It’s weird to say that this will be the last article I ever write for The Ticker as a Multimedia Editor.

After three years of being a part of this club, it feels bittersweet to leave everything behind as I graduate.

I was first introduced to The Ticker during the pandemic, as we navigated the uncertainties of club life. It was in a Zoom breakout room with then Editor-in-Chief Amanda Salazar that I was exposed to college journalism.

Before The Ticker, I knew I was passionate for media and storytelling centered around human-interest stories. I had no idea what exactly that meant…was I meant to be making documentaries? Did I belong in a newsroom? Did I even want to go into journalism?

I wasn’t sure my freshman year, but I knew I should probably be part of something.

I looked far and wide for something that centered around media. I came up empty-handed and wondered why this was missing from a college – especially one in New York.

I took the skills I learned in high school and pitched myself for the first time. I told the EIC that I would create Weekly Update videos on time – shoot, edit and produce them all remotely.

That’s what I did for a whole semester until I realized I needed more help if I wanted to expand into the worlds of Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.

Then my proudest accomplishment came into fruition: a multimedia department, created by me. Something that would leave a legacy, add substantial value and grow even when I left.

I learned leadership skills and met and made some of my closest friends.

The Ticker has been with me through many phases of my life from red hair, black hair with bangs and even blonde hair – it has seen it all.

This club has also opened so many doors for me from my job to my internship. Being part of it is something I will carry with me for the rest of my career.

From Tuesday editorial meetings to topic emails to weekly update lines to newspaper stacks to the closet we brought back to life, room 3-290 will hold a special place in my heart.

I hope to be able to visit The Ticker further into my journalism journey and see how my department grows.

Love,

Melani Bonilla