I still have the text that former editor-in-chief, Kate LeBlanc, sent to me after the first story that I wrote for the Good Five Cent Cigar my freshman year. If it weren’t for her kindness and care, I can’t imagine where I would be today. The Good Five Cent Cigar changed my life. This paper and the characters that have written for it gave me the first home that I found at the University of Rhode Island. I probably wouldn’t have stayed at this school and I absolutely would not have found the passion for writing that I have now.
I made so many incredible friends in that basement office. To the people who came before me and shaped me: Maddie Bataille, Liz Fusco, Aniekan Okon, Imani Fleming, Nicole Wagner, Kaitlyn Chan, Stella Mueller you will always have a part of my heart. To Ronan Himelrick and Juliana Lepore, you have been kick butt editors and even more amazing people. Lauren Drapeau and Nathan Robillard you both already amaze me so much and I can’t wait to see what you do from here.
I got the wildest opportunities that I would not have had the chance to do if I wasn’t a writer here. I learned so much about URI operations, I profiled clubs and got to harass people on our quad. I met Jared Haibon before Audrey’s opened and now I spend way too much time there. Last but certainly not least, I had the absolute privilege of interviewing the wonderful URI President Marc Parlange.
I may have left the paper on a bang, literally I got a concussion, but I wouldn’t be me without the Cigar. To a scared freshman out there, joining the Cigar will be one of the best decisions you could ever make. I will always love you Cigar. For the last time, this is Erin Brown for the Good Five Cent Cigar.