This newsletter marks the final “Word from the Chair” column that I will write. The end of my term as chair, along with very welcome return of cold fall weather to Northern Idaho, has left me in a somewhat introspective and reflective mood.

Getting involved in the AEJMC History Division wasn’t something that I necessarily set out to do as both a graduate student, and then later as a faculty member. As someone who was one of very few media history-oriented students a large graduate program, and is now part of a small department, I’ve gotten used to doing my things on my own. I enjoyed the many, many (many) hours I spent alone in the microfilm room of a library or at a table in a special collections department. I loved reading through a stack of books, taking detailed notes on a legal pad, and then filing them away in an old metal cabinet that could likely withstand a nuclear attack in my office.

But I also realized I need to build some sort of community. To some extent, I sort of fell into AEJMC – the timing worked out, the conferences were relatively easy to get to (geographically), and I could usually keep costs somewhat low. And there was a History Division that I was somewhat familiar with. A colleague volunteered me for the membership committee, and I figured it was a great way to start to do some service.

It was sometime after the AEJMC conference in Detroit that I realized that I wanted to get more involved with the division. Sitting on the two-hour bus ride from the Marriott to the airport, I thought about how much fun I had had. For two days, I packed my schedule with research presentations, coffee and breakfast meetings, and engaged in as many side conversations as possible. I realized how much I enjoyed the people who were part of the division. The research was interesting; the members were nice, welcoming, and funny; and there was a real chance to elevate the field.

The best part of serving as History Division chair this past year has been getting to know the division members, beyond merely recognizing a name in a program or admiring someone’s recent book or article from afar. It’s these connections that made the grind of research and of teaching worth it. I’ve truly enjoyed chatting with so many of you over email and at conferences. And I leave inspired – as a teacher, as a researcher, and as a colleague. I can’t wait to see what the new leadership team has in store.