Many different elements have made my collegiate years one of a kind. The following are most of them. 

Firstly, to The Carroll News: which has become a creative outlet, a challenge and one of the badges I most proudly wear. To my fellow editors, Nick Sack ‘23, Laken Kincaid ‘24, Claire Schuppel ‘24, Grace Sherban ‘25, Sophia Giallanza ‘25, Corinne McDevitt ‘23, Patrick Kane ‘23, Ashley McCall ‘23 and, especially, Thomas Lindstrom ‘23, whose writing regularly humbles me and my own.

To the Writing Center: for putting me in contact with coworkers who shared a love and understanding for language. Of those coworkers, a special thanks to Morgan Garan ‘24, Caroline Calpin ’25, Preston Goebel ’24 and Mac Craffey ’23. Special thanks to Megan Connor, who’s been subject to 120 credit hours of my ramblings, proclamations and ideas, for her patience, honesty, wisdom.

To the Office of Residence Life: for giving me the opportunity to follow my brother’s footsteps and serve for two years as an RA. The opportunity has taught me the importance and the perspective of being a resource on campus. 

To my older brother Bobby: for being my unobtainable standard, a template for how to live a rewarding life. To my younger brother Thomas: for regularly joining me in Mario Kart and for inspiring me to live confidently.

To my parents: for providing for me, for supporting my plans to attend law school, for their relentless acceptance of me, and for being great parents to a not-always-so-great son 

To the Parkhurst staff: for keeping campus fed regularly and steadfastly and especially for those who transcend the boundary separating student from employee. Special thanks to Lamarr, Ce’lo, Brenda, Chivette, Marcus, Dee, Diane, Mickey and Ron (formerly). The work you do is the single greatest gift to the JCU community and your positive influence cannot possibly be overstated. 

To the English department: for representing the humanities magnificently. Special thanks to Dr. Jean Feerick, who instilled in me a ferocious love for English as a credible discipline; to Dr. Maryclaire Moroney, for her kindness and her ability to engage a full classroom for an entire conversation; to Dr. Brian Macaskill, whose respect for language and its power has inspired my own; to Dr. Phil Metres first for his faith and second for his forgiveness. 

To Earl Spurgin from the Philosophy Department: for maintaining the other end of my earliest and longest standing friendship with any of my professors. 

To the second floor of Campion Hall, south side circa 2019: the first memories I have from college remain there and with you all, untouched and immortalized on the other side of COVID-19. Special thanks to Joe Marzano ’23, Christian Dolce ’23, Liam McDonnell ’23, Sean Patterson ‘22, Vince Rizzo ‘23, Joe Roth ’23, Nathan Speelman ’23, JP Yerian ’23, Alvaro Rosabal ’23, Kevin Wacnik ’23 and, again, TJ Lindstrom.

To my fellow RAs: who answer my polls and say hello when we pass each other. Special thanks to Jess Damm ‘23, who answered every single one, and to my former residents Anthony Chalhoub ‘24 and Deuce Zak ‘24, who went on to be RAs themselves. 

To Leanna Nasrallah ‘23: my best friend.

To beautiful places I’ve been around here: Sulfur Springs, Jackson Field, Henry Church Rock, Chapin Forest Preserve, the West Woods and Ansel’s Cave, Hinckley, Squires Castle, Buttermilk Falls and Wilson Mill Trailhead, Chagrin Falls, Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

To bookstores in the area: Half Price Books in Mayfield, Elizabeth’s in Akron, Loganberry, Mac’s Backs, for fueling a compulsive buying habit, and for keeping the list of books to read insurmountable.

To Thomas Major: for teaching me Steinbeck and Goulding in 9th grade, for teaching me the importance of loving that which I attempt to understand and understanding that which I attempt to love. You’ve been my single greatest influence and I am grateful to be able to have learned and continue to learn from you. 

To the future generations, for enjoying the renovations that the classes of 2022-2026 have lived through and will live through. This campus has always been beautiful, but it’ll be new for you and hopefully no less beautiful. 

To Cleveland State University College of Law: my next endeavor, for granting me admittance and hosting my ambition. 

I owe myself to the aforementioned.