It is with great sorrow and heavy hearts that The Polytechnic announces the passing of former Editor in Chief Christopher Leong. It is hard to express the sadness that fills us in such a short staff editorial. Chris, this is a tribute to you.
Chris joined the editorial staff as a freshman in 2012. He started his career as a lowly associate copy editor, grinding his way through mountains of articles and staying until the early morning closings every week. In the fall of 2013, Chris was elected senior managing editor. Unknown to him, he would take the role of acting editor in chief in the fall of 2014. In that role, he made The Poly a friendly and welcoming environment to the newcomers. He saw the potential in the then-freshman class, and pestered them to stay. He taught them what it meant to be a representative of the newspaper. When their time of leadership came, albeit early, he encouraged them to step into those roles, confident they would succeed.
Many of us have only known Chris for a short time, but in that time he made an everlasting impact on our lives. Directly or indirectly, every staff member has Chris to thank for joining The Poly. His contribution was making The Poly more than a club. He made us a family. Were it not for him, we might not have a school newspaper anymore. He has given countless hours to do something that he loves. He has given countless hours to teach others the craft that he loves, so that we may continue in his passing.
This is a thankless job. Most people will pass through Rensselaer without knowing the weekly efforts we put into the paper and the enormous time commitment required of a twice editor in chief. Chris, your work has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for hours you spent with us on Tuesday nights. Thank you for the time you spent writing articles for every section. Thank you for the work music and your puns. Thank you for your sacrificed sleep and lost test points. Thank you for being a friend, and thank you for being our family. We wish you the best luck in your next life. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your valiant service to The Polytechnic. You will be missed.