I am finally doing something I have had several students ask me to do over the last 16 years–write a column for the student newspaper. I have always turned them down as The Prospector is supposed to be the students’ voice.

Their recent request, though, I could not turn down. This is my final week until my official retirement, and as you are reading this, I will be flying to Paris, France.

I am calling this column My Last –30– because this is an old term that was used when I first started working in the communication business, which was during the Ice Age as some of my former students have said.

Traditionally, the term was used by journalists to indicate the end of a story when it was sent to an editor by telex or some form of wire service.

While I am looking forward to my retirement, I will definitely miss interacting with the students who work for student media at UTEP. They are, for the most part, a special breed of college students–dedicated, hardworking and passionate. I have gotten to know so many of them during my time at student media, and have adopted quite a few of them as well (you know who you are!). I have been with them through good times, the sad times,  and the ever-evolving process of producing student media. And we have grown together– adapting to new technology and the ever-changing methods of delivering news.

They have aggravated me to no end with typos, style mistakes and missed deadlines, but they have made me very proud as well, winning numerous state and national awards for their work and going on to great careers in whatever their chosen fields. 

Our students have gone on to work at various local print media outlets such as the El Paso Times, El Diario and El Paso Inc, as well as electronic media such as KVIA, KTSM, Telemundo, Univisión and KDBC. They have also gone on to work at media throughout the country such as CNN, Associated Press, Now This, Buzzfeed, New York Daily News, Politico and the Dallas Morning News. Several former students now teach journalism in the local high schools, El Paso Community College and UTEP, sending their protégés to come work at The Prospector when they come to college.

I know The Prospector will go on to produce more great journalists and creative artists, and I am proud of my small contribution to its 103-year history.

Students, I encourage you to keep picking up The Prospector and Minero Magazine and reading our news online and on social media. It is your voice, your news and your opinions.

I also want to thank the great professional staff I have worked with during these past 16 years, Isabel, Veronica and Marcie, and encourage them to keep up their efforts and always remember that the students come first and that we do make a difference in their lives.

Good luck to all the future editors, reporters, designers, photographers and ad executives in the coming years. And to Gaby Velasquez, The Prospector’s new editor-in-chief,  my mini-me, I have a lot of faith in you and I know you will do great.

And, finally, to my husband David, who supported me every step of the way–who put up with my stress and the time I spent working on weekends and holidays, who helped me bring food to the newsroom and gave valuable training to the students–I couldn’t have done this without you.

–30–

Kathy Flores may not be reached at [email protected].