The Jambar
When people tell you time flies, listen to them, because here I am writing my final goodbye to The Jambar.
This is a little out of my realm, as I’ve been a sports reporter since 2023, so my copy editors will have to pick up my slack this time around.
I came to Youngstown State University to play for the women’s soccer team, but I gained a whole other team with this Jambar family.
I remember during my second semester having a conversation with Mary Beth Earnheardt, Chair of the Department of Strategic Communication and Media, about joining the school newspaper, and for once, I listened to my parents and got involved.
The head sports editor at the time, John Ostapowicz, emailed me a long document titled “The Jamual” and told me to read it over so I was prepared for my first story. I will admit now that I did not read that 37-page packet before submitting my first story. If I remember correctly, I turned in a roughly 100-word piece. For those of you who do not know, a typical Jambar story is at least 500 words.
For my first year, I also started every story with “The Youngstown State University,” followed by the respective sports team I was covering. I would like to thank Ostapowicz and Arts and Entertainment Editor Mick Dillon, for always going crazy when they saw that followed by my name. But do not worry, guys, I have learned.
I have learned so much during my nearly four years with The Jambar and even when I did not see my own growth, coworkers and friends such as Copy Editor Katelyn Obermiyer, who never fails to leave comments on my headlines complimenting my stories, always remind me.
Katelyn, what you write on my stories never fails to make me smile, even though I may not make you smile when I go comma-crazy on my own.
When I had a season-ending injury, and could no longer be on the soccer field, The Jambar was my way to stay engaged in athletics and be surrounded by a different kind of team. When I was being recruited, I was always told to pick the place where I would still want to be if I could not play, and The Jambar showed me that YSU was that place.
When I started, I never would have thought I would become the sports editor, and a special shoutout goes to Editor-in-Chief Matt Sotlar who made this last semester the best semester.
Finally, I want to thank The Jambar for making my work tangible, something I could always take home to my mom and dad to read, and allowing me to grow as a writer. I am going to miss all the office jokes and the chaos, but the best part is we all got through it together. As a Jamily.
Keep the ball rolling,
Marissa Masano
