Jake Dabkowski, Editor-in-Chief

As the immortal Stepa J. Groggs once said: “What a year it’s been, a lot of ups and downs.”

There’s so much that I could say about this past academic year, and even more that I could say about my entire experience at Point Park University. There’s enough that I could fill an entire newspaper – fourteen times over. But after today, I no longer have a newspaper to fill, so I think that what’s best for everyone is for me to give an earnest, and honest, farewell.

Point Park University is an amazing place. Pittsburgh is a very special city, and unlike other Pittsburgh based universities that exist in their own little bubbles, Point Park is distinctly Pittsburgh. Living Downtown for four years, both on campus and off, has been the experience of a lifetime. I will miss Downtown with all my heart.

Point Park, on the other hand, I will only miss with some of my heart. I would love to say that my experience here was perfect, but that would be a clear violation of journalistic standards.

While working with The Globe, it has become very apparent to me that the university administration does not like the stories that the newspaper chooses to cover. They have made attempts to push back on stories that were thoroughly reported on – most notably our coverage of Interim President Chris Brussalis’ appointment. I am fearful that, in the future, the university will take action to attempt to limit this newspaper, and although I will no longer be involved, it would break my heart to see that happen.

Our newspaper is an incredibly well-regarded newspaper. Under my tenure we were given the Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper for our region by the Society of Professional Journalists. This is a huge accomplishment, and I am incredibly proud of the staff of this paper for all of their work. Beyond that, I received a Mark of Excellence Award, and additionally have been listed as a finalist for three Golden Quills.

To be clear, this paper got this recognition for being independent and for covering the stories that we chose to cover accurately. If the university wants The Globe to continue to thrive, they should allow the talented students who run it to continue to do so as they see fit. That is the entire purpose of student-run media.

There is a lot that could be said about administrative decisions at Point Park, and I am not going to act like I am an expert on business. However, I do believe that there is a disconnect between the goals of the administration and the needs of the student body. There’s only so much that I can say about that, but I do believe that the administration needs to reevaluate its goals in post-pandemic Pittsburgh.

Of course, I couldn’t write this reflection without mentioning the pandemic. A truly awful and terrible time that fundamentally shaped the person I am, I must give the university credit – they handled COVID-19 successfully and safely and were able to get us in the classroom as much as possible.

Which reinforces my point – if the administration listens to the needs of students, and students are willing to recognize that the university is never going to be perfect, then Point Park can continue being an amazing place.

I’d like to take a moment to thank everyone who has ever worked on The Globe staff – you all rock. I’d like to also take a moment to give a shout out to my roommates I had during junior year – Dan Russo, Zack Lawrey, Zac Wittman, Krys Baklarz, and Michael Zimmerman – thank you for playing Nerf with me.

Outside of Point Park, I’d like to give a shout out to my bandmates in The Moon is a Hologram – Zach Strennen and Marco, the Tiny Drone. They are two of my best friends, and it is an honor to make music with them.

Lastly, I’d like to say thank you to my parents, family, and anyone else who has supported me through these past four years – especially Maggie English, my girlfriend and partner.

That’s pretty much all I have to say at this point. Trans rights are human rights, legalize marijuana, and fire Warden Harper. And of course – thank you for reading.

Mason Strawn, Co-Sports Editor

Four years, three presidents, two majors, and one pandemic later. I’m still trying to figure out how I got here a lot of times. From committed to another school for almost an entire summer until a week before classes, to walking across a stage in a cap and gown in 10 days and receiving a handshake from a man who has been running this school for less than a semester. Roller coaster is nowhere close to the definition of this college experience I’d say. 

There’s been a lot of good, a lot of bad, even a little bit of ugly through it all. Point Park and college itself has been an adventure that I don’t think any individual on this planet could have prepared me for. I met friends who I never thought I’d get along with, befriended professors I thought I’d never actually meet, and enjoyed classes I thought I’d hate with a burning passion. But with all of those positives comes also a boat load of negatives. Losing the CMI for a smaller space that we had no control over. Having frustrating professors who made taking their classes more aggravating than intriguing. Overworking myself to the point of exhaustion.

This school has caused a lot of gray hairs on my head. Yes, you can actually check the top of my head, I have developed real gray hairs throughout my college years. From contract talks with professors, to facilities that felt under utilized or in need of massive repairs, to administration decision making causing me to facepalm so many times it feels like I left a mark on my forehead like Sokka from Avatar the Last Airbender (you know, from the secret tunnel). 

