When I was a child lost in the fantasies of stories, the one thing that resonated with me was that every hero had a story. Fast forward to now and nothing has changed, except that I want to be the person who tells the hero’s tale.
Everybody has a story, and, sometimes, their story isn’t told. I wanted to be that person, the journalist, who could tell their story. And, in my two years with The Miami Hurricane, I had the opportunity to tell the stories of those at UM.
All of your stories make it worth it. All the late nights, the stress of knocking on numerous doors to find sources and the constant hounding of people, at the risk of alienating them due to my persistence. I am passionate about telling your tales and cherished every second writing them.
I am sure there were times when I came off as insensitive or invasive, only interested in chasing stories, but I can assure you all this was not the case. A few examples that come to mind are the obituary stories, specifically concerning Adam Levine and David Lin. They were both incredibly loved by the campus community, and it would have been a disservice not to capture that.
Especially for David, who was a dear friend. This was a story I never wanted to write but wouldn’t feel comfortable with anyone else doing it. Out of all the articles I wrote, without a doubt, I can say that writing David’s story was the most memorable and difficult assignment.
There were many student leaders who made my job so much easier. There is Aalekhya Reddam, who is virtually involved in everything on campus, and thus she is my most-used source. Former Student Government President Vikesh Patel is a close second. And, of course, a journalist must have someone to provide tips, and I have Avisha Gopalakrishna to thank for so many inside scoops.
None of what I did would be possible without the news team. Isabella Cueto and Amanda Herrera are incredible reporters and have been there for me through thick and thin, reinvigorating my passion for reporting news, and just being outstanding people to learn from.
There are always stories to tell, and, as Avisha puts it, “If you are humble, someone needs to recognize you.”
Everyone has a story, and I’m beyond pleased to have been that storyteller for all of you.
Marcus Lim will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in print journalism.