By Desmond Bernal
Wow, I’m doing this, writing about my time at Stonehill. I never thought this time would come. It is only right to thank the people that got me to the place where I am today first. That is my mom and my dad; with no college experience, they pushed me to not only be the best student but the best person I can be. They taught me valuable lessons growing up. One that held true throughout my time at Stonehill was "never give up; once you start something, you finish it." There were a lot of times where I thought to myself, "Maybe this isn't for me; I am not smart enough to graduate from a four-year college," but my parents were my rock through those tough times. I also have to thank my younger brother, nana, aunt, uncle, and cousins for the tremendous support they provided me during this time.
Going into Stonehill, I always knew I wanted to become a sports broadcaster or sports reporter. When I was little, I would always wake up at 6 a.m., grab my bowl of cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, of course, then turn on the TV and watch the whole live show of SportsCenter. Watching John Anderson and Stuart Scott talk about the highlights of the previous games, I thought to myself, "That's cool. I want to do that one day."
I was lucky to come to college with someone that would be a big brother to me. Thank you, Ethan, for all the amazing memories from O'Hara to Benaglia; you are a big reason for shaping the person I am today. I was able to come out of my shell without fear of being myself. Though I wish we could have roomed together in our last semester, I would not have changed anything, and I know we will spend a lot of time together after college. Also, shout out to Michel and suite 122 for welcoming me in this last semester. You guys made my final semester something to remember. I will be honest, moving in, I was nervous that I would be mostly stuck in my room, but you guys welcomed me with open arms, and I couldn't thank you enough for that.
Another person that deserves recognition is Aleks, for pushing me my junior year to start thinking about my career. I would have never had the opportunity to work for the New York Knicks Public Relations team if it was not for him. I also want to thank the fantastic career advisors for helping me strengthen my resume and showcase my skills to employers.
I was a four-year track and field athlete during my time at Stonehill as well, and I cannot thank my coaches and teammates enough for the great memories. If it wasn't for my captains my freshman and sophomore year, I don't think I would be the athlete I am today. You know who you are, and I will never forget the advice you gave me during those tough times. Lastly, a big thanks to coach Schwartz for believing in me coming in, not recruited. I was nervous I was not going to make the team, but you believed in me throughout these years, even though I was plagued with injuries.
When I was looking for a college, I wanted something similar to my high school at the time, a small-knit community with teachers engaged with their students. I wanted them to excel, and Stonehill provided just that. Angela Paradise, Ron Leone, Monique Myers, and Maureen Boyle, and many more helped guide and push me to find the best version of myself. Maureen Boyle is someone crucial in my time at Stonehill and my writing. Like I mentioned, I knew I wanted to be a sports reporter, but my writing and reporting needed a lot of work. She pushed me when I didn’t even realize it and believed that I would become a solid and confident writer. I know in Advanced News Writing, I struggled because, in my head, I thought I would never have to write these kinds of news stories in sports. I was wrong, and Boyle prepared me to add more feature style and hard news stories than general game stories. I will use these writing styles and skills later on when I go off into the field, and I can't thank her enough for these experiences.
I cannot wait to say to my parents on May 15, I did it! The first one in my family to graduate from a four-year college and earn a bachelor’s degree. I can proudly say I am leaving Stonehill with a vision and a purpose to make a difference not only in my field but in the world. I am happy with all the experiences and achievements I have accomplished, but I know it does not end here, and I am excited for that next chapter. Go Hill!
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