My parents never met Herb Thompson.
My high school journalism professor of one year left more of a mark on me than I realized and I owe him a lot today.
I didn't take my first journalism class until my senior year of high school to fill a spot on my schedule. The newspaper class was always during band period and I couldn't skip band to go to a class where I wouldn't know what I was doing.
I didn't know what I was doing when I went to my first Skyliner class with Herb Thompson. I didn't know what I would do in the class or how I would do it. I hated writing. Hated it.
Then I was introduced to journalism.
Not english composition papers or five paragraph essays. Journalism. I got to interview people and I got to write things that I enjoyed. I fell in love with it. I loved the style of journalistic writing and adapted to it quickly. Thompson taught me how to be a reporter and he taught me how to write and write well.
I guess he brought out the writer in me more than he taught me how to write. He knew that I had something. When someone can write, you just know it. He knew that I had a talent and gave me the tools to bring out that talent.
I didn't know I liked journalism and news until I took Thompson's class. He was also one of the people that was in charge of selecting those who spoke at graduation. I
I was fortunate enough to experience Herb Thompson in his last year of teaching and my last year of high school. Every day, we would go over the stories on the front page of the "Post Gadget" (The Post Gazette) and later in the year we looked at the Trib. He always had a cup of coffee, black coffee at that.
He was unable to attend open house night for the first time in years when I had him. Unfortunately, my parents didn't get to meet him. He was the only teacher I had that I really wanted my parents to meet. They didn't get to and never did meet him.
Since retirement, nobody has really heard from Herb. He is virtually off the grid. I, like many others that took Thompson's classes, wish we could visit and chat with him.
If it wasn't for Herb Thompson, I never would have joined the newspaper at Point Park.
I started writing for The Globe my first week on campus. I hesitantly took the rugby beat and covered the team all semester. The next semester, I was promoted to sports columnist. I reluctantly accepted the position and thoroughly enjoyed it.
This semester, I accepted the position of sports editor. I'm still writing the column and I'm still covering rugby, but I now have the responsibility of overseeing the entire sports section. It involves staying in contact with writers, working with the photo editors and laying out the section Monday nights.
That was supposed to be the plan for the semester.
Last week, I was approached about the possibility of taking over for our current editor-elect who was considering stepping down. I said I was interested and would think about it. The next thing I knew, I was preparing to take over as the Editor-Elect of The Globe.
The editor elect is second in command. They take over for the editor-in-chief the following semester. The editor elect basically shadows the chief and helps out with anything they need.
This means that I am no longer the sports editor, but the Editor-Elect. I am taking over The Globe as Editor-in-Chief the spring semester.
I still don't know how to feel about it all. Every position that I've accepted at The Globe so far, I've done so reluctantly and have thrived and enjoyed every one. I imagine that I will love the challenge of running the paper and can't wait to get started.
I will be Kristin Snapp's Editor-Elect. She played a big role in getting me to write for the paper and convincing me to apply for the sports editor position. She is currently in her second semester as chief. When she took over last year during the spring, she became the youngest editor the paper has ever had. She was in her second semester of her sophomore year, like I will be this coming spring. For now, I will be printed as the "assistant to the editor" until all the official paperwork goes through and I am interviewed by the powers that be.
Snapp is a Butler grad. Her predecessor was Jon Andreassi, another Butler grad. I will be the third straight Butler alum to run this paper. The third straight Herb Thompson product to run this paper. I think that alone speaks to the impact that man had on students. I think we could all agree that we miss Herb and wish to thank him for getting us here.
I hope we're making Herb proud. Herb Thompson is somebody that I, and many others, strive to make proud, even if he is off the grid and may not know what we're doing.
So Herb, thank you. Tomorrow's cup of coffee is for you.
Because, why not?
Josh
