Ending A Season

So the saying goes, "To every thing there is a season."

Several hours ago a season ended for me when I handed over my seat as the NABJ Student Representative after a two year term. For me it was bittersweet I was sad to leave but proud of what I had accomplished remaining true to my pledges to a) be a servant leader and to b) be an unapologetic advocate for members.

The end of my term came with a week-long stay in Tampa.

Last Sunday I got here and was able to greet the students who participated in our Student Projects program where they reported on the organization's happening's.

On Monday my friends and I ran errands and then went out to eat at Ocean Prime here in Tampa. I had the house salad and salt and vinegar fries.

Tuesday was all about the last day long board meeting and then we took in a Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox game where we sat in a box and had a lot of fun.

On Wednesday we had lunch with the NY Times Publisher Arthur Sulzberger kicked off the convention with our Opening Ceremony.

On Thursday I helped moderate a candidates forum for my replacements, then led a workshop on whether or not to do grad school.

On Friday I presented an award to NABJ's Student Journalist of the Year (the coolest part about that was shaking the hand of Valerie Jarrett, one of President Obama's advisers, and Lisa Jackson, the Environmental Protection Administration administrator, and also being introduced by Tamron Hall whose gorgeous) then moderated two workshops one on the importance of reinventing yourself as a journalist while in college, and then one on how to make a career plan and deal with unexpected challenges. We also learned the results of NABJ's election and I was most happy knowing that several of my friends are returning to the NABJ board.

Saturday was all about a finance seminar moderated by Stacey Tisdale formerly of CNN, then a screening of "Good Hair" Chris Rock's new documentary film about what makes good or bad hair, and then there was NABJ's Salute to Excellence Awards ceremony which honored Journalist of the Year NPR's Michele Norris, Lifetime Achievement Award winner The Washington Post/ESPN's Michael Wilbon, Emerging Journalist Essence's Cynthia Gordy, and dozens of journalists for award winning work.

Today I attended the annual Gospel Brunch and then my final board meeting as a member where I passed the baton to Georgia Dawkins.

Now I'm chilling and deciding my next steps because a new season shall arrive soon.