A final sign-off and a heartfelt “See you next year!”
The editors of The Medium say goodbye and welcome a brand new chapter.
News
It’s been a thrilling and memorable year as News Editor! From the first pitch email I sent in August to the final email last week, working with you all has been nothing but a pleasure! A special, heartfelt thank you to every associate editor and writer who contributed their time and effort to informing our school community of everything from University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) events to human rights crises. To our readers, I hope that the news section brings you closer to our school community and ignites a passion for our collective success, just like it did for me.
To the incoming masthead and the readers of the next volume, keep the flame of The Medium burning bright! Our publication not only has an extraordinary history, it has an awesome potential that can only be realized through your ingenuity and passion. My hope is for that vision to be achieved and made into a reality. Best of luck!
– Samuel Kamelendran, News Editor (Volume 51)
Opinion
Even though being Opinion Editor has given me back pain and eye strains, I’ve really enjoyed it! Apart from freshening up my resume, this publishing year’s been incredibly valuable for a few reasons:
Firstly, I’ve made some new friends: shout-out to Samuel, our News Editor, for his unwavering professionalism and Sara, our Photos Editor, for her warm smiles and artistic vision all throughout the year. And most importantly, shoutout to anyone on the Volume 51 Opinion group chat for being such passionate writers, but also for being my friends.
Secondly, this year taught me that people actually read The Medium. I’ve seen issues tucked under a professor’s arm, in a student’s bag, and even on tables at Maanjiwe nendamowinan. This year also taught me The Medium needs to revamp our social media game so that we can reach more students, enhance our accessibility, and better represent our community.
Lastly, I’ve learned (or re-learned) that independent journalism is not dead in a world of recycled headlines, shallow opinions, and incentivized narratives that have nothing to do with truth, independent and student journalism has only grown stronger. And anyone that has contributed to our paper has played a part in building that grassroots strength. As young writers, if we forget that, we lose. And they win.
Thank you all for trusting me with your words and thoughts. Never stop writing!
– Mashiyat Ahmed, Opinion Editor (Volume 51)
Features
Before I became Features Editor, I loved The Medium because it was a space where I could write my thoughts and ideas down. After becoming Features editor and reading and editing the work of all the writers, it made me love The Medium even more. Every issue presented teaches the UTM campus and the world around me in new ways. I loved the unique voices every writer had and the new perspectives The Medium had to offer each time I read.
Thank you, my dear writers, for being such amazing writers, and making my time as Features Editor worthwhile. You have always amazed me with your thoughts and inspired me to move forward.
– Madhav Ajayamohan, Features Editor (Volume 51)
Arts and Entertainment
When I first began my journey at The Medium as a Staff Writer for volume 50, I found a sense of comfort in our small but mighty Arts and Entertainment section. My goal as editor this year was to create a space where our writers and readers alike would find a home in the words of our student-run newspaper, shed light on UTM’s artist community, and explore how media impacts the human experience.
I’d like to give a quick shout-out to our Associate Arts and Entertainment Editors, Zainab Hassan and Skyler Piskoroski, whose ideas and words were nothing short of extraordinary, and to our Theatre Erindale Correspondent, Ramiya Sureshkumar, who ignited our pages with the most thoughtful reviews of UTM’s very own theatre department.
And, of course, a big thank you to every volunteer writer and designer who contributed even a small fraction to our section this year. I hope that you feel at home through our pages and that you continue to share your brilliance, creativity, and ideas with the world.
For the last time, happy writing!
– Keira Johannson, Arts & Entertainment Editor (V51)
Sports
What an amazing year for UTM Sports! The four tri-campus championships won by our Eagles (men’s outdoor and indoor soccer, women’s indoor soccer, women’s flag football) are the most in school history. The pair of Ontario Collegiate Recreation (men’s and women’s basketball) just adds to the sweetness. The best part is that these stories were all featured in our campus paper for every student to read!
To the athletes who covered these games—thank you. You’ve not only fostered sports culture on campus, but also a school legacy. Your stories are forever cemented in The Medium’s archives. I hope you all come back to reminisce one day.
