Brandon Addeo, this year’s news editor, is graduating with a journalism degree.
Brandon Addeo | News Editor
When my eighth grade teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, it gave me pause.
Obviously, every young person at one point wanted to be a professional athlete or an astronaut or something else that’s fantastical. But at that moment — for the first time — I had to ask myself the very real question: “What do I want to do with my life?”
I always loved to write, so my answer to that teacher was that I wanted to be a journalist.
Well, I think it started out as “photojournalist.” I can’t exactly remember why, though. The first interview I ever conducted (which was no doubt incredibly awkward) was with a photographer for the Scranton Times-Tribune, for an assignment in that same class. That conversation almost 10 years ago was probably the first step on the path to where I am today (thanks again, Butch.)
That path led me to The Duquesne Duke’s newsroom for an open house my first semester of freshman year, where I met a group of weird and friendly editors. As I sat on a gross old couch and listened to the editors give their weekly story pitches (preceded by walk-out music, like a baseball player or boxer would use), I knew I would like it here.
I wrote for the news section sporadically my freshman year and started to write weekly my sophomore year and beyond. I became assistant news editor my junior year and news editor my senior year.
And after four years, I’ll be leaving the newsroom this week.
It’s been an interesting ride that’s been great at some times and mind-numbingly stressful at others. There’s never a dull moment working for The Duke, and that’s why I loved it so much.
And it pains me to realize this will be my last story I write here.
I guess I should thank some people (that’s what you do in these things, right?). Special thanks to former Duke editor-in-chief Julian Routh, current editor-in-chief Kaye Burnet and advisor Bob Kerlik for their guidance — they ensured I never made a royal mess of things. I also have to thank the Duquesne Media Department (I liked the old name better, by the way) and all of the professors in it who taught me everything I know about news writing.
Thanks also to everyone who wrote for my news section. I literally could not do my job without your help, and I was very pleased with some of the stories we wrote this year.
Last but not least, I have to thank my assistant editor Raymond Arke for putting up with my bossyness without complaining once. Raymond will be taking over my job next year, and I know the news section is in capable hands.
Best of luck to the editors graduating alongside me and to the editors who will be replacing us. They’ll be taking over our desks in that College Hall room that will always be a special place for me.
