By Christopher Canadeo

If someone were to ask me the single most impactful decision I have made at college, my answer would be the one to join The Fordham Ram years ago. Not only has this decision made me a better writer, speaker and decision maker, but it has also given me some of my favorite memories and a lifelong family on campus.

It is no surprise that my love for The Fordham Ram starts with the people: a group of enthusiastic individuals with their own unique personalities and quirks, all focused on achieving a common goal of creating a great newspaper. Although every member on this year’s staff was extremely skilled and talented, what truly mattered most was how much we all cared. When it came to the success of The Ram, we cared a lot—perhaps a little too much—as it was our passion and teamwork which led us to success through any and all types of adversity.

It is not easy to attend Sunday and Monday meetings each week, while also spending every Tuesday night in a room with no windows from roughly 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. or later with little to no breaks in between. Some production nights are a lot more stressful than others, and often times, producing the best issue possible each week is not without serious challenges. It takes precise execution to produce a world class college newspaper, and frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

However, beyond the countless hours in the office reading and editing the hundreds of articles that have gone through the sections, I will always remember the laughs and great times that we had together both inside and outside of the office. From blasting music to sharing stories to just the classic late night banter, there was always fun to be had through all hours of the night at The Ram, making meetings and production nights something to look forward to rather than run away from.

Some of my loudest, hardest, most gut wrenching laughs took place at The Ram either reacting to something that was said or saying something funny myself. Such fun is only possible when you are surrounded by humorous, passionate people who aren’t afraid to work hard and let loose, showing wit and style in the publishing process each and every week.

Working at The Ram for the last few years also makes me really appreciate being a student at Fordham University. It is not common to find such intelligent and hardworking people who are also down to earth, great listeners and who care about others as much as themselves. Students such as these will always be the greatest commodity at Fordham, more valuable than any building, program or publication.

Those who work at The Ram value what I value: giving students an outlet and a voice on campus to speak their minds and share thoughts and ideas with the community, regardless of whether or not their opinion is popular or not. Publications that accomplish this are, and will always be, an integral part to the success of any university or community.

I would like to thank all of the writers who have contributed to The Ram’s success over my tenure as it is you who have been the driving force to another great volume. Although I can sometimes be a nag and a critic, I always wanted your best writing, and time and time again you all delivered. Watching your writing improve from article to article and seeing your strong, independent voices shine through the lines of print was one of the most rewarding experiences for me at Fordham.

I would also like to personally thank Briana Scalia, my partner in crime and the person who helped co-run the Opinion Section of The Ram with me for the last two years. You kept me sane during the late hours of production nights, and your work ethic and passion for journalism is truly inspiring.

The Ram has given my college career more purpose than I could have ever imagined, and it is this paper that inspires me to create positive change around me by listening, speaking out when necessary and taking action, all while having fun with others along the way. I am proud to be a part of the 100 year tradition of The Fordham Ram and hope that the paper will continue its success for centuries to come.