ISU has allowed me to really find what I am meant to do in the world. My parents and I immigrated to the United States as refugees in the late 1990s. Starting our lives over in a new country and making ends meet was more of a priority at the time than if I would attend college.
When it finally came time to have that conversation, ISU stuck out from the beginning. The classes offered in the School of Communication really fit what I want to do with journalism, and I saw this was a close community when I came down to visit a few times. To say ISU prepares students for great things is just the beginning, and even though my family and I have had a crazy journey in life, I'm glad it has led me here.
I have been a part of The Vidette and TV-10 and both have been crucial to my development as a journalist. They have given me hands on experience and allowed me to hone the skills I learned in class. My classes and activities have helped me land two summer internships--one last year in downtown Chicago and one this summer as a reporter for the Daily Herald newspaper in the Chicago suburbs.
I really like the freedom students get when it comes to picking their classes, attending various events and really just doing the things they want to do.
I've been at The Vidette since my freshman year and have had the chance to take on various positions. I'm the Editor-in-Chief, and I get to do a lot of great things with my staff. A lot of time goes into the position, and at the end of the day, I want people to see how much that newspaper means to me. My entire college career has been dedicated to it, and it has granted me so many wonderful opportunities.
I want people to remember me as a fierce leader who always encouraged her peers to do their best, an achiever who wanted to take things to the next level and someone who loved helping others and was crazy about her job. If someone ever decides to remember me by any one of those, I'll be happy.
ISU is a very special place that gives students a chance to share their voice, be a part of different organizations that stand for what they believe in and meet others that are passionate about the same stuff. You don't get that with every university, so it's what adds to ISU's charm and what makes so many students call this their home.