Position(s): 2021 Managing Photo Editor, 2021 Summer Digital Managing Editor, 2020 Managing Photo Editor
Section(s): Photo, Leadership
Semesters at The Daily: 7
I don’t think I would have ever joined The Daily if it wasn’t for Barbara telling me I should apply to Photo freshman year at Festifall. I had spent all of high school inside of a darkroom and, while I loved every second of it, I didn’t see photography playing much of a role in my life. Oh, how wrong I was.
After a dozen roadtrips with Sports, tens of events for News, hundreds of late nights spent editing and thousands of photos later, I think it’s safe to say that photography played a rather large role in my life.
Quite honestly, I’m not so sure how I got hired because I look back at my freshman year portfolio and wonder why I wasn’t deferred to SHEI. I had zero photojournalism experience and had never photographed a sports event in my life. My expertise lay in taking abstract portraits of my sister in our bathtub. Fast forward four years and I’m taking photos of President Joe Biden, or standing on the field of the Big House, frantically attempting to photograph the thousands of students storming the field after beating Ohio State. I am a much better photographer than the freshman who didn’t use autofocus, and that is all because of The Daily.
But The Daily didn’t just make me a better photographer. It made me a better leader and a more active member of my community. More importantly, it made me part of a meaningful family that will stay with me forever.
To Photo. You guys really are my whole heart and my favorite part of this paper. Thank you for putting up with me as your Managing Photo Editor for the past two years. I really don’t know how Maddie and I got so lucky with such a talented and passionate group, so thank you for raising the bar every day and making events like CSG look visually stunning. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing your perfect shots or hearing about your experiences at The Daily. You have no idea how much I have learned from each and every one of you. I know you all will miss my TWAP diaries, so let me know if you would like to be added to a new listserv just for my life updates. Keep doing what you’re doing and never forget how important your work is.
To Sports. You guys keep us young. Nothing screams panic attack like getting a text from Lane or Kent at 3 a.m. Thank you for all of the fun road trips and awkward attempts at combining our sections. If it weren’t for you guys, who knows if I would have ever gotten the chance to sit courtside at the RAC or Madison Square Garden (I’ll let you guys decide which one you think is more prestigious).
To News. Without you guys, I probably would have never known what SACUA is, which is something I truly don’t think I could live with. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to cover amazing events and for being Photo’s partners in crime.
To Jack. Thank you for teaching me everything I know about SEO and letting me follow your DME footsteps over the summer. More importantly, though, thank you for supporting our digital sections and always hyping us up.
To Grace and Tess. There is not a single doubt in my mind about your ability to do this job. You guys are both so uniquely talented and balance each other out so well. I can’t wait to see everything you accomplish next year and wherever Maddie and I may be, know we will always be there for you.
To our senior editors — Julia, Miles, Becca and Emma. Sorry the website broke and you all had to reupload several hundred photos. You guys are all the best at what you do, so thank you for making my life so much easier and being amazing role models. Fritas once more before we go?
To my 2020 and 2021 Managing Editors, you guys truly rock. We all had quite the wild ride together, but it was such a privilege to have worked with you all.
To Annie, wherever you are out there in Colorado doing insane things. I love thinking back to when we started as Managing Photo Editors, when the world was whole and our worst fear was getting a text from News in the middle of the night. I wish we could get a redo and spend more nights in the newsroom, but I am so grateful to have made it through with you. Come back to AA soon? Photo misses you.
To Barbara. If it wasn’t for you, I would have never found this place that has been a second home for me, the first being Linden, of course. (On that note: thank you to Natalie and Katrina for putting up with all of our Daily shenanigans. I promise it’s over now.) I have loved watching you go from covering CSG at 11 p.m. on a random Tuesday night as a writer to editing CSG at 11 p.m. on a random Tuesday night as Managing News Editor. If that’s not character development, I don’t know what is. But seriously, we started at The Daily together, we grew together and now we’re leaving together. There’s no one else I would have wanted to share that experience with.
To my mom. Thank you for being my biggest fan. You put a camera in my hands at such a young age and even though it was stolen on that dreadful afternoon in New York City, my love for photography always stayed with me.
To Maddie. Thank you for everything. I don’t understand how you can quite literally be the most talented photographer all the while being the most incredible person. Share the wealth, please? You are the most selfless, dedicated and passionate person I have ever met, and it is so clear that you care about The Daily more than anything else. Thank you for picking up cookies and ranting with me after every long night. For being the first person I send all of my favorite photos to. For having premonitions! For not editing photos with dark hues and shadows. For going above and beyond in every aspect of the job. For not only being my co-editor, but my best friend.
To 420 Maynard. You really have been my second home for the past four years. Allowing me to step into the world of journalism has been the greatest privilege, so thank you for every opportunity, every friend and every photo.