Five years ago, when Dr. Jeremy Metz became the faculty advisor of The Potomac Current, he didn’t know exactly what he had signed up for. One pandemic, several print editions, a website, countless emails, and seemingly endless effort later, The Current is thriving—both in print and online. The managing staff (Kate Choi ‘25, Jessica Raman ‘25, and Charlotte Gabriel ‘25) wants to thank Dr. Metz for his dedication, guidance, and patience over the past three years as he has helped us become better writers, thinkers, reporters, and journalists.
In a recent interview with Dr. Metz, he described his time on The Current in three words: Transformation, mentoring, and commitment.
Near the beginning of Dr. Metz’s tenure, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. At that point, The Current was only published in print. Dr. Metz then pioneered a new website, which he has diligently worked to keep up-to-date and polished ever since. In the years since COVID, The Current has undergone a transformation, and this year alone has put out three print editions and multiple articles a week online. The visibility of The Current has transformed, and now reaches every Potomac student and faculty member, as well as hundreds of other subscribers.
Dr. Metz’s emphasis on mentoring has helped us grow not only as students but also as leaders. Mentoring works in both directions—as we learned how to become better journalists, we found that we were increasingly able to help younger students. Dr. Metz created an environment in which students were constantly growing, thanks in large part to his close mentoring of staff writers and editors alike.
Commitment is an important quality in any leader, but Dr. Metz went above and beyond in terms of his commitment to The Current. If we could add a word to the three he supplied, it would be communication. Communication and commitment go hand-in-hand, and together they allowed our publication to run smoothly and put out articles frequently. We cannot remember a time when Dr. Metz didn’t respond to an email within an hour, or wasn’t in the English office and willing to meet when we would stop by randomly to talk about an article. Dr. Metz was constantly communicating with us to ask our opinion on a topic, make suggestions about an article, or brainstorm new ideas. For Dr. Metz, the newspaper came before everything else, which was much appreciated by student writers and editors. When you’re up late at night finishing an article or transcribing an interview, it’s comforting to know that there’s someone who cares just as much about the paper as you do and is willing to work hard to ensure that the paper thrives. Truly, Dr. Metz’s commitment to The Current and his students is unparalleled. He attended every meeting, which were held during Clubs A and Clubs B, and often spent his conference and lunch blocks meeting with students and staff writers to discuss important articles.
Upon reflecting on his contributions to The Current, we realized that Dr. Metz has a unique professional background that has allowed him to be an impactful mentor.
His experience with the Harvard Crimson influenced his approach. Dr. Metz explained, “The excitement of producing a paper that matters to the community is a thrill. [At Harvard,] we had a daily paper,” and he remembers the “great satisfaction of putting out a paper.” Thus, Dr. Metz “wanted to bring that same feeling of satisfaction to The Current—…that what we do is important, and we’re serving our community.”
Dr. Metz’s professional journey before becoming a teacher also shaped his approach. “I had a career in business…where recogniz[ing], nurtur[ing], and retain[ing] talent was key.” He brought that same mindset to The Current, understanding that “talented people can produce marvels” when given the freedom to innovate.
His advice for us as we continue to lead the paper next year is to “continue to look for ways to make the newspaper fun,” and “focus on [mentoring] those younger writers.”
Integrity is another cornerstone of his advice. “Make sure interviews are handled respectfully, that we’re never going to do a cheap shot,” he advised. Dr. Metz underscored the importance of maintaining the integrity and quality of our work, honoring the “commitment [he] had to getting stuff right and accurate and fair, and worthwhile.”
Dr. Metz stated, “I’m proud of the people we’ve had on The Current. Seeing students take charge” has been rewarding.
Dr. Metz, your impact on The Current and its staff cannot be overstated. You have not only been a mentor but also a beacon of journalistic integrity, dedication, and enthusiasm. Your ability to inspire and nurture young writers has set a high standard that we will strive to uphold. As you move on to new adventures, please know that your legacy will continue to shape the paper and its members for years to come. We are immensely grateful for your time, wisdom, and kindness. Thank you for everything, Dr. Metz. You will always be a cherished part of our academic journey.
