Alvin Chang, former editor-in-chief for the Washington Square News

I've encountered hundreds of student journalists in my time at NYU, but none have been as selfless as Adam. In an industry that encourages a cutthroat, selfish attitude, Adam takes pride in being someone who helps others rise in the industry, while taking little credit for their success.

He is always thinking about the paper. In fact, when I was his boss, I would have to work to avoid him because I wanted to get away from my work, but he just wanted to talk more about how to make the paper better.

Adam is also a strong writer and a great reporter with much professional experience. Each and every day, he immersed himself in journalism. But it is this incredible selflessness that sets him above and beyond others.

Bill Stagg, the senior public relations specialist for the Duke Medical News and Communications Office

Adam’s the journalism equivalent of a basketball gym rat. He walked in off the street as a high school student and persuaded a bunch of cynical journalists (I was managing editor) to hire him as a summer intern. Grudgingly, we gave him a chance because we needed the help -- and we weren't disappointed. Adam always, and I mean always, exceeded expectations. Even as a beginner, he dug deep on every story, getting more sources, more details, more background and context.

As a good writer should, he respects the language. We chuckled a little because Adam was so doggone earnest and even-tempered. He was like Adam the All-American Boy. I recall his obsessing from time to time over word-use issues --- "should I say 'big' or does 'large' work better?" But in only a few weeks, it was clear Adam was years ahead of some full-time folks on our staff.

Keith Leighty, adviser for the Washington Square News

Adam does not back down from controversy. In his weekly column, he took on no less than the president of the university regarding his ability to communicate with the university community. This sentence is from one of his columns: “In a 1,600-word e-mail, it takes over a thousand words to get to the fact that tuition is increasing.” He knows that as a University editor, he is biting the hand that feeds him, but no matter. “I don't know if NYU doesn't want to talk to its students or if it simply does not know how. Please, show me it's the latter,” he wrote.

And, finally, when a journalism professor gathered a group of students to start a Web site to challenge the student newspaper, Adam met it head on. He ordered up a story about it. Competition, he said, can only make us better.

Source | Washington Square News
Lisa E. Goldberg, the wife of NYU President John Sexton, died yesterday after a massive brain aneurysm. She was 54.

Source | Washington Square News
When rising CAS sophomore Mike Collins was in high school, every time there was a school board meeting "of consequence," he says he was there.

Source | Washington Square News
A CAS freshman died Saturday morning after he jumped from the roof of University residence hall, police said.

Source | Washington Square News
In Monday's paper, you read about the death of CAS freshman Allan Oakley Hunter III. You learned how and where he died, that he was a musician, that those who knew him said he was friendly and sweet, and that it seems like he might've felt isolated at NYU.