Patrick Lawlor ’13, Editor in Chief
Not many people have the opportunity to thank people in such a venue as this. Last issue I gave you my swan song, my favorite stories from four years on the Beacon staff. In this final editorial, I’d like to take this space to thank those who have helped me along the way during my time at Merrimack.
I would like to thank anyone who has ever written a word for The Beacon. You have made my job easier; you have done the Merrimack community a lot of good. I’d like to thank my friends, my roommates and my parents for putting up with my strange hours, and listening to my complaints and allowing me to vent.
I have always appreciated your thoughts and criticism. I also have appreciated your article ideas: many times, our drunken conversations have turned into major Beacon articles.
Whether you complimented me on an article, or pointed out an error I made, both were important to me. A special thanks to my parents for thinking everything I ever wrote was like spun gold.
Admittedly, many times my writing was meant just for my small audience of friends and family.
Jim Chiavelli, the advisor to The Beacon, has had an enormous impact on the Merrimack College community, which many do not even realize. He taught me to hunt for the story and have the audacity to publish it. I have made a great friend in Jim, and I am forever grateful to him for coming to Merrimack and sharing his passion for journalism for mere pennies. He taught me that it’s all war, just different tactics; that you don’t stir a cocktail with soda in it; and most of all, that you always have to listen to your conscience.
I’d like to thank the Physical Plant staff for their constant and tireless dedication to making this campus safe and beautiful. These talented men are Merrimack’s best salesmen. Their kindness to me and support for the paper have been tremendous. They are the most sincere and honest people on this campus. Some of the facilities team have taught me as much as my professors have in a classroom. The life experience and lessons gained while working in the ice rink made my college experience truly well rounded.
I’d like to thank Brian Heafey, who has been a great friend and an excellent teacher. Brian taught me that honor comes before money, and how to survive a zombie apocalypse.
Professor Deb Burns, thank you for putting your neck out for The Beacon. We were young, we were dumber than we are now, and you invested in us. I value your relationship with The Beacon and appreciate what you’ve done for us.
To all my professors, I have valued my education and enjoyed the interesting lectures and conversations that I will remember as I leave Merrimack. The Sociology/Criminology Department, the English Department and the Communications Arts and Sciences Department have the best faculty on campus.
I’d like to thank this year’s editors for putting up with my running stream of consciousness and psychotic tendencies. I am often a fool, sometimes a jerk, but I have always appreciated you. Thank you.
My biggest thanks of all goes to our readers. Thank you for sticking with us through good times and bad. The best is yet to come. Next year’s editorial staff is a fresh and dedicated bunch. Best of luck, and Godspeed.
