Through all the lectures, late nights and deadlines, if I've learned anything at UB, it's that it pays to be good people and hard work can fix just about any problem.
I have changed quite a bit throughout college, as I imagine most people do, and because I started at The Spectrum as a second-semester freshman, much of my collegiate journey has been documented on this website and in the pages of this publication, which I have grown to love immensely. The office in 132 Student Union is a remarkable place, and it's hard to accurately describe the magic contained within those walls.
The Spectrum is a special organization. People who were on staff in the 1950s understand, and people who were on staff in 2012 understand. It is a place where we grow up, where we forge lifelong friendships and where we gain experience that benefits us as we enter our careers and become the full-grown adults we will be for the rest of our lives.
I started off as a staff writer in spring 2011, then worked as senior sports editor that fall and became senior features editor in spring 2012. Following that semester, I took over the position of editor in chief from my dear friend and mentor Matthew Parrino, whom anyone would be lucky to meet, and I have worked in that capacity ever since. It's a great job, really.
I also host a show on UBTV called "Today in UB Sports" and run a blog called Gentlemen of Sport with two of my closest friends.
I have interned at The Buffalo News twice, in the summers of 2012 and 2013, and before that I worked as a high school sports reporter for WGRZ-TV. In 2012, I wrote a story for The New York Times and was fortunate enough to win second place in the Society of Professional Journalists' sports column writing category.
I'm an English major with concentrations in journalism and creative writing. I never wanted to be a writer growing up (the NBA didn't pan out), but I have grown to love the incomparable promise of the narrative, and now I know I'd love to tell stories for the rest of my life.
What could be better than a job that involves encountering inspirational people on a daily basis and being able to tell their tales to others? I also adore column writing, being able to express my innermost thoughts and questions and desires to an audience - and seeing how people respond.
I'm a Buffalo kid and proud of it; there isn't any place I love more than Western New York. There's an undeniable camaraderie to this city. It's brilliant.
Most people who know me understand how passionate I am about basketball, Chipotle, hip-hop and graham crackers. If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know I spend far too much time thinking about food and have a tendency to go into caps lock mode when I'm watching sports (sorry, my inner kid gets really excited). Mateen Cleaves is my favorite athlete of all-time, and we're automatically friends if you know who he is.
Lastly and most importantly, my life is not my own. I am a Christian and my faith is a huge part of who I am. It's what I go to bed thinking about every night, without exception.
I strive to become a better person every day, and I hope people remember me as someone who cared more about others than himself. I think that'd be a phenomenal legacy to leave behind.
