The past three-and-a-half years of living and learning in D.C. have been terrifying - and also remarkable, magnificent and unforgettable. The city has seen drastic changes, which I’ve observed and reported on from the front lines. I learned from masters of the industry - I soaked up all the knowledge I was gifted, savouring each morsel.

I studied journalism and environmental studies at The George Washington University, but the education I received extended far beyond syllabi and rubrics. I learned from people who had shaped the industry I was just beginning to enter. I listened closely, asked questions, and absorbed everything I was given, savoring each moment of access and instruction.

My time in the School of Media and Public Affairs was overflowing with some of the most knowledgeable people I have ever met. I didn’t just learn how to be a journalist – I figured out why I wanted to be a journalist in the first place. I studied media success and shortcomings. I listened to guest speakers who came from around the world, sacrificing their precious time to share their hard-earned wisdom. I visited the Washington Post headquarters and I ate dinner at the National Press Club. I traveled to Paris for a week to learn from icons of international journalism. 

Somewhere along the way, without fully realizing it, my place in the journalistic hierarchy shifted. I was no longer peering in from the outside, my nose pressed against the glass. In what felt like a blink, I was inside.

I surely didn’t become a journalist overnight, though. I learned how to transfer my skills out of the classroom because I was granted trust. While it’s true that I somewhat stumbled into GW-TV, finding a home in “District Debrief” was never an accident. I didn't have any experience with sketch comedy, but when I stepped into the role of Social Media Manager, it felt like the first time I knew how to be a journalist. I leave this role (which I lovingly dubbed “PR Princess"), with not only experience with social media, but also with friendships and memories made with the people who will be the future of comedy. Amelia Magel completely changed the way I view both comedy and journalism, and Ashley Colatarcci, with her continued trust in me, has made sketch comedy something I deeply care about and appreciate. 

When I began my position as the Director of External Affairs for The Store, GW’s student-run food pantry, I knew it would look different than my role with “Debrief.” What I didn’t realize was that it would provide me with the perspective of a college experience that was vastly different from my own. I will forever be proud of my dear friend and roommate Maras Lawson, who served as the President of The Store, for dedicating all of the knowledge, kindness and wisdom she possessed to ensuring that every student at GW had consistent access to reliable, affordable nutrition.

My time as a culture reporter for the GW Hatchet gave me a chance to experience real-world journalism. My first assignment was to cover the reopening of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. I remember taking the Metro there, with a reporter’s notebook and a pen in my pocket. For the first time ever, I felt like a journalist.

I would be remiss to leave out my spectacular experiences with the Corcoran School of Theater and Dance. After participating in five Dance Concerts and performing twice at the NEXT Gala, I can confidently say that each intelligent artist I interacted with changed my relationship with the arts in the most magnificent ways. I am incredibly grateful for the kindness and friendship I was shown by everyone in the department, despite my lack of official commitment to CTAD.

None of these marvelous experiences and life-long memories would’ve been possible without the steadfast support of my family and friends. They became my camera crew, my copy-editors, my test-audiences, and, of course, my biggest fans. To my dad, Bruce Kimmel, you have always been my favorite editor and my closest confidant. It was your belief in something better that propelled me through college. Your trust in me and my education has always made me feel like I could change the world.

To everyone who ever sacrificed time out of their day to do an interview with me, everyone who shared their wisdom and kindness with an unknowing student, everyone who believed in me, even when I couldn’t find the strength to believe in myself – thank you, thank you, thank you.

As I prepare for this next chapter in my journalistic endeavor, I remain fascinated by investigative and long-form reporting that centers people, accountability, and consequence. The work I want to do asks difficult questions, takes time, and treats complexity as something to be honored rather than avoided.