Dominic Salot's Senior Reflection

As I am typing this, I can’t help getting upset as I try to find the words to describe this place, Centenary University. This place and my time here has given me some of the worst days of my life while at the same time making memories, friends, and connections that I hope to have forever. I spent my first two years here as a member of the baseball team, but upon entering my junior year, I decided to hang up the cleats and turn to the microphone to pursue my dream. 

During my last two years here, I got to be the commentator for some of the sports teams, and I couldn’t be happier. I have aspirations to one day do this for a professional sports organization or even be a reporter. 

Believe it or not, I enjoyed going to almost every single one of my classes. I personally enjoyed the small class sizes, because I could build connections with professors. I also took a lot of writing courses throughout my four years and usually in every single one of those classes the professor would give the students free range of what they could write about. 

For example, I took a Creative Writing class my junior year where we had to write pieces the professor requested but they could be about whatever we wanted. Another class like that was Writing for the Digital World, where we were  required to write a blog once a week about a topic of our choice about anything from pop culture to how to tie your shoes. 

However, the one class that was the start of my journey as a writer was Intro to Journalism. That class was the first time in my life where I felt challenged as a writer, and it was a love and hate relationship. If I didn’t sign up for that class sophomore year, I don’t think I would have the same passion for writing that I have now. In my opinion, journalism really questions how you approach any paper you write. 

It questions your integrity as a writer with any piece you put your name on. To me, that made me want to become a better writer and want to possibly pursue a career in the field. 

Most memorable was that class enabled me to be a “founder” of the new school newspaper, The Cyclone Chronicle. Being a part of the student newspaper was one last class that gave me free range of writing while staying involved with what was going on in my school. This was when I felt most like a reporter, going around campus and asking people questions for articles, sitting down and doing interviews with coaches and student athletes. It was awesome. 

One great perk about the journalism class and the student newspaper was that, when I walked into class, it would sometimes be the first time I ate anything all day. Professor Zatta would always bring in snacks, sweet treats, chips; she had it all. I lost count of the number of times I strolled into class after baseball practice, and it was the first time I would eat for the day. Professor Mom would always come up clutch for me pretty much, ensuring I didn’t pass out in the middle of the day. 

I wouldn’t trade the connections I have made, friends, memories over all four years here for the world. The only thing I am looking forward to about leaving this place is that I will never have to eat dining hall food again in my life. 

Centenary University will forever hold a special place in my heart. They say high school and college are the fastest eight years of your life and my God, they were not joking. It feels like yesterday I was a freshman fighting lantern flies off in Smith Hall, and now I am getting a degree in communication with a concentration in radio/TV. 

Cherish every memory you make at college.