I never imagined that I would be at the end of my time at Union, but here I am. I graduated a few days ago after writing for four years on the Concordiensis. The Concordy has been the only consistency in my time at Union, and I’m honored to have been a part of it.
I joined the Concordy as a freshman because I was curious about newspaper writing. I hadn’t done it in high school, but it became the core of my college experience. People have known me because I would go to public events for the Concordiensis. I have spoken with senior administrators for articles, including two college presidents. I’ve been able to inform the public about the inner workings of this school thanks to the opportunities at the Concordy.
For the first time in my life, I got the opportunity to play around with professional cameras. In January 2023, I brought the office Canon 2000D camera to an MLK week event, and I haven’t stopped bringing a camera to places since. I’ve loved using the Canon EOS Rebel T5i and the Nikon D5300 for events. In fall 2023, I got into sports photography, and have spent every fall and winter weekend since then at football and hockey games.
Being on the Concordy also gave me an opportunity to work on a team. I learned what comprises good teams, bad teams, good leadership, bad leadership, what works on a team, and what doesn’t. I would not have gotten either of my college internships (at the FHFA or Deloitte Consulting) without the Concordy.
And, last but not least, I am grateful for the Concordiensis office. It became a second home to me at Union. I wrote articles in there, downloaded photo groups, worked on homework, did my scholars project and my senior thesis, and laid on the couch in between classes. I truly hope that at least one staff member in the class of 2030 gets to love it as much as I did.
My Personal Favorite Articles
I’ve written nearly every week since I was a freshman, and throughout all of my articles, there is a group that stands out to me. I don’t like injecting my feelings into articles, but I do have opinions about these ones (in chronological order).
- Reamer Campus Center Floods (Winter 2023) – Its short, sweet title sticks in my mind, and I feel like the article sums up the incident well. I also feel like the title brings shock value. The night after this happened, campus safety had to walk me through the building because I had left the Canon 2000D camera in our office with photos on it.
- Theme Houses to be Converted in the 2025-2026 Academic Year (Winter 2024) – This was the first article where I feel like I broke a story, and it’s the first time that people on campus told me they read my article. I recall being careful with the wording of the headlines so it wouldn’t be misleading, and writing down that year’s list of theme houses so it would be etched into Union history. I also lived in the Cinematic theme house while I was writing it.
- Marriage Pact Sweeps Campus (Spring 2024) – I feel like this was the first time I wrote a silly news article. Everyone I knew treated the pact as a joke, but I wrote it so seriously. I reached out to my match, and they never responded. Our alumni advisor (Katrina Lallier ‘01) also loved this one.
- Student Sends Accidental Mass Email After Receiving Hockey Head-Blow (Fall 2024) – I can attest to being a witness to this incident. I was standing against the glass at Messa when this happened and took a photo of Will with the puck. This article feels like the transcript of a goofy story I’m telling my friends.
- Michigan Hockey Goalie Cameron Korpi Transfers to Union College (Spring 2025) – This is the article that I felt most excited writing about. I knew Cameron was Carter Korpi ‘26’s younger brother and in the transfer portal, but I did not think he would come to Union. Noor El Maayergi broke the news to me, and I quickly whipped up the article. We put it on the website on a Wednesday morning to beat other local news outlets to the story. I’ve loved snapping pictures of Cameron in the net this past hockey season.
- This trio of articles about Union’s finances (spring 2025, winter 2026, spring 2026) – This group of articles was eerie to write. But at the same time, I felt like I was doing my duty as a student journalist. I believe that the public has the right to know about Union’s financial situation.
My Personal Favorite Photos
I’ve shot club events, annual campus events, concerts, and sports teams for the Concordy. I’ve taken thousands of photos over the years, and my personal favorites have come from one campus event: Springfest. And one from my junior year Mayor’s Cup. I can’t stop staring at all of them. Here is my personal favorite collection of photos from then, as ordered in the carousel below:
- We The Kings Crowd during Springfest 2023 – My favorite part about this is the three people closest to me; I have gotten to know each of them a bit throughout my four years. The strobe lights onstage create a blue-and-green lighting contrast in the crowd.
- Flo Rida Crowd during Springfest 2023 (1) – This is the best crowd photo I have taken by a mile. The background is a crisp pitch-black. Everyone’s faces are clearly visible. One by one, you can see each person jamming along. It also does not have any Photoshop. When we made the print edition, I remember this was the obvious choice for the front page cover photo.
- Flo Rida Crowd during Springfest 2023 (2) – This was taken soon after the last one, and I feel like it captures the chaos that is the Springfest crowd. People were drunk and practically falling over the barrier. The girl looking at me spent time talking to me in between sets.
- Sean Foreman of 3OH!3 at Springfest 2024 – I have 0 recollection of this moment because I was thinking about something else as I took it. But it’s truly special. Performers usually don’t acknowledge us photographers in the pit, only the crowd, and I’m honored to have taken this one.
- KidInk at Springfest 2024 – This is the result of me being in the right place at the right time, the right strobe lights, and the smoke machines. It has 0 Photoshop on it either. It’s an incredible photo.
- Women’s Hockey holding the Mayor’s Cup (winter 2025) – When I look at this photo, I think of this song playing, specifically the parts in a higher octave. The team lifting it above their heads symbolizes how much teamwork it took to win the cup for the first time since COVID. The best part? I had stomach problems when I took it.
Post-Grad Plans
Two weeks from now, I will begin the MAC program at UNC and intend to continue my journalism career while studying to become a tax or audit accountant. In the long term, I want to have a dual career as an accountant and a sports journalist. I wouldn’t be going to UNC if it weren’t for my time at the Concordy.
At the end of it all, I am grateful to have spent my time as a writer and photographer, and it was a critical part of my college experience. I hope there will be freshmen in the class of 2030 who will love this place as much as I do. Godspeed, Concordiensis.
