It wasn’t until my last quarter at Stanford that I formally joined The Daily, but I’ve been with them since the beginning. From late-night phone calls for quotes to spy-movie-esque rendezvous in Old Union to explicate the issues, I have learned much about the politics of persuasion in my relationship to the place I can finally call home. The Daily shaped and gave form to my time on the Undergraduate Senate. Throughout my three years in student government, The Daily was always there to make sure the story was told, and clarified and widely understood. I’ve seen courageous reporting calling out the timidity of certain institutions on this campus — criticism that was both well-deserved and exactly what the public needed to hear. My time working with The Daily from the outside taught me very well the importance of a free press, one dedicated to shining light in dark corners. Only the press could so artfully call out those injustices that would otherwise recede into the background, especially when there were no political gains to the majority in dealing with them. The Daily has time and time again demonstrated its serious commitment to holding the powers that be accountable for their actions, and their inactions, both in our student government and in the community at large.

Over time, it became clear to me and The Daily that our values were in alignment. As I was leaving the Senate, I was asked to join The Daily’s Editorial Board. I joined the week I retired from student government and have not looked back. Since then, I’ve had the honor of working alongside incredibly talented people whose passion shines through in every effort. I regret only having a short time to collaborate directly with them, but I know that we will always remain colleagues. The same goes for all the friends I’ve made at The Daily along the way — some I’ve known since freshman year, others I met only a few months ago. Regardless, I’ll never forget being a part of The Daily family, and I’m so thankful for how welcoming everyone has been. My Stanford experience would not have been complete without The Daily. I’ll always treasure my time with the amazing people there who took me in as one of their own.

Contact Gabe at grosen18 ‘at’ stanford.edu.