By Madison Fessler / The Jambar
A goodbye letter is bittersweet. I’m excited to graduate and move on to the next phase of my life, but I’m going to miss Youngstown and everyone in it so much.
I’ll miss The Jambar and the family I’ve found within the office walls. I’ve worked at The Jambar since Oct. 17, 2021. I’ve dedicated nearly three and a half years of my life to designing this paper and making it look the best I possibly can.
My efforts have been rewarded — there’s the awards from the Ohio News Media Association to show for it. However, that would mean nothing to me without the people working by my side.
To the editors throughout the years who always had suggestions on colors, design and the little drawings on the front page, thank you for expanding my mind on what is possible and not letting me get stuck in a rut.
I’d be nowhere without my mentor and head designer I started under, Jessica Stamp. Thank you, Jess, for teaching me and letting me rant about how infuriating Adobe InDesign and Photoshop can be. I’ve learned everything I know from you, but I still haven’t mastered Adobe Illustrator yet.
A goodbye letter is hard to write and it should be. There’s so much to say and so many people to thank, but with being at The Jambar as long as I have, I fear that list is a mile long of overdue thanks.
I’ll try to sum up my thoughts to the best of my abilities.
To Mary Beth Earnheardt, former Jambar faculty advisor, thank you for taking a chance on me. You saw a potential in me that I would take years to realize myself.
To Elizabeth Coss and Shianna Gibbons, thank you for allowing me to have creative freedom over the paper. I was able to stretch my wings and soar, with a guiding hand.
To my fellow 2025 Jambar graduates, you all are amazing. I love each and every one of you deeply and you all have such a potential to do amazing things. I will forever be in your corner and your champion in whatever endeavor you chose to pursue.
To current Editor-in-Chief John Ostapowicz, I am constantly amazed by your growth as an individual and a leader. From spending the early days of our friendship yelling at you to do your job, look at where you are now, running the circus like a well-oiled machine. Take a second and appreciate yourself.
That sentiment goes to all Jambar staff, both past and present. You all have and will continue to grow and achieve so much. Appreciate yourselves and how hard you’ve worked for this.
Finally, to my assistant designer and soon to be head, Kristina Tufaro. You are incredible at designing, never doubt that for a second. You took a chance on this job and you’ve flourished — you’re more than prepared to lead this paper into the next chapter.
To all the 2025 graduates, congratulations! You’ve made it and are ready to start the next chapter of your lives. Run into that chapter head on and with faith that everything works out.
I’m sad to go, but excited to see what this crazy life throws at me.
Goodbye and goodnight, Youngstown.
– Madison Fessler, Head Designer of The Jambar