Resiliency Defines Editor in Chief's Life

As Editor in Chief of Central Michigan Life, dealing with adversity is part of the job, but that’s nothing new for Jake May.

May, 22, has faced challenges that people twice his age may have yet to endure.

At age 8, May’s mother, Linda Wallwood, divorced his father after learning he had been cheating on her.

“I remember going to the skeet range with my dad once or twice where he met this woman and I didn’t know at the time what was going on because I was so young,” May said.

In the few months after the divorce, May’s father married the woman and adopted her daughter.

May wouldn't hear from his father for more than 10 years.

About a year after the divorce, May, his mother and his older brother Josh moved to Jensen Beach, Fla. where his mother remarried a man she worked with at the U.S. Post Office.

But after a string of verbal and physical abuse, May’s mother filed for divorce.

“Many nights I would be in bed but not sleeping,” May said. “They would argue over money, my brother and me.”

Soon after the divorce, 13-year-old May and his mother returned to his hometown in Grand Haven, Mich.

“It was really hard for me coming back, I didn’t know anyone and I had to work hard to make friends,” May said. “I think it was those years that really helped to develop the personality I have and the person I am today.”

It was during those high school years that May discovered his passion for journalism, starting out shooting photos for the student newspaper.

“I just picked up a camera and was able to get my mind off the things that were going on at home,” May said.

At home money was tight. Jake’s mother had retired from the post office and started a bakery, but filed for bankruptcy after the business failed.

Wallwood returned to the post office and was forced to work long hours to support Jake and his brother, who was now in college. As a result, she was unable to witness many of May’s achievements throughout high school.

In his senior year, May received 14 awards from the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association for his work with the student newspaper.

May started working at Central Michigan Life in September of 2006. In that semester he wrote more than 50 stories.

“With journalism Jake has always just jumped right into it,” Wallwood said. “He pushes himself and is persistent and he is always going forward in his life.”

As May began to find a place in the journalism world, adversity struck again.

In November his mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

“My mom has worked so hard all her life just to keep my brother and me going,” May said. “To see her so physically drained – it’s tough.”

Wallwood said her son has a personality that can withstand tough times.

“Jake is the kind of person who sees things and knows there are always ways to go forward and find what you need to do to go on,” Wallwood said.

It is his resilient attitude which has allowed him to get to where he is today.

“I knew the day I walked into CM-Life that I wanted to be editor in chief before I graduated,” May said.

Brian McLean, Central Michigan Life managing editor, said he owes much of his professional achievements to May’s motivational attitude.

“If it weren’t for Jake pushing me my first semester at CM-Life, I probably wouldn’t have done half as much as I did,” McLean said.

May said he has tried to learn from the events that have shaped his life.

“There were times when I thought it couldn’t get worse and it did,” May said. “And I wouldn’t change any of it because I wouldn’t be the man I am today.”