When I first arrived on campus, I didn’t know many other students and I didn’t know much about The University of Alabama. So, I decided to get involved with the SGA and the CW, meet as many people as I could, and benefit as much as possible from campus life.

I eventually found my place in student media and have made many great friends in the process.

Yet, my collegiate experience would not have been as rewarding or exciting as it has been if I had not had the guidance and support of my many mentors in this year’s senior class.

The many distinguished students who will graduate next month have, collectively, made an enormous impact on this campus, and will leave behind a university that is very different from the one they inherited.

These are the people who worked on Steven Oliver and Kendra Key’s historic campaigns for the SGA presidency, brought people from across campus together in discussion group meetings, and laid the foundation for organizations like Greeks T.I.D.E. and the Honors College Assembly. Perhaps more important than what they have done formally is what they have done informally – created a campus social culture that has made it possible for people from different groups and backgrounds, like the Honors College, Blackburn, Blount, SGA and the greek community – to come together and forge lasting friendships.

In the process, they have set an example for underclassmen to follow by making this a more united, inclusive campus.

We have asked some of the most outstanding members of this year’s graduating class to share their story and reflect on their years at the University in columns that will be published on the opinions page throughout the week. These columns come from a diverse range of students, whose significant achievements and involvements have had a tremendous impact.

We hope their submissions will inspire younger students, while giving our elder statesmen an opportunity to share their greatest experiences and their hopes for our campus moving forward. We have also asked them to detail where they think we have made the most progress as a student body over the past few years, and where they think we need to improve.

They have had a great run at this university and are well positioned for success in the future. From Homecoming Queen candidate Pandora Austin to HCA pioneer Anna Foley to the legendary Ian Sams, there are members of this senior class we all can identify with.

So, join us in learning from them, and recognizing their many contributions. And let us, as underclassmen, aspire to follow in their footsteps, and be worthy of carrying on the legacy they leave behind.

Tray Smith is the opinions editor of The Crimson White. His column runs on Mondays.