New beginnings: The Cougar transitions into new leadership

As I sit down to write my final letter from the editor, I find myself with a mix of emotions. I’m 23 years old, but when I joined The Cougar, I was only 18. Those were five years I spent dedicated to journalism, surrounded by people who share the same passion that I do.

Right now, I feel ready to close this chapter of my life, but I feel myself wishing I could hold on to this moment a little longer.

I will no longer be wrangling my editors together for our biweekly print or handpicking staff members to deliver our newspapers. I will no longer be rushing through the bullpen, handing out letter-sized copies of our print to line edit, shouting out reminders that Oxford commas are a no-go.

Most of all, I will no longer be surrounded by my boisterous chosen family, the ones who made it all the more worth it to come into the office and put everything I had into The Cougar. Each volume, from 87 to 91, holds a special place in my heart, and my college years would be nothing without them.
I was just a shy, first-generation freshman looking for a place where I could make a difference, only to find lifelong friendships that I will never forget along the way. The Cougar is a special place, a small corner of Student Center North. Many alumni of The Cougar would say the same thing, dating back to when the office was in the Satellite and we had a Taco Bell conveniently above us.

Still, The Cougar is more than just a place. To me, it was the center of the world when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. The 18-year-old version of myself never knew what was in store for her, and for those of you who are worried about the future: don’t be.

That’s why I’m more than happy to hand the torch over to Gauraangi Gupta as your editor in chief, someone who came into the office one day and never left. She’s the definition of passion and hard-work, never failing to amaze me at how far she goes to make a story be heard. She came in to The Cougar without knowing a lick of journalism, but slowly yet surely, she grew into the person I know today, someone who will defend the principles of journalism and face any challenges head on.

To the UH community, I just want you to know: take that first leap. Send that first email. Walk into the club meeting. Say yes to that first internship. Take ownership of the life you want to have, and everything else will fall into place. Be as brave as you can be.

I hope everyone reading this letter can find some comfort in those words and know that you have the power to make a difference and to do what life calls out for you to do.

All it takes is a dream, some love and a pinch of faith.

— Cindy Rivas Alfaro, outgoing editor-in-chief

Writing this letter at 30 minutes past midnight is probably the most significant ode to my journey. After almost 5 drafts and 50,000 mental notes, I decided to start this letter from the very beginning. I came to UH in 2023 as an international transfer student from India who moved here because of her father’s corporate transfer.

Choosing to get involved at The Cougar was a natural decision that came to me, because writing has always been a part of me. Little did I know that it wasn’t me who was choosing The Cougar, but rather The Cougar was choosing me.

I wanted to give my passion for writing meaning by becoming a voice for the student body. If someone told me three years ago that one day I would get the opportunity to write this letter, I would’ve laughed, dismissed it and went back to eating my McDonald’s fries because of one simple reason: I was a non-journalism major. Confusing AP style with APA style is probably the biggest canon event for anyone joining The Cougar.

However, The Cougar is more than just a publication for journalism students.The Cougar’s heart and soul lies within its people and their shared passion to be every student’s voice on campus. The same members who made me feel welcomed and helped me cure imposter syndrome as a marketing and sales student.

Our office soon became my safe space. After classes, my feet found their way to the office every single time. My best friends in India suddenly started recognising my new friends from the office. Suddenly, I started becoming a part of different “Cougar traditions.” Suddenly, the girl who didn’t remember to not use Oxford commas, was trusted with running the news section as news editor, then managing editor and now, your incoming editor-in-chief.

I didn’t set out on this journey alone. I was backed up by people who I now consider my lifelong friends. Editor-in-chief of Volume  89, John Lomax V, who believed in me when the idea of becoming editor-in-chief one day hadn’t even crossed my mind. News editor of Volume 89, Robert De La Garza who taught me everything news and made me into the journalist I am today. Outgoing editor-in-chief of Volume 91 and now one of my most trusted friends Cindy Rivas Alfaro who trusted in me when I doubted myself. I walked into the office looking for a way to get involved but instead I found a whole new family.

It is an overwhelming feeling that I am being trusted with a 92-years-old publication. As your incoming editor-in-chief, my goal is to continue the legacy set by those before me. To be as welcoming as John, as empathetic as Robert and as graceful as Cindy.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I know one thing for sure, I’ll make sure to capture and preserve UH’s history one article at a time, especially during its centennial year. Journalism and the curiosity to seek the truth will keep running through The Cougar’s pages.

I will do my best to give back to The Cougar what it gave me. A voice, confidence in both personal and professional life and a safe space for every student.

Because once upon a time, I was just as clueless as you, and if a non-journalism, international transfer student can do it, so can you.

— Gauraangi Gupta, incoming editor-in-chief