It’s been a long time.

My time at The Ticker began in fall 2022. Truth be told, I filled out an application for copy editing and photography because I was bored. I had a four-hour gap on two days and a three-hour gap on two other days. A bored freshman wouldn’t have anticipated the impact such a decision would have on his career in art and marketing, as well as his entire life.

It’s not like I hadn’t done journalism before. A class from high school may have been the pull toward The Ticker. Regardless, I found myself editing articles

and taking photos to kill time. It wasn’t long until I had moved up in the organization.

My journey began with my induction as photography editor in fall 2023. I thank Kamilla Sharipova for letting me take on a role that shaped my future, but that role came with a few major problems. I was left with little guidance on how things were run, an extremely small team and a low-end camera I barely knew how to use. Not the best way to take over a department that photographs news stories spanning the city!

However, my team and I persevered. I thank Eliana Hernandez, a photographer that stuck by my side throughout. She joined The Ticker the same time I did, offering her hand in fulfilling requests, being one of my most reliable members. Her contributions gave me room to breathe when things got chaotic and helped me search for a team I’m proud to lead today. Her time at The Ticker ended in fall 2025 with her graduation from Baruch College. I am proud to have had her on my team. I’m wishing you the best with law school!

The storm settled as the semesters passed. By spring 2024, I had a reliable team to work alongside, enough knowledge on cameras and a groove for my role in The Ticker. But it was also then that I began to get more involved with The Ticker’s community. Richard Wen, my partner and the current graphics editor, is to thank for that.

While some may see The Ticker as a stoic news organization, the inside of the office is a complete antonym.

The office was always made a fun place by former photographer and multimedia assistant Aylssa Iglesias, former Human Resources director Michael Berger, and former Arts & Culture Editor Sarah Gabriel, whether it be speaking in British accents, sharing stories, or fun and jokes.

Another thing: I would never have expected to work on Baruch’s yearbook. It was around the middle of fall 2024 when The Ticker absorbed the former yearbook, Lexicon. Though our first year was chaotic as we learned the process of producing a yearbook, it was a great learning experience. There are many to thank for setting the groundwork for Snapshots’s future success: twins Sarah and Stephanie Gabriel, Kaniz Saima, Leer Chen, Yuling Liu and Maya Demchak-Gottlieb.

My involvement in Snapshots shaped my current self as well. 

Working on the 2026 yearbook was a daunting task, but it helped fold me further into the Baruch community. Working alongside an exceptional yearbook team and meeting countless members of clubs has made all the stress involved worth it. I won’t forget the long days spent in a dark room (and not that kind!) with my photographers Stephen Long, Analy Perez, and Vianney Torres to get seniors their portraits. I’m very thankful for their help and proud of the work they’ve done!

Special thanks to project managers Assaf Bitton and Malika Khaknazarova for keeping the team organized, Uqba Attique for her hard work to design a beautiful book to remember Baruch, and Richard for their strong dedication to the team.

I want to give one final thanks to the current team at The Ticker.

Thank you to Irza Waraich and Sonia Kalo for being wonderful and open-minded leaders of this organization. You’ve both helped me grow and propel so far.

Thank you to Justina Dodani for being considerate of everyone and the realistic mind The Ticker needs. You’ve done so much for us and we couldn’t ask for a better team member.

Thank you to Josephine Lau for being such a good and caring boss. You’ve saved my sanity so many times and I’m glad to have returned the favor. I’ll be seeing you in Hong Kong!

Thank you to Ashanti Charon, Reagan Rawner and Zoe Del Percio-Evans for making the suite such a fun place all the time with the stories, jokes and comical relief from all the stress we face, while giving some of the best suggestions and advice when things need to be serious.

Thank you to Karizma Jernigan for all the lovely conversations we’ve had. You’re a very fun person to talk with and I know you’ll do great as the next edi- tor-in-chief.

Manish Kumar, I have to say that you’re so cool! Thank you for being so awesome and a fun person to be around. I love all the unexpected surprises and moments you bring to The Ticker.

Thank you to Joonwoo Kim for your patience and being a cool and composed person. I really enjoy the talks you’ve joined and I’m still invested in getting to know you better.

Thank you to Emma Delahanty for having so many interesting stories to share with the team.

It’s always fun hearing you talk about something new or hearing your latest ventures. I love your photography and I know your reporting will bring you far. Shout out for helping out with the visual culture column!

Thank you to Andrea Shi for the random puzzles and games we did together. Trying to solve those many puzzles was very fun!

Thank you to Kevin Hernandez, Michelle Dong, and my successor Stephen for being some of the best and most reliable photographers I’ve worked with. All three of you have been big influences on my photography and management skills, and I know you will make it far in your careers!

Finally, thank you to Richard and Ashley Kodowa for the workshops we’ve run together and all the fun we’ve had. Both of you are so awesome and I really love the creative work we’ve done together.

The Ticker has been an avenue to expose me to a wealth of people, experiences, and places. In fact, it’s one of the core reasons I could explore my passions and grow my skills behind the lens.

My work isn’t over at Baruch yet. As I write this letter, I still find myself busy crafting the commencement video alongside amazing videographer Cherice Chan, project manager Malika, and lead actor Uqba. It’ll be my final send off to the Baruch community I’ve grown to love.

Godspeed, Baruch. I’ll always miss you and the communities you foster.