'A FRIEND FIRST' While being involved all over campus, senior Kaleb Turner became the first three-year editor-in-chief for Student Publications. Senior public relations major Kaleb Turner found his place at Harding University.Turner spent his four years at Harding working on Student Publications and living in Armstrong Hall servingas an editor-inchief of two different publications and resident assistant (RA) during his last three years. Turner joined the StudentPublications staff during his freshman year as the editorial assistant of the Bison newspaper. After his first semester, he was promoted to assistant copy editor. At the end of his freshman year, Turner was presented with the opportunity to apply for editor-in-chief of the Petit Jean yearbook. According to Assistant Professor of Communication and Director of Student Publications Karie Ramirez, Turner was the strongestapplicant though he had never worked on the publication before. "He put together a really great presentation [for his interview]," Ramirez said. "It was really thoughtful, so it made a lot of sensefor him to take over." Turner served as the Petit Jean editor-in-chiefduring his sophomore and junior years. He then switched back to the Bison and served as editor-in-chief during his senioryear. According to Ramirez, no other student had been an editor-inchief for three years. Each position he filled carried a lot of responsibility, but Ramirez said he adjusted well to these challenges. "Not every student could do three years as an editor-in-chief," Ramirez said. "The Bison newspaper has totally different challenges than the Petit Jean yearbook does.... He has done really well at being able to handle those challenges and take them head on." After meeting Turner the summer before their freshman year and joining StudentPublications together as freshman, 2018 Editor-in-Chief of rhe Petit Jean yearbook senior Megan Stroudworked under Turner for two years. "Kaleb is an outstanding leader," Stroudsaid. "He is passionate and emotionally connectedto his work --- he cried literally every time he talked about the theme of 'Found.' But despite being our leader and editor he was always a friend first. I don't think he ever knew how much the little notes ofencouragement he left on my desk or the words of praise he gave us during meetings meant to us as a staff. It didn't come from a feeling of obligation; it was genuine, and we all knew that." In addition to StudentPublications, Turner found a sense of belonging in Armstrong Hall. Though Turner was initially unhappy with his placement in ArmstrongHall at the beginning of his freshman year, he said he began to appreciate his dorm placement because of the other students on his hall. This postive experience led Turner to apply to be a resident assistant (RA) during his sophomore year. He said he first saw the position as a job but soon realized how much he enjoyed bonding with those on his hall. "As crazy as my day could be, whether I had a crazy day of classor a crazy day of yearbook, I could always come back here and escape," Turner said. ' I had the guys on my hall who I felt like I could pour into and be beneficial in their lives and, also, have that return to me no matter how my day was going." The strong sense of relationship was felt with those on his hall and with the Armstrong dorm family, the Myers. Residence Life Coordinator Emily Myers got to know Turner well over the course of four years. "He is a positive influence on all who he interacts with; the guys on his hall enjoy him and know that he genuinely cares for them," Myers said. "Kaleb is a great guy; I will cry when he graduates." Through being heavily involved in StudentPublications, Armstrong Hall and other organizations on campus, Turner created a balanced synthesis ofworking hard and impacting the people around him. story by Emma Aly & Carson White Senior Kaleb Turner is involved in many organizations across campus in activities including Student Publications, Armstrong Hall, women's social club Delta Nu, men's social club Theta and the Public Relations Organization. As a part of tudent Publications, Turner was the editor-in-chief ofthe 2017 and 2018 yearbooks and the editor-in-chiefofthe Bison newspaper in 2018-19. I photo by Sterling McMichael On Dec. 3, 2018, outside the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Music and Communication, senior Kaleb Turner strives to be a positive influence and inspiration to those around him. Turner was not only an important part ofStudent Publications as a three-year editor-in-chief but also established a connection with the Myers family during his time as a Resident Assistant in Armstrong Hall. I photo by Sterling McMichael 118
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