When I began my college journey at The University of Toledo in 2017, I was a timid and nervous first-year student at Toledo Early College high school, unsure of my capabilities.
Now, as my December 2024 graduation date quickly approaches, I can proudly say that I will be graduating from UToledo as an award-winning multimedia journalist with confidence in my skills and experience in many areas of my field.
CELEBRATING SUCCESS: UToledo recognizes the Class of 2024 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at fall commencement.
In the first general advising meeting I had with a College of Arts and Letters advisor, I expressed my interest in English as a major, and she told me that it would pair perfectly with a double major in communication. While I was leery of the idea at the time, feeling overwhelmed and anxious, I now believe the advisor saw something in me that day that I didn’t quite see within myself yet. The full degree plan I eventually created for myself, with double majors including communication and double minors, set me up for a successful undergraduate and postgraduate career.
After years of despising math and all its rules, I decided to continue my undergraduate journey as an English major with a concentration in creative writing. The openness and creative atmosphere of my English major helped me to overcome some of the biggest hardships I battled in college.
In September 2019, my loving grandfather, Lorenzo Espinoza Vasquez, passed away from heart failure. My abuelito was my biggest role model and number one supporter, so his death was crushing for my family and me, taking a huge toll on our mental health. Then, in 2021, just before my first graduation from UToledo with my Associate of Arts degree, my father was shot in the streets of New York and his life was taken from him, along with my chance at reconnecting with him. Because of the creative nature of my English major, my professors encouraged me to write about the challenges I was facing; to use words to turn my trauma into a work of art.
Through taking my professors’ advice, I wrote Spanish poems about my grandfather and the motherland, developed a short fiction story and a three-part poem collection about my father’s murder, and created a hand-bound book with pages made from the rose petals I saved from my dad’s funeral. While it was hard reliving the painful moments of my past, I truly believe I would not have begun my healing journey if I didn’t get the motivation from my professors to adapt and create.
Autumn Vasquez graduates Dec. 14 with dual degrees in English and communication.
My English courses focused on cultural studies allowed me to fully embrace my cultural identities and provided a safe space to talk about the complexities, nuances and challenges of being a first-generation Afro-Latina. Then, from the first news article I wrote in my Media Writing I course, I knew that a second major in media communication would give me the power to do great things.
The Latin American and Latinx Studies minor provided me with geographical, political and cultural knowledge of Latin America and the Latinx community, and it paired perfectly with my second minor in Spanish. My Spanish classes were a quest to return to the mother tongue of my family. The romance language was lost in translation when my grandfather moved to Toledo from Eden, Texas, and cultural assimilation shut my grandfather’s Spanish out, but I am here to reclaim it. This minor has brought me closer to my roots and now that I am confident in my Spanish language skills, I would like to incorporate Spanish and a focus on the Latinx community within my work as a journalist.
Through my efforts as a student journalist, I have developed a professional network and produced work in print, digital, TV broadcast and radio. I have landed countless opportunities with my work in the Department of Communication and Media, including internships with Toledo City Paper, UToledo News and The Nation, as well as traveling to New York City for the 2024 Puffin Nation Fund Student Journalism Conference.
Autumn Vasquez received two Touchstone Awards by The Press Club of Toledo for her work as student journalist.
With the financial support of the Department of Communication and Media and the Department of English Language and Literature, I was able to travel to the heart of New York City to join like-minded student journalists in meaningful discussion, panels and question-and-answer sessions with nationally renowned journalists and beat reporters. This experience helped me to grow personally and professionally while influencing my decision to apply to graduate school.
Following my graduation in December, I plan to spend time overseas caring for children of the U.S. military through the Rocket Kids program and apply to graduate school master’s programs in journalism for fall 2025. I am looking at journalism schools in New York, Chicago and California.
Being a student journalist at UToledo has given me the confidence and resources to produce work for a variety of audiences and platforms, improved my social and public speaking skills tremendously and, most importantly, allowed me to connect with people and share their stories.
Earlier this year CAL presented me with the Leadership and Engagement senior award for being a “pioneer in campus journalism” and, more recently, I was presented with two Touchstone Awards for my student journalism by The Press Club of Toledo, alongside the Kurt G. Franck scholarship, an award only presented to one UToledo student journalist annually. These awards are symbolic of my hard work, dedication and ability to use storytelling to turn trauma and triumphs into something beautiful. I would like to continue this path of healing for myself and others through my future graduate program and eventually in the field.
Autumn Vasquez credits her family for her Rocket success.
All of my accomplishments throughout my time at UToledo were made possible because of the unwavering support of my family. My family has been my rock and biggest support system through the myriad challenges I’ve had to face in life, and throughout my college career: My grandparents, who have sacrificed so much to get me where I am today; my single mom, who raised me on her own, crying with excitement over my accomplishments in the front row of every award ceremony — this is what keeps me going.
And knowing that I have younger siblings and nephews who look up to me and the work that I do gives me motivation to do better.
People who look like me aren’t expected to succeed, and because of that, I refuse to give up.
Remember, even if you are the only one in the room who looks or talks like you – you belong here. Your presence is what makes classrooms unique, and that diversity is what fosters connection and understanding between individuals. Never let others tell you what you can and cannot do, and finally, never give up on yourself.
You got this. Go Rockets!