To my other writers—thank you. A section only featuring our tri-campus teams would fail to show our much larger sports and health community. Your articles showcased how vibrant UTM’s sports and health scene truly is.
And to our readers—thank you most of all. A newspaper without readers would just be a journal. I hope Sports and Health has kept everyone entertained this year.
– Joseph Falzata, Sports Editor (V51)
Photos
As the photo editor, I love receiving emails on Saturdays and being the first to see all the beautiful illustrations and photos for the upcoming issues. Then on Monday, when I visited The Medium website, I marvel at how vibrantly the front page has been decorated with the new issue’s graphics! Every time, I still feel that sense of excitement, even though I’ve already seen all the designs while collecting them.
That’s to say, I couldn’t be more proud and grateful to our talented and hardworking volunteers, staff illustrators, and associate design editors this year. You are all amazing artists whose work deserves to be seen and celebrated! I’m so glad you’ve found The Medium to be a platform to showcase your artistic talents.
A heartfelt thank you for making our newspaper so beautiful this year. I wish you all the very best, and I can’t wait to see more of your wonderful work on the Medium next year!
– Sara Li, Photos Editor (Volume 51)
News Editor (Volume 51); Associate News Editor (Volume 50) — Samuel is a second-year student at UTM studying Politics and English. He previously worked with The Medium as an Associate News Editor and currently serves as the publication’s News Editor. Samuel is passionate about employing the power of writing to enhance our student community and hopes to help nurture a bright future for The Medium this year. In his spare time, Samuel can be found working out, creating music on the piano and drums, or exploring nature.
Features Editor (Volume 51); Associate Features Editor (Volume 50) — Madhav is a third year student completing a double major in mathematics and computer science, and a minor in professional writing. Everyone in UTM has a unique story that makes them special and deserves to be told. As the Features Editor, Madhav wants to narrate these types of stories with creative and descriptive writing. In his off-time, Madhav loves watching anime, reading manga or fantasy novels and listening to music.
Opinion Editor (Volume 51); Associate Opinion Editor (Volume 50) — Mashiyat (Mash) is a third-year student studying Neuroscience and Professional Writing and Communication (PWC). As this year’s Opinion Editor, Mash hopes to use her writing, editorial, and leadership skills in supporting student journalism in the essential role it plays in fostering intellectual freedom and artistic expression on campuses. When she’s not writing or slaving away at school, Mash uses her free time cooking cultural dishes, striking up conversations with strangers, and being anxious about her nebulous career plans. You can connect with Mash on her LinkedIn.
Arts & Entertainment Editor (Volume 51); Staff Writer (Volume 50) — Keira is going into her fourth year at UTM pursuing a double major in Communications, Culture, Information, and Technology (CCIT) and Professional Writing and Communications (PWC). When she’s not working or studying, you can find her nose deep in a good literary fiction novel, writing movie reviews on Letterboxd, or even training for the marathon that never seems to actually happen! You can connect with Keira on Instagram or LinkedIn.
Sports & Health Editor (Volume 51) — Joseph is a recent graduate from UTM, having double-majored in Professional Writing & Communication and Political Science. During his time at UTM, he played on the men’s hockey and soccer teams and was actively involved in the campus’ sports community. Joseph is a strong advocate for a healthy lifestyle, and hopes that as Sports & Health Editor he can encourage students to get involved in campus sports and activities.
Photos Editor (Volume 51) — Sara is in her final year, double majoring Art and Art History and CCIT. Sara is an art enthusiast who loves art making, music, and photography. Her current works mainly consist of small, yet colorful, abstract paintings. Sara hopes to become an influential artist. If you’re interested in her artistic world, please visit her Instagram at: saralisara33. While commuting, she enjoys her diverse playlist, including alternative rock, R&B, and K-pop, with her favorite artist being Keshi. She loves using her camera to create aesthetic images while capturing real-life moments. This is her first time as a photo editor for a newspaper, and she hopes to contribute great photos to the Medium.