Staff members from different sections of The Miami Student wrote columns about what the publication means to them
My participation in The Miami Student happened coincidentally; a beautiful, accidental stumble into the room I now live in, leading me to some of the best people I know.
I’m a Spanish education major, and I plan to be an eighth-grade Spanish teacher after graduation. I joined The Student to fill time and meet people; Journalism is a hobby for me, and I’m one of the few people on the editorial staff not studying it. Although I don’t plan to continue a career in the field, The Student has changed my life in so many ways.
My first interaction with TMS was during my sophomore year when I walked past a recruitment table in Armstrong Student Center and stopped long enough to be talked into attending an all-staff meeting.
As a new member, I shadowed an experienced writer for my first article, but realized I didn’t have enough time to commit to the paper. I never completed my shadowing and never picked up any other stories. When I went home for a semester off that spring, I set my mind on returning to The Student to join the sports section.
Fall semester of my junior year, I came to Mega Fair with one table in sight. I put my name on the email list and finally got in contact with Sports Editor Kethan Babu. I came to my first meeting and unknowingly met my future best friend, “Mr. Babu.”
I will never forget my first story and interview experience. That feeling of finally seeing my name in the paper continues to propel me to keep writing.
That year, through thick and thin, I kept coming back to those Tuesday sports meetings, chatting with everyone and becoming closer every week to staff members like Babu. I even branched out and wrote my first opinion article, connecting with Opinion Editor Taylor Powers in the process.
Over the summer, I realized I wanted to be a bigger part of The Student and signed up for the retention and recruitment committee. I got in contact with even more people and got to spend one-on-one time with almost every section editor as part of my tasks.
When I got back on campus, I began what I can only describe as living in the newsroom. In between and after classes, I would stop by and see if someone was there to let me in. It became a sanctuary for me — a place to study, chat and take a break from the rest of the world.
I wrote for more sections than ever, was present for several meetings and became close friends with even more people, including Digital Media Editor Sarah Frosch. I repeatedly joked about picking up a fake position so I would have keycard access to the newsroom that all editors get.
In mid-September 2025, there was an opening for the position of photo editor. Having overheard my comments about wanting door access and seeing the time I had spent in the newsroom, Frosch asked me if I would be interested in taking over the position.
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I was flattered, but mostly confused, retorting that I knew nothing about photography and I didn’t even own a camera. They assured me that I would be a great editor and that they could teach me everything I needed to know.
They believed in me, as did Editor-in-Chief Olivia Patel.
I accepted and took over the section, getting much more than just door access. I borrowed my mother’s camera to start learning the skills I needed to teach others. I put everything into my work, building my team and consuming everything I could about photography.
I started taking photos at football games with Frosch and Babu, creating the dream trio to cover Miami football. I succeeded because people believed in me, and I’m still fueled by this push from my peers in the newsroom.
The Student is where I found my friends, but also a passion. It has given me a pastime, an outlet, connections, a place on the sidelines, an awesome team and, above all, my best friends in the world.
I can’t imagine my life without The Student, and all the time I spend with the people who have utterly consumed my life in the best way possible. I’m forever grateful for Frosch, the person who believes in me when I can’t believe in myself, and all the people who gave me the chance to grow and become what I hope is the best photo editor I can be.
This newspaper makes me a better person, writer and friend every day, and I feel lucky to be a part of something so special. Two hundred years is just the beginning, and I know this amazing organization will continue to impact and influence many for years to come.
Elisa Rosenthal is a senior Spanish education major with a passion for writing and storytelling. She’s originally from Georgia and writes sports for The Student, honoring a long family love for college sports.
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