But through all of that stupid stuff, I worked through it. I met a lot of people that changed me. Some for the better, some not as much, but all of them have left an imprint on me that I can’t and won’t deny. I’ve met professors who I look up to, friends I’ve grown close with, and built connections I hope I don’t ever have to lose; even on this newspaper staff. 

Speaking of this paper: you all better not let this thing die. I put too much effort and late night weekends and Mondays to see this thing go south whenever us seniors walk away. I’m gonna be keeping an eye on this. Yes this is a threat (no it’s not, I have the utmost faith in all of you, this place will hopefully flourish in your hands). You all got this, I know it. Keep your passion and you’ll thrive in this scene, one way or another. 

I wouldn’t say Point Park was great. Heck, some days I want to say it’s terrible. But this place has helped me grow in more ways than I could have ever imagined. It helped me grow facial hair for crying out loud. Honestly, what else could I have asked for? Well…..besides maybe my diploma. That would be cool, since I paid with my left arm, right leg, and remaining mental health for it. 

Kylie Thomas, Co-Features / A&E Editor

I’ll be honest, I didn’t think I would miss Point Park nearly as much as I’m going to miss it when I walk across that stage and graduate. But I won’t miss Point Park as an institution. I can’t lie when I say these past four years haven’t been the best educational experience but they have been the best social experience I’ve had and I’m going to miss spending every day on Wood Street. 

When I first came to Point Park, I had no clue I’d end up where I have. I’ve changed my major, found my second family in my close friends, created projects I would’ve had no interest in four years ago, met people I never would’ve expected, and even changed my values in some ways. It’s been a truly insane journey that I won’t soon forget. A lot of that had to do with my life changing literally the day I moved into college when health issues hit my family. Despite it all, there’s a lot of people to thank for getting me through these past four years. 

I joined The Globe my freshman year after being convinced I wanted to work as a journalist, mainly writing articles. It has truly been my best experience on this campus even though I’ve found journalism isn’t necessarily the career path for me. I’ve written articles that have wowed readers and left a mark on the university. I even got to improve all my media skills along the way but most importantly I met some of the most amazing people I’ve ever come across. I remember being in awe of the editors above me and the skills they brought to the paper. I never thought I’d be able to be in the position they were. But, Jordyn Hronec, Amanda Andrews, and Tia Bailey all took me under their wings and before I knew it, I was the Co-Features and Arts and Entertainment Editor, a role I’ve held for three years now. I can’t thank my Globe family enough for these past four years. Sitting in that little office on the corner of Wood Street and Fort Pitt Boulevard have been some of the best moments of my life and working alongside Mason Strawn and Jake Dabkowski these past years have made it all the better. 

It’s not just The Globe that made these past four years worth it. I’ve also had the honor of working at Student Production Services (SPS) for the past three years which mainly consists of cinema students. I should’ve known since my two best friends at Point Park are cinema majors that I’d fit right in at SPS. I quickly found another family in the staff and even in my bosses who have helped get me to graduation. It really is the best office at Point Park and provides so many crucial services to cinema and communications students. 

Beyond the organizations at Point Park, I want to thank every person I’ve interacted with during my time here. I’m thankful that I’ve had professors who have supported my work when others wouldn’t. In fact, the only reason I even have a photography minor is thanks to Zach Szabo who encouraged me to push my photography skills further by adding on a minor. Even just the professors who have liked my work and encouraged me to keep creating like Richard Kelly, Aimee Dorsten, and Chris Rolinson have made me believe in what I can do. 

Last but just as important as the rest, I’d like to thank Pittsburgh as a city for becoming my new home. It sounds stupid to thank a city but I’ve been able to find myself just from moving to Pittsburgh. Through all the good times and the bad, the pavement of the city has always been there for me. I’ve walked these streets and through The Point so many times that now every step feels like home. Even when I’m back in my hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, I feel like Pittsburgh is where I belong. This city represents a lot of freedom and a lot of great moments that have made me who I am today. I feel more comfortable on a PRT bus than I do in a car in any other city. 

I still can’t believe how fast my time at Point Park went by. Most of it still doesn’t feel real but I wouldn’t change a second of it. I do have some hopes for the future of Point Park though. I hope my family at The Globe continues to show what makes us the best newspaper in the region (an award we just won again!). I hope that Point Park starts to show love to their diverse and underprivileged students. I hope that the education system at the university continues to shift towards a better experience for students. I hope that my undergraduate friends have all the success in the world at this school and that my graduating friends find careers that make them happy. And lastly, I hope that I never forget my time here.