Some of my earliest memories involve a camera. I remember my dad holding an old handheld camcorder with a worn leather strap, recording my dance recitals and skits with my sisters on our stone fireplace. My mom, too, loved to capture memories. The first major purchase she made after college was a Canon camera, which accompanied her on backpacking trips and later captured my first birthday parties and steps.

It’s no wonder I feel most at home behind a lens—capturing a moment, a creature, or a view. As a journalism major, I’ve come to understand how essential visual storytelling is to powerful reporting. Communication without visuals often falls flat; the impact, the emotion, the immediacy—it’s just not the same. That’s why I’ve dedicated myself to learning the art of photography and videography. To be an effective journalist, I believe you also have to be a visual communicator.