Since I started at Texas State in 2022, I’ve been counting the days until my graduation, in hopes of never having to submit homework by 11:59 p.m. again. Now here I am in my final semester, 10 days until graduation, and I’m still counting down, but now it’s for an entirely different reason. 10 days left at The Star, where I found a home away from home, and where I helped create a broadcast program from the ground up. I have 10 days left as the very first TV News Director for Star News Network.
In February, Marisa, the editor-in-chief at the time, hired me as the director for Star News Network. The program was basically brand new, having only three recorded shows. Coming into this role was very intimidating at first. Being in the newsroom amidst all of the print commotion and being the only broadcast editor in there, I started to develop imposter syndrome. But through the first few months and some long, long nights of editing in Premiere Pro, I received amazing feedback and reactions on each show, and I knew I belonged in the newsroom.
When the fall semester started, I had about a million new ideas I wanted to implement, and very minimal time. I got many comments like, “Julia, do you have any free time at all?”, “Are you not completely exhausted?”, “How do you do all of this?” All of which I would answer, “I don’t know, I just do it.”
To finally answer these questions, no, I in fact had very minimal free time. Yes, I was exhausted. I spent the free time that I did have sleeping. And, no, I did not do all of this myself. I had Maci.
To Maci, who I hired as the Assistant TV News Director, who has become one of my closest friends over the past few months. Words can hardly express how much I appreciated your help and friendship over this semester. I am so grateful to have gotten the chance to work side by side with you, and cannot wait to see what you do going forward with Star News Network and in all your future opportunities. I truly could not have done this without your help, so thank you, so, so much.
This fall, we saw insane growth in Star News, from introducing a separate sports segment, to rebranding and adding new graphics, and to winning 5th place at the ACP awards for our September 2025 show. This was a national competition, and we placed above schools like Baylor and Auburn, whose programs have been around much longer than a year.
Thank you to Professor Kelly Kaufhold for always being open to helping us out and for your guidance and advice during this semester. Thank you to Professor Eun Jeong Lee for being there for any questions I had on production days. Thank you to my broadcast crew for all of your hard work and for helping our section feel so welcoming. And finally, thank you to The University Star and all of my fellow editors for the friendships and good times along the way; they were much needed, and I wish you all the absolute best going forward. <3
All things come to an end, and as much as I don’t want to leave, I know I need to. As Cody Johnson said, “If you got a dream, chase it, ’cause a dream won’t chase you back.”
