Walking onto Moravian’s campus for my first tour as a senior in high school, I had a feeling that this was the place I was meant to be for the next four years. I never knew the person I would become by the end.
I was so excited to start college, joining every club I could in an attempt to make friends and find my passions. The Comenian was the first place on campus that felt like home on campus. I found a community of encouraging writers and a sense of purpose in the work I was producing. This club is where I made my first friends on campus and where I found my voice.
A big reason I chose to commit to Moravian was the programs the school offers, including the ELEVATE experience, Global Greyhound program, and LVAIC system.
Because of these opportunities, I, as a first-generation student, was able to do things I never thought possible. I left the country for the first time, flying to France for 10 days and experienced what life abroad was like for the first time.
I am graduating with a career promise, a small sense of security to carry with me through this scary and uncertain job market.
And, most of all, I have taken full advantage of the LVAIC system. I self-designed a minor in multimedia journalism and began taking classes at Lehigh University. There, I met a whole new community of students committed to the same field as me, expanded my network, and learned so much from them.
Without the programs that Moravain offers its students, I never would have been able to receive such a fruitful college education and thrive in the ways I have.
Even my off-campus job at Hotel Bethlehem, working as a hostess in the restaurants, has made me a completely different person than I was four years ago. I met my boss, Bruce Haines, at a job and internship fair hosted on campus during my first semester.
He was in the far back corner, tucked into the corner of the old Pavilion in the old HUB (oh, the nostalgia). He was the last person I talked to, and I later came to learn I was also the last student he spoke with. I remember him handing me his business card with his cell phone number on it, telling me to come to the hotel the next day and call him when I was in the lobby.
So, I did.
Four years later, that is one of his favorite stories to recall with me. I have become a thousand times more confident in myself, learned how to handle stress, show kindness and compassion, and communicate with people.
Walking onto campus and into Hotel Bethlehem for the first time, I was the shyest person I knew. Throughout these four years, I have gained the confidence necessary not only to fuel my own self-confidence but also to be a thriving and successful journalist.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have downfalls throughout these four years, too. I went through a really low period at the start of my second semester of sophomore year. Yet that’s when I truly began to find myself. I felt alone for the first time, and struggled that entire summer to get out of bed. Yet in that pain, I found my passion for journalism, my self-confidence, and frankly, my ability to do hard shit.
To be frank, I have been ready to leave Moravian since the end of my junior year. I didn’t find my people at Moravian or have a typical college experience. I didn’t get the late nights in dorm rooms or out partying. I had to work multiple jobs and long hours to pay my way through my undergraduate degree.
I’ve felt ready for a long time to leave, to just have a job, rather than spreading myself so thin across multiple commitments. For a while, I started to resent this place.
Yet, now, I’m not sad to leave; I am definitely still ready. But now I can look back and recognize that while I didn’t have the college experience romanticized on television, I gained things far greater: my sense of self, mentors I will admire for life, and a confidence in my ability to succeed and do hard things.
I wouldn’t have gotten that if Moravian hadn’t brought me to the Lehigh Valley and held me in its arms the past four years. This university’s support is the reason I have achieved so much.
I am so thankful to all of my professors and staff who have guided me along the way.
Professor Harris, you have been my biggest mentor, showing me that someone believed in my abilities and was willing to invest the time and effort to make me a better writer. Without your encouragement, I would never have pursued a career in journalism. Not only have you made me a better journalist, but you’ve made me a better person. I can’t count the number of times I have cried in your office or come to you for both personal and professional advice. Every conversation has inspired me and made me think deeper about the decisions I am making.
Chris, you have also helped me grow in insurmountable ways. I still have a piece of paper taped to my laptop that you handed me in your office while I was going through a rough time. “I belong here,” it says. “My ability and competence grow with my effort. I can succeed at this. This work has value to me.” Whenever I think about giving up, I look at that small note and remember your encouragement. I think about the why behind what I am doing, and I find meaning every day. Thank you for believing in me.
Thank you to Dr. Brill, Dr. Dougal, President Grigsby, Kelly Gallagher, Patrick Danner, Dr. Crooke, Dr. Waller-Peterson, and everyone else who has made a difference in my time here at Moravian.
I am excited to say “Hound ‘Em!” as I walk the stage in May and look towards my future endeavors.
