Dear Elon community,
I came to this campus four years ago, wide-eyed and excited for the potential of the next four years. Ironically I thought that I was one of few who came from a small, Northern area near a big city, but obviously I was to learn very quickly that that wasn’t special to me. Finding my place here at Elon was harder than I expected it to be, and that fact was something that was even harder to admit. Eventually, I joined Elon News Network. ENN gave me a home on this campus when I wasn’t quite sure where else I could give the same honor to, and that feeling of purpose only grew stronger. Without ENN, not only would I have never been the journalist I am today, but I would’ve never been the person I am today. I would’ve never been the person who’s not scared to stand up for herself, or the person who was eager to ask as many questions as possible. Without ENN, I would’ve never been able to say that I get to live out my childhood dream.
One of the many benefits of growing up near New York City was being engrossed in New York sports. The one thing that I was sure about during my time at Elon was that my education was going to lead me to a career in sports. Once I committed myself to ENN, I had support systems on support systems to make sure that I was successful in that. I had seniors who didn’t owe me anything stand by my side as I learned the ins and outs of the sports journalism industry. I get to return to New York City as a member of the sports journalism industry due to these support systems, and I couldn’t be more proud of that.
To the athletics department, while I’m sure there were times my cell phone number had a little red start next to it, I couldn’t have grown without the support of all of you. From the SIDs, to coaches and players, thank you for trusting me with your stories.
To the team that I ended my ENN journey with, despite the downs we faced this year, I encourage all of you to remember the ups and try to carry that over into next year. In our fast moving industry, it does more harm than good to dwell on the things that aren’t helpful to us. Recognize those feelings, but only take with you those that will help you grow moving forward.
And finally to the campus that I’ve helped serve for the past four years, thank you for pushing this unsure, confused girl from a small town outside of New York City. Thank you for helping me grow beyond that box I put myself in, and holding me accountable as I evolved.
As I move forward, I will always remember my time at Elon and the lessons it gave me. Thank you to all I’ve had the privilege of meeting, and I wish you all nothing but the best. Long Live Elon!