Goodbye PantherNOW: Outgoing Editor-in-Chief bids adieu to Student Media

Michelle Marchante/2018-2019 Editor-in-Chief

Thank you Student Media for making FIU home these past four years.

It’s hard to write this goodbye. Student Media had my heart even before I was an official Panther. That won’t change now that I’m graduating.

The friends I’ve met, the experience I’ve gained and the memories I’ve made are worth a lifetime, but it also feels like it went by too fast.

As a graduating senior, the best advice I have for students is to find something you love and pursue it, even if it scares you. That’s what I did when I decided to be a journalist. I’m a shy person and knew I had to break out of my shell if I actually wanted a chance in the field.

So, I jumped into Student Media and I’m glad I did.  Throughout these years, I’ve held various leadership positions from Opinion Director to News Director and am now graduating as the outgoing Editor-in-Chief. 

It gave me the confidence and skills I needed to pursue my career in any aspect whether it’s reporting for a newspaper, radio or TV station while also helping me with my class work.

I couldn’t have done it without the amazing support system God put in my life. From my family to my professors, to my bookstore family, my “Paper Geeks” squad and Student Media.

From left to right starting at top row: Gabriella Pinos, Anna Radinsky, Victor Jorges, Guido Gonzalez, Patricia Menendez, Zoe Chin, Eduardo Alvarez, Tamica Jean-Charles, Michelle Marchante, Tatianna Nebbles, Joshua Ceballos, Francesca Rosario, Robert Jaross and Gerard Albert III. Photo by Michelle Marchante/PantherNOW

I was blessed to have not one but three right-hand people in Josh, Tamica and Gerard.

Josh, thank you for being my right hand these past two years. I’m glad I was able to see you grow into a confident journalist. Keep at it.

Tamica and Gaby, thank you for embracing my PantherNOW TV initiative. It wouldn’t have been as great without you guys. I’ll miss our late night production girl talks.

Eduardo, thank you for filling our office with laughs, collecting takeout delivery with me and giving everyone energy with your cafecitos.

Zoe, our newest team member, thank you for taking on your directorship without fear. I haven’t known you that long but it feels as if you’ve always been a part of us.

To Anna, Uzi, Valentina, Guido, Dalton, Patricia and Victor, thank you for always being up for any assignment. You guys brought life to our weekly “family dinners.”

To Gerard, Student Media’s new editor, thank you for staying with me those late nights in production and making sure we had the cover photos I wanted.  I look forward to seeing where you take Student Media.

To Francesca, thank you for helping me learn InDesign when I started at Student Media four years ago. I’ll miss sharing funny stories over lunch with you.

To Alfred and Jaross, our advisors. Thank you for guiding me these four years and being easy to talk with. Student Media wouldn’t be the same without you guys.

The list of thank yous could go on but I’ll cut it short.

My time here at FIU has been some of the best years of my life and I look forward to seeing what this new chapter has in store for me. I’m looking forward to seeing where our school and Student Media goes.