In order: Carter James, Editor in chief, Nethan Crew. Managing editor of production, Madison Smith, Managing editor of content, Sarah Turner, Sports editor, Kendall Murray, Comics editor and Madison Smith, Podcast Producer. By The Alabamian Staff
As graduation nears, the seniors of the Alabamian are writing their last paragraphs and saying goodbye.
Whether it is grad school, the work force or being a high plains drifter, the senior staff members will reflect on the time at the university, their time with the Alabamian and what the future holds for them.
Carter James, Editor in chief
The Alabamian has been a part of my college life from the very beginning. All throughout middle school and high school, I wrote movie reviews online and in my free time. When I heard about Montevallo having a newspaper, I had hopes of voicing my opinions in a public space, and this publication invited my voice in open arms.
It was nice writing my reviews for each issue, it felt as if I made my little mark on this campus. Some loved what I had to say, others absolutely did not. I had my niche and I stuck to it. I never saw myself as a journalist, let alone editor in chief.
As less and less people showed up to meetings and the university seemed to change, I decided to take a chance and become the lifestyles editor. I felt like I had plenty of ideas of how we can highlight those on campus and the events that happen, but I still fell into that movie niche once more. I now had the skill to write news articles but lacked the courage to follow through with them. So why become editor in chief? I needed to change.
I applied as a way of just doing it. I wasn’t a jounalist nor is that my concentration in my Mass Communication major, but I believe in what this publication stands for, and I wanted to make sure I could continue to cultivate more voices that have yet to be heard. I put forth my best foot, and surprisingly they gave me the job.
Being the editor in chief of the Alabamian has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve had long sleepless nights, 1000 decisions that had to be made and the litany of problems that come with running an organization. As much as this job has given me, it has also taken from me. I ruined relationships and made people mad along the way, but I do not regret this decision for a second.
I have grown immensely as a journalist, writer, leader and person because of this position. There’s a new confidence in me where I believe that I can take on anything. I have survived all my worst days, and I know I’ll continue to survive.
I am sad to know that it is coming to an end, my time at Montevallo and my time in the Alabamian. There are many things that I wished I had done better and differntly, but I am incredibly proud of everything that I accomplished. I know that this publication will go on to thrive and grow in ways that I could never imagine, because of the amazing people that I will be leaving behind.
I want to say thank you to every person who belived in me, gave me grace, critiqued me, helped me and stuck with me along the way. I am very grateful for all of you. Most importantly, I am grateful for all the new people who have joined the Alabamian as contributing members or editorial staff. There is no Alabamian without the people who just happen to come to meeting with interest and intrigue.
I will enter the job market soon to make my passions into reality. I don’t know where I’ll end up, but because of the amazing people I met at Montevallo and the amazing people who made me feel at home in the Alabamian, I know that I can do anything with full confidence.
Nethan Crew, Managing editor of production
As I started writing this, every potential idea of what to say as my last will and testament of this paper instantly escaped out my ears and floated away somewhere.
My experience with the Alabamian has been scattered but so impactful to my college journey. I would have to believe out of all the contributing writers from my freshman year, I would’ve probably beenclose to the bottom to be expected to one day be a managing editor.
As an incoming freshman, I, like a lot of our writers, found a niche (music reviews) and felt out of place if I didn’t write in it. Some of my debatably best articles were music reviews (So sorry to whoever copy edited my 2000 word Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers review).
After taking a gap year and coming back, I never really got back into writing for the paper outside of an article every once in a while, until I was selected to be the Student Government Association’s Co-Director of PR with Carter. I effectively joined his editorial staff to be able to help put out fires and to “smoke cigarettes like an old man on the back patio,” which I only did once. I got to do much more.
Coming back to the paper after being an assistant podcast producer and writer years ago was a challenge, but there were so many people who helped me readapt and thrive within the paper in other pursuits. From my fraternity brothers to my fellow editorial staff members and especially Tiffany Bunt, our staff advisor, everyone believed in me many times that I did not believe in myself. I am forever grateful for that.
