I remember the exact moment I decided I wanted to write for a living. My sixth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Dunscomb, wrote on one of my assignments: “You should be a writer.”

But it was more than that. From the time I was 10, I was filling up whatever notebooks and journals I could. It was poetry, short stories, cringy diary entries about middle school crushes, etc. I always knew my future needed writing. 

By the time I was applying to colleges six years later, I decided it was a silly dream, and I should think logically.

So, I took a gap semester. I was in that awkward spot where my dreams often felt unattainable, but everything else was utterly uninteresting. I didn’t know what to do. 

I took a few community college classes in January 2023. I took a few courses I liked and didn’t like. It was my public speaking class that changed how I thought about my future.

I loved giving speeches. I could use my love of words, but I could translate it into conversations. I had never tried anything like it before. I learned quickly that if I wasn’t writing, I wasn’t really living. 

I immediately transferred to the University of Iowa for the journalism program. 

My first semester was rough. I was taking introductory courses that I both hated and loved. It wasn’t enough, though. I’ve always been someone who needed to hyperfocus on one big thing. I didn’t have that yet.

But there it was, right there in my inbox, an email from Sabine Martin with the subject line “The Daily Iowan is HIRING for the spring semester!” I had no idea that reading that email would change my life.

A few weeks later, I was in the newsroom, ready to start as a DITV reporter. It was a dream I never had, but I think it was the future I was destined for. 

I remember feeling scared during orientation. I was a writer for fun, not for publication. It felt like everyone there knew what they were doing, and I didn’t. 

A gentle smile from one editor put me at ease. One small gesture taught me this was a place for everyone. 

From there, everything fell into place. I found my home in the DITV studio. I found my community. I found a love for myself.

I’ve grown so much at DITV, not only as a reporter but as a person, too. During my first semester, I was so shy. I think it took everyone the entire semester to learn my name. 

Somehow, I’m the news director now, talking to everyone all the time.

It was unexpected, but it’s been the best experience of my life. I’ve loved cheering on “baby reporters” and watching my closest friends win awards for their work. I’ve loved sitting through weekly meetings and scheduling. I’ve loved getting into the nitty-gritty of it all.

I’ve done a lot in my time here, like interviewing legislators or traveling and covering stories from Washington, D.C. to Iowa City. It all pales in comparison to the experience of watching my staff put their all into every show, every story, every moment. 

To my staff, thank you for letting me be your director. Through the missteps and the wins, you supported me as I supported you. You all taught me lessons and brought me a million laughs. 

To my team of directors, my best friends, thank you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to do this job. As a news director, you’re only as good as the people around you. I think it’s safe to say I’ve had the best.

To my 12-year-old self, thank you for writing. Thank you for picking up the pen and never allowing me to put it down, even a decade later. 

And to Mrs. Dunscomb, thank you for teaching me that writing really can be a career.