Greetings, respected panelist:

Thank you for taking time out of your day to assess my resume and portfolio. I can only hope they do not disappoint. In truth, I agonized a great deal about standing before you on May 6, without the big name bylines many of the other students in my cohort have earned. Several times, I tried to start a cover letter that would gloss over my weaknesses, but each of those ledes felt hollow. It took me more than a few tries to realize where I was going wrong.

As it turns out, the most valuable thing I got out of my time at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism was not a new skill or a high honor, but the knowledge that it is okay to fail. That may seem obvious to most people, but I had always been terrified of confronting my own imperfection. Growing up, I took the least difficult classes possible and dismissed extracurricular activities as "distractions." This may have helped me graduate as valedictorian in both high school and undergrad — but to what did that amount, if I had grown too wary of failure to apply myself in the real world?

Everything changed when I came to the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism, pursuing a Master of Journalism degree on the multi-platform track with an investigative specialization. All of the sudden, I was writing stories in 30 minutes, cold-calling politicians, and shooting B-roll — all in the same afternoon! Not a single thing came naturally to me, and I messed up a lot — but with every mistake I made, I learned something new. My failures led to growth, and my growth led to triumph.

Two years have passed. Now, I am confident I have the skill and the grit necessary to accept my MJ degree and manage communications for non-profit organizations, think tanks, and advocacy groups (a passion I picked up working as a communications associate for the Antiquities Coalition). Thus, this summer, I will begin working as a communications intern for New America's Open Technology Institute.

In the long run, though, I dream of working on behalf of the LGBTQ community. At the very least, I plan on freelancing for outlets like the Washington Blade, Tagg Magazine, and Metro Weekly, but I would love to do work full-time for an organization like the Human Rights Campaign. At the end of the day, I want to make the world a better place for my partner and I, as well as the LGBTQ community at large.

Best,