I’m grateful for all of the happiness I see both on this campus and elsewhere. Everywhere I go, I seem to come across individuals, alone or in a group, with big smiles on their faces. It’s a wonderful feeling to see such calm and contentment everywhere I go and feel my own reflected back by others, sometimes by people I don’t personally know. – Evan Linko, Online Editor

I’m thankful for the opportunity to coach the Grand Junction High School cheerleading team. It’s beyond rewarding to be able to share my passion with a group of young and inspiring athletes. Their positivity and desire to learn inspires me to do the same in all other aspects of my day and life. –  Alyssa Chambers , Opinions Editor

I am thankful for entering the workforce after high school before continuing my education. It has given me real-world knowledge and a drive for success that I would not have had if I had started college four years earlier. I am also thankful for the amount of joy that spreads through our nation with the holidays. It regains our faith in humanity each and every year. – Ty Fife, Features Editor

I am thankful for the people I am surrounded by. I know that’s a pretty typical answer, but I have been lucky enough to get family, friends and coworkers that challenge my ideas and help me grow into a better person. I am thankful for all of the jobs I have had this semester and the way that my involvement in student media has shaped me. – Cassie Heykoop, News Editor

I am thankful for my children. My “babies,” as I call them, changed my life. My daughter, Tristan, is smart, beautiful and talented. My son, Jacob, is smart, athletic and handsome (he looks like me, LOL). Since the day they were born, they have never ceased to amaze me. Most every day we are together, they teach me something or impress me with something they say or do. My life would be empty if they were not in it. Who knows where I would be if not for my babies. I am also thankful for my small, close knit, family and the friends I have made over the years. Each and every one of these people has influenced the person I have become, and I love them for it. I cannot leave out all the professors I have had throughout my college career. The knowledge each have shared with me/us is immeasurable and will last a lifetime. – Clinton (Buddy) Brown, Photo Editor

I am very thankful for everyone that surrounds me, for they are what makes me what I am today.  I am constantly tested and constantly growing into the person I will be for my remaining life.  I extend that thought specifically to my family and my girlfriend, for without them I have nothing to hold dear in my heart. – Ian Graham, Design Editor

I’m extremely thankful for the support I have received, even in the toughest of times. I have made lifelong friends in my time at CMU and have had many memorable experiences. I also have a wonderful family that always has my back. I couldn’t ask for more. – Levi Meyer, Managing Editor

I am thankful for getting the nonstop love and support from my amazing family. My parents especially work so hard in order for me and my brothers to get what we have wanted, including a great college career.

I am also thankful for everyone who has allowed me to chase my dreams and goals here at CMU. I couldn’t have asked for a better staff to work with on the Criterion. Each and every staff member give it their best effort each week, and nothing makes me happier. Anthony Himes, Editor-in-Chief