Montevallo, I hope I’ll be back sooner than later, and I’ll see everyone on the other side of the tassle.
Madison Smith, Managing editor of content
When I received an email from our faculty sponsor Tiffany Bunt asking me to apply for a position on The Alabamian staff, I had no idea what I was stepping into. I hadn’t taken that many Mass Comm courses yet, and I had very little understanding of how a newspaper actually came together behind the scenes. Still, I said yes—and somehow ended up being trusted with the second-in-command position, working under Blaine Richardson.
Working with Blaine set the tone for everything that followed. He was easily one of the funniest people I’ve ever had the chance to work with, and he made even the most stressful production nights feel manageable. More than that, he created a space where learning was expected, mistakes were part of the process, and everyone was constantly pushing each other to do better without losing the humor that kept us going.
In a lot of ways, this job became one of the most cathartic experiences of my college career. I’ve always loved storytelling, especially the kind that lets people feel seen through their own words. Being part of The Alabamian gave me a place to do exactly that. It also gave me a place to grow into my voice as a writer and editor, even when I didn’t fully feel ready for it.
Some of my favorite memories come from those late nights in the student pub, cutting up with the editorial staff while still somehow getting pages finished on time. It was the kind of group where every joke landed. Maybe not because they all were actually funny, but because the people around me made it feel like they were. (Probably not great for my ego, but I can’t say I minded.) More importantly, it built a sense of confidence in my writing and in my place on the team that I didn’t expect when I first walked in.
This past year has also brought a nearly entirely new staff, and it’s been meaningful to see the paper continue to evolve with new voices, new energy, and new ideas. Being part of that transition has reminded me that good storytelling isn’t tied to one group of people, it carries on through whoever steps in next.
As I graduate, I’m stepping away from The Alabamian, but I’m not stepping away from storytelling. After graduation, I’ve been offered a position at Shelby County Living Magazine, and I’ll also be teaching part-time at Vinemont High School and Heirloom Performing Arts Center as a voice instructor. It feels like a full-circle moment—getting to use both of my degrees in ways that let me continue working with stories, performance, and people.
Leaving The Alabamian is bittersweet. It’s hard to step away from something that shaped me this much. But I’m grateful for every deadline, every late night, every laugh, and every lesson learned along the way.
I also want to thank Carter James for allowing me to have multiple crashouts in the Stud Pub and never once making it feel like that was unusual behavior, and for giving me a platform to explore literally every facet of writing. Whether it was breaking news, features, my notorious opinions or whatever category my emotional stability fell under that week, you always made space for it, and I’m really grateful for that.
Sarah Turner, Sports editor
If you’re an athlete on campus, you might not know me, but there’s a really good chance I know you. Not in a weird way. It’s just my job.
Back in September of 2022, there was absolutely no reason a wide-eyed freshman like me should’ve been handed a headset and invited to sit courtside at a volleyball game to describe what was happening to viewers. But somehow, I was.
Now, 97 games and seven sports later, my sportscasting career at Montevallo has come to an end. My time writing about UM sports has come to an end, too.
Coming into college as an athlete, I already knew my experience would be a little unusual. But I probably did everything I could to make it even more out of the ordinary.
Over the last four years, I’ve spent countless hours studying rosters, learning names, and memorizing stats. Countless hours preparing interview questions, learning your stories, and sitting at a keyboard trying to tell them the right way.
On top of that, I spent many of my weekends traveling across the Southeast for cross country and track meets, while also somehow keeping up with class and being an active sorority member.
A lot of people ask me why I put so much preparation into a job I don’t even get paid for.
The answer is simple: I love it.
I’ve loved sports for as long as I can remember, the emotion, the passion, the unbelievable highs and sometimes even the heartbreaking lows. I love the preparation and the grind that comes with it. I love learning everything I can about the athletes I’m talking about.
As an athlete, I know how much work goes into competing. And if I step behind the mic without doing the preparation, then I feel like I’m not doing justice to the work you all put in to get there.
Every single day, I remind myself how grateful I am that this is where I chose to go to school, eleven hours from home, in the middle of nowhere.
