During my time at Texas State, nothing has been more rewarding than being a student journalist. As I step into the professional world as a journalist, I want to take a moment to thank the people who have guided, challenged and inspired me along the way. 

First, a sincere thank you to all of my journalism professors over the years. My first class with Jessica James brought me back into journalism and gave me my first crash course in the world of news. 

Thank you to Gilbert Martinez, whose First Amendment law class taught me what it truly means to be a journalist — to protect free speech, serve the public interest and believe in the power of real journalism. His class inspired me to become the journalist I am today, and I carry those lessons into every story I write. 

Thank you to Laura Krantz, who supported me as I chased down stories, letting me sit on her office floor in full panic mode as I dug through public records. Her guidance, and her frequent, slightly worried, “What are you up to now?” meant more to me than she knows. 

Thank you to Amber Hinsley, Kelly Kaufhold and Kym Fox, who taught me the value of visual and multimedia journalism and encouraged me to push beyond my work at Texas State and The Star. Your belief in me gave me the confidence to dream bigger. 

Experience is a crucial part of becoming a journalist, but I know I wouldn’t be where I am without the guidance and endless support of my professors. (And please, I’m begging you, keep answering my emails after graduation.)  

To my friends and colleagues at The Star, thank you. I’m forever grateful to Lucciana Choueiry and Ryan Claycamp, the best editors and even better friends. 

Whether it was cutting down my (way too long) stories or helping me navigate complicated reporting situations, they were always in my corner. I’m holding out hope that we’ll end up working at the same paper again one day. 

A special thank you to Haley Velasco, my first editor at The Star, who welcomed me into the chaos of the newsroom with kindness and guidance. 

And to Marisa Nuñez and Blake Leschber — thank you for trusting me with important stories and helping me grow, even when my word counts got a little out of hand. 

More than anything, these years have taught me that journalism is about more than just telling the story; it’s about making sure people are listening.

So, finally, thank you to the readers and the Texas State community for supporting us. Journalism only works because of you and your belief in the importance of our reporting. 

Thank you again, and keep an eye out for my byline.