Dear Bison,
Throughout my time at Howard University, I’ve often heard peers and professors say, “spring semester goes by fast.” It feels like we move from braving cold D.C. weather to picnics on The Yard in the blink of an eye, and before we know it, seniors are preparing to walk across the stage and enter the world beyond The Mecca.
My tenure as Editor-in-Chief (EIC) and my junior year were filled with challenges. We had to cover difficult stories, and some of them received criticism. This country and the world felt unsteady, and, in moments, that unsteadiness made its way to campus. Days, weeks and months dragged on, and there were times when I wanted to give in to exhaustion. I just wanted the negative headlines to stop rolling in, or at least a break from my schoolwork. Now, as we approach the end of an era, I am forced to reflect on its beginning.
In the winter of my sophomore year, I was still reeling from the shock of being promoted to Managing Editor (ME) when then-EIC JD Jean-Jacques suggested I start working on my EIC application. He said, although I might not feel ready at the moment, I would after a semester of being ME. In many ways, he was right, but my year as EIC has proven transformative in more ways than I could’ve imagined.
I am different from who I was a year ago, and I owe much of that to The Hilltop. I’ve learned that although I have a hard time deciding what to wear or what to eat for dinner, I am good at making decisions under pressure. I’ve learned that you can not always please everyone, but you should strive to make sure everyone understands you and feels respected. Most of all, I’ve learned that leadership is about listening, and leaning on the people around you.
Almost all of the 2024-2025 editorial board were seniors, so I felt like I was starting from scratch when I hired the staff over the summer. I had no idea who I would be working with and was unsure how it would go. I can now say I could not ask for a better staff. Tara Grey, Dru Strand, Logan Richberg, Armani Durham, Myla Roundy, Jalyn Cameron, Daryl Ramon Thomas Jr., Damenica Ellis, D’Nyah Jefferson-Philmore, Kennedi Bryant, Zion Williams, Cymphani Hargrave and Gabrielle Moore-Lee: thank you. Each and every one of you has exceeded my expectations and left an indelible mark on The Hilltop’s legacy. Everything we’ve accomplished together was the result of your trust, patience and relentless hard work. You are phenomenal and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for all of you.
When I started from scratch, I was not completely alone. Throughout this year, no matter how difficult things got, I never felt alone because I always had my ME, Aniyah Genama. Aniyah and I both started as variety reporters in the fall of 2025. I first met her when we collaborated on an article together, and my impression of her was that she was very dependable, a great writer and could really dress. A year and a half later, these things are still true, but she has come to mean so much more to me. This school year, Aniyah believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, picked up where I fell short and most of all put up with my corny jokes. I could not have done any of this without her or asked for a better sister to lead alongside.
Sometimes you don’t know how good something is until it’s over. Our time at Howard is short. It’s easy to complain about all the bad things, but, once in a while, it’s good to heed the alumni’s advice when they say to enjoy it while it lasts. Please remember to have gratitude and express it.
In Truth and Gratitude,
Sydney Goitia-Doran
Editor-in-Chief, 2025-2026
Copy edited by Daryl R. Thomas Jr.