I’ll never forget the day the gawky news editor of The Rocket, Jonathan Janasik, approached in with uneasy “hey” at Boozel Dining Hall and said he thought I should write for the news section the next year. To be honest, I didn’t expect much from the encounter. I’d write an article or two maybe and that would be that. Two years and close to 100 articles later, here I am as the editor-in-chief and writing my final piece for The Rocket.
The Rocket has truly been one of the most enjoyable organizations I have been involved in and has genuinely changed my life. It has brought new friendships, fantastic opportunities and more late nights than I would probably care to admit.
During my time at Slippery Rock University, I’ve had the opportunity to examine the enzyme activity of triosephosphate isomerase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; I’ve had the pleasure of compiling the ever-read police blotter (I’ll never forget the big VIP Arby’s coupons theft or that time some person tried to leave Giant Eagle with $363.05 worth of meat, vegetables and fruit without paying for them); I’ve had the headache of memorizing over 20 different calculations for standard errors in biometry; I’ve had the chance to provide service to others through the Honors Program, Tri-Beta, FLSP, Dumbledore’s Army, Orientation and Admissions; And, of course, I’ve had the joy of reporting on the always thrilling meetings of the student government association. These experiences have all been unforgettable and I would not trade any of them or wish a single one away. They have helped to shape me as a person and have given me perspective in life and in every decision I make.
One of my most cherished memories though was putting together The Rocket each week with staff that never ceased to impress with me with their hard work and dedication to ensuring the best quality of our paper. I’m proud of everything we accomplished and thankful to have worked with all of you, including our advisor, Dr. Zeltner, who has offered unwavering support of our endeavors and whom we would be completely lost without. I also appreciate the Communication Department opening its doors to an outsider and treating me as one of their own (actually, a number of students and professors mistake me for a member of their department).
Looking forward to the next stage in my life, attending Ohio State University for my doctorate in their Molecular, Cellular and Development Biology program, I hope to also bear witness to the exciting things that take off for The Rocket in the coming years.
