Jessica Landman
Editor
Someone who made a difference in my life was my first soccer coach. I played on his team for about eight years. He pushed me to become the best soccer player and person that I could be. He was also the person who taught me the importance of being on time and prepared. Without his commitment and dedication to my team and me as an individual, I would not have gone on to play soccer in college. Although there are many people who have impacted my soccer career, he was the one who set me up for all the success that I have had.
Natalie St. Denis
Editor
Someone who made a difference in my life is my high school science research teacher, Regina Reals. Despite not having straight A’s across all kinds of honors and college-level classes like most of my soon to be science research peers, she decided to take a chance on me when accepting me into the program. Reals helped me take everything one step at a time in order to avoid becoming overwhelmed in what felt like an entirely different language. She also connects with her students on a more personal level than the average teacher. Seeing her every other day for three years, I quickly found that she was someone I could confide in. She created an atmosphere of trust and empathy for all her students. That kind of environment was just what I needed as I entered the science research program already feeling like I was the underdog compared to other students. I believe my passion for science and succeeding was evident to her from the start, and because of that she helped me remain diligent and determined to pursue my passion.
Micky Mellon
Staff Writer
Looking over my life, I see that many people have helped me along this journey and made a difference in my life. To say one was more influential than another out of that bunch would be a disservice to their impact. With that said, there was one person whose words influenced my direction greatly. She was a professor at my hometown community college, where I was a student in her class. A knowledgeable individual and equally as lovely as a person, her classes and talks after were always a highlight of my time at the college. At the time, I was without direction and coasting through life without a plan. I had never thought too deeply about anything before and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. One time during the semester, we were having a discussion that focused on me and my goals. I can’t recollect the exact words shared in this discussion, but the idea was that she didn’t want to see me waste my potential in this town and that I should think deeply about my place in the world. The talk dove into many deep topics, but to keep this short, the gist was to aspire to be more and give back with whatever I choose. That one discussion that semester has stuck with me ever since and helped me change my perspective. I guess all it takes is one person who cares about others to impact other people’s lives.
Kiyanna Noel
Staff Writer
The person who has made a big difference in my life is my mom. She has single-handedly put me through college and motivated me to finish my degree. As a first-generation college student, I’ve been put under a lot of pressure to be the first graduate in my entire family. But my mom always encourages me to keep going and to graduate for myself and not because of everyone watching. My mom is my biggest supporter and without her I would not only not be here, but I wouldn’t be who I am.
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