Robert Muilenburg /Advisor
On Jan. 9, 2012, Del Mar College alumnus and Hall of Fame member Zachary Bibbs died.
Zach first attended Del Mar and worked for the student newspaper, The Foghorn, in 1991. I was lucky enough to get the chance to know him when he made his return in 2008, later becoming The Foghorn’s editor in chief.
Many people don’t understand the time and energy students put in to working on student publications. Zach was fully involved and engaged, putting in late hours while having to go through hours of kidney dialysis every week. Despite his health problems, Zach was a positive, nurturing personality for both younger and nontraditional students alike.
I always knew when Zach was in the office because I could hear his boisterous laugh from the hallway of the Harvin Center. Behind that laugh was a genuine smile that proved to be quite infectious. He kept a positive attitude and, despite missed deadlines, missing photos and incomplete pages, seemed to be able to hang on to his sense of humor and good nature.
There were many days that Zach was feeling quite poorly and came to the office to make sure the paper was finished. He was the consummate professional and worked to guide the paper and the young writers. Zach led by example by getting to the office early in the morning and not leaving until midnight, The Foghorn’s deadline.
Zach’s was always willing to share his passion for good food with anyone willing to join him. Zach is the only student I have had that would go to lunch and return to the office with an entire cake. His generosity always created a welcoming environment for the staff.
In a community like Del Mar College, where a large majority of the student population comes to campus, takes classes, hops in the car, and goes on to the many other parts of their busy lives, the student paper remains a link that keeps the sense of community alive. That link was held together for a time by one of the kindest and most good-natured people I have had the pleasure of working with. Zach was not only a student. He became a friend, and I will miss him greatly
“In Memory of Zachary Bibbs Former Editor-In-Chief”
December 16th 1972
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January 9th 2010
