When I arrived at Quinnipiac, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I ended up choosing journalism as a major on my application as a last minute impulse because I had been the photography editor for my high school paper. I enjoyed photography, but I knew next to nothing about writing journalistically, that skill I would have to figure out later.

In my first semester at QU, one message was drilled into my head again and again — get involved. So after a couple of weeks of settling in, I went back to what I knew and joined The Quinnipiac Chronicle. When I started out, I wrote a few news stories but quickly settled in as a staff photographer and created friendships that would last years.

Something wasn’t right with my situation however. I enjoyed my time spent working for The Chronicle, but I wasn’t enjoying my courses. The passion and tenacity needed to be a great journalist was just not something I had. Instead, I found myself gravitating towards design.

My true turning point came when I was turned down for photography editor for eboard applications, and was offered design editor instead. I had never done any substantial graphic design before but I was eager to join the e-board and learn more. 

That’s when I found my passion.

As I prepare to graduate in the coming weeks and I look back on my second semester, it was a crucial one for my future trajectory. Working together closely with former Creative Director Janna Marnell, I learned more through my work at The Chronicle than I ever could’ve in classes during a semester shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Without her help and the push for me to become design editor, I wouldn’t have found passion for design and further opportunity and interest in photography.

Over the next year as we returned to campus, I changed my major to advertising & integrated communications as I found the work more interesting to me, but I never could let the world of journalism go completely. I kept it as my minor and finished out my coursework. More importantly, I returned to the paper as its creative director, a position I held for two wonderful years. I had a lot to learn then and I still do today, but experiencing the transformation I’ve seen in myself and my work has been a gift.

Next year I return for a master’s in interactive media and design. After that, I don’t know where life will take me, but I do know that I will keep chasing my passions. As I grow older, that ideal may become unrealistic, but until then, I intend to live the dream.