Because Montevallo gave me opportunities I never would have gotten anywhere else.
I’ve spent countless hours inside Central State Bank Arena (I was even around when it was called Trustmark Arena) so I know firsthand that the sports culture here can be lacking at times. But I’ve done everything I could to shine a light on you, my peers, and everything you’ve accomplished since 2022.
When I look back on my college experience, a lot of it is going to involve all of you.
I’ll remember calling freshman Brandon Fussell’s 50-point game against West Florida in 2023.
I’ll remember Braxton Bertolette’s mom being the first person who ever approached me after a broadcast. After Bertolette’s senior night, she told me she listened to every game I called my freshman year and said I was going to make it big – which is funny, because there’s no way I was any good behind the mic back then.
I’ll remember the first time I had an article published in The Alabamian during my sophomore year about cross country competing at the Gulf South Conference Championships (and yes, I promise I eventually learned to interview people who weren’t just my own teammates and coach).
I’ll remember interviewing Eric Boutwell after he shot a 59 at Montevallo’s home golf tournament to break the course record. Calling Lainey Farabaugh’s hat-trick against Union. Speaking with Gabe Hixenbaugh after winning UM’s first-ever national championship. Watching Dani Greene break the school record for blocks in a single season. Talking with Adiel Melendez after he signedwith the Atlanta Braves. Interviewing not one, not two, but three GSC Women’s Basketball Freshmen of the Year. And telling the story of men’s swim winning a conference championship just days after learning their program might be eliminated.
These might not be typical college memories, especially since most of them don’t even involve me directly.
But they’re the ones that will stick with me for the rest of my life.
So I guess this is both a goodbye and a thank you.
If you’ve let me harass you for an interview at any point over the last 32 months, thank you. If you’ve ever read one of my stories, thank you. If you’ve ever listened to me narrate your highlights, thank you. If you’ve ever liked, shared, or reposted something I’ve put up on social media, thank you.
Go Falcons. Forever.
Kendall Murray, Comics editor
I’ve enjoyed all four years working for The Alabamian. I started as a writer, and during my sophomore year I began creating comics, which I’ve continued ever since.
Working on the paper gave me the chance to grow creatively through both writing and art. Over time, comics became a major part of my contributions, and something I really enjoyed developing. It also helped me learn how to stay consistent, meet deadlines, and improve my work over time.
A lot of my inspiration comes from so many different forms of media including manga, comics strips and relatable moments I have in my life which have all influenced my style and storytelling.
As for the future, my plans are still up in the air. I’ve been going back and forth between several options, including attending graduate school for art, working with my fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha, or pursuing a career as a freelance artist. Maybe you’ll see me in the future as a cartoonist like Jeff Kinney or Jim Davis.
Right now, I’m still figuring out which path to take, but I know I want to continue creating art.
Madison Turner, Podcast Producer
I started producing podcast episodes for Falcons on Air during September of 2024, and it’s been a straightforward path of dedication since. I mean, going to all the events I covered, talking to students, or even participants of those events, really helped shape my character from the shy newcomer I was when I first came to Montevallo.
Though there have been times when I felt overwhelmed with other school projects and such, Falcons on Air grounded me and gave me a sense of optimism in that I could take a break from it all and make meaningful connections with my fellow peers. I have been met with lingering feelings of dread over the past few months, knowing my time here at Montevallo is coming to an end, but I will always remember my friends I’ve made here and the mutual love of this university I’ve seen in so many people I have interviewed for the podcast.
Thank you so much for giving me the honor of entertaining you the best I could with Falcons on Air, and I know the podcast legacy will live on, because the sense of community will forever persivere at the University of Montevallo.
Carter James is the editor in chief of the Alabamian. He is a senior Mass Communication major with a concentration in broadcast production and minor in digital filmmaking. He is an avid cinephile, the occasional gamer and Batman fanatic in his spare time.
Nethan Crew is the Managing Editor of Production for The Alabamian. He's a Psychology major and enjoys cooking, camping and listening to new music in his free time.
