Gordon: a picture-perfect journey
I applied to Central Michigan Life before I even applied to Central Michigan University. While other incoming students were figuring out dorms and meal plans, I was hunting down the photo editor, Nico Mendoza, and begging them to look at my portfolio. In hindsight, it was either determination or delusion, but thankfully, Nico saw something in me besides panic.
Being hired as a staff photographer has been one of the highlights of my college career. CM Life became my home, my training ground and the place where I learned who I am as a journalist and as a person.
Thank you to the entire newsroom — reporters, designers, photographers and editors — because CM Life is truly a team sport. Being surrounded by such talented, passionate people made this more than an extracurricular; it was a privilege.
A special thank you to my editors, Jo Kenoshmeg and Ella Miller. They inspire me to push harder and create work I’m proud of, and they pour their hearts into everything they do. They’re not just editors; they’re two of my closest friends and the people who kept me sane during 2 a.m. editing sessions.
I’m also grateful for professors like Jeff Sauger, who has real-world experience, awards and endless patience. And for Regan Foster, our former director of student media, who somehow balances humor, compassion and high expectations all at once.
In staff meetings, I try to be a smiling face; partly because I genuinely love the people I work with and partly because I know I’ll probably work with at least one of them again. Journalism is a small world. Be kind and stay humble.
Before CM Life, I had raging social anxiety. This job forced me to approach strangers, ask questions and truly listen. Somewhere along the way, I found my voice.
Covering multicultural events became especially meaningful. Those assignments helped me reconnect with my heritage and made me feel seen on campus. That’s why I volunteered for so many. I wanted our community to feel visible and valued in our paper.
I’ll never forget my first time being published: photos of Ballet Folklórico de la Luz. My editor said my best shot was “too blurry,” and I submitted it anyway because I didn’t know how to delete it. A week later, it ran in a CM Life article, and seeing my name in print made everything click.
As I graduate and move to Cincinnati to work as a newborn photographer, I carry everything CM Life taught me: empathy, curiosity, creativity and the confidence to walk into any room, even a hospital room at 6 a.m., and tell someone’s story with honesty and heart.
CM Life gave me opportunities, lifelong friends and a purpose. I’ll miss the newsroom more than I can put into words. Thank you for trusting me, challenging me and showing me what it means to be a journalist.
Soli Gordon is a Central Michigan Life staff photographer. She is a graduating senior at Central Michigan University.
