Globe, an inevitably bittersweet occasion for those of us who put it together every week. It’s sweet because at last we are regaining our Mondays and at least some of our sanity, and it’s bitter because we are losing Sara Payne.

Sara Payne is The Globe’s current Co-Copy Desk Chief and its former Editor-in-Chief, Editor-Elect and Co-Features editor.

Sara is committed to the foundational tenets of journalism. She values accuracy, clarity and good writing. Over the course of her tenure at The Globe, she has elevated the quality of both individual articles and the paper’s direction as a whole.

She has been unapologetic in her attempts to make The Globe the best it can be, something that has rankled some people. But her tenacity is impressive and important, and we know it will serve her well in the future.

Those of us who have been here for several semesters remember her tenure as Editor-in-Chief fondly. It was apparent to everyone how dedicated she was to crafting this publication into something that every student who contributed to its creation could be proud of.

There was never any doubt that Sara was 100 percent committed to making The Globe something special. It comes with the territory. The Editor-in-Chief can’t be someone who would ever slack off or put it low on their list of priorities. The position requires persistence and leadership, and she has them in spades.

Sara’s predecessor, Marina Weiss, beamed with praise for her when told The Globe was writing this piece.

“[Sara] learned from the beginning the stress of putting a paper together and it made her tough,” Weiss, former Editor-in-Chief, said. “Most impressive of all her traits, she is calm when dealing with adversity. [She is] a true example for others as a leader.”

As Editor-in-Chief, Payne made sure to assemble a staff filled with those who were dedicated to the quality of the newspaper. She inspired her staff and her writers to continue creating content and gaining experience.

Payne brought several new members to The Globe staff during her time as Editor-in-Chief, including some of the current editorial staff. She pushed these new “Globies” to write as often as possible in addition to editing stories, giving young journalists the opportunity to grow and learn in a realistic newspaper environment.

Just 19 when she took up the mantle, Payne was an authoritative leader but a joy to work under. It was clear she knew what she wanted to do with the paper, and she inspired those working with her to follow her vision. She made the nervous freshmen working in journalism for the first time as at ease as veteran reporters, and the Globe became a family with Sara in charge.

Thanks for everything, Sara. We’ll miss you, but we look forward to seeing how you use your considerable talent and drive next.