Nowosacki: A Photographer’s Farewell to CMU
I never expected that choosing Central Michigan University would lead me to be the person I am today. Four years, three majors, two clubs and more memories than I can count have shaped me in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
But nothing has influenced me more than the newsroom that became my home: Central Michigan Life.
When I walked into CM Life, I was a freshman with a borrowed camera and a lot of hope. My mom deserves the first thank you. She pushed me to work hard, to stand up for what I believe in and to chase the things that scare me a little. She also let me “borrow” her camera — a loan that somehow turned into a permanent transfer.
Everything I do is for her.
To Jo Kenoshmeg and Ella Miller, my first editors: thank you for taking a chance on me. You gave me room to learn, fail, grow and eventually find my voice behind the lens. I wouldn’t be the photographer I am today without your guidance.
Working for CM Life took me everywhere — sidelines, protests, fashion shows, late‑night events and early‑morning assignments. I learned how to tell stories that mattered, even when they were hard. I learned how to show people what they might have missed. And somewhere along the way, I learned who I was.
To my current photo editor, Mark Hoover: thank you for being the kind of teammate who makes the work better and the days easier. Your talent and dedication inspire me, and I’ll always look up to you as both a photographer and a person.
And to the professor who started it all, Jeffery Sauger: thank you for teaching me the foundations of journalism and photography, and for sticking with me through the highs, lows and everything in between. From mid‑afternoon lectures to late‑night class giggles, you made the learning feel like an adventure. Your patience and commitment to your students never go unnoticed.
Leaving this chapter behind is exciting, overwhelming and a little nerve‑racking.
Time moves fast — faster than any of us expect.
If I’ve learned anything, it’s to live in the moment and appreciate what’s right in front of you.
Thank you, Central Michigan. Thank you, CM Life. I will forever miss this newsroom, these people and this chapter of my life.
