It’s hard to believe my time at CCU is coming to an end. Graduation is a few days away and is surreal enough but what hits me harder is leaving you all – and with you, a part of me – behind.

Looking back at December 2021, when I stepped into the newsroom for the first time as a reporter, everyone seemed to know each other, and I felt like the new student. That quickly changed when I was hired as the first graduate assistant, and I have learned that you will keep growing in every day.

Little did I know that just over the span of a handful of weeks, I would be finding myself with an array of amazing people. I’ve never felt more appreciated within a work environment.

Shelbi Ankiewicz taught me loyalty by supporting me every step of the way. Megan Wallace taught me to be determined. Katie Stoneking and Abby Brown showed me what having true friends was like. Wendy Weinhold showed me that my vulnerability is my strength.

A family. That’s what I found at The Chanticleer Nes without realizing it. To my family this is not a goodbye, this is a CCU soon.