When I started my freshman year, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had this vague idea in the back of my head of what I wanted to do, but it wasn’t set in stone. Nothing in my life was set in stone.

Attend the Involvement Fair. It was an assignment for a class. I went by myself and blindly wandered through the maze of tables on the quad. When I ended up in front of the student media tables, I felt a little less lost. I chatted briefly with someone from the Chronicle, expressing that I was interested in photography, and then I turned to move on.

That was when she stopped me. Rebecca Castagna pulled me aside and told me how Quinnipiac Bobcat Sports Network really, really needed photographers. If I joined, I would be able to take photos at any sporting event on campus.

And that was that.

Within the next three months, Rebecca became a mentor for me. I shadowed her at games, she gave me tips on my photography skills, and she urged me to get involved with the QBSN Magazine. I truly believe that if she hadn’t been such a leader and encouraged me to get involved, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

In my early days of QBSN, I was extremely intimidated. Every Wednesday, I would take a seat at the end of a row in the back of Tator Hall 317. The room would often be filled with roughly 30 men and maybe five women. I sat through the meetings without saying a word. I was too scared to voice my opinions. I believed that they’d be shot down because I was a woman (even though I now know that no member of QBSN would ever be that close-minded). When the meeting came to an end, I would leave without talking or interacting with anyone.

But I looked up to Rebecca. She was a huge presence in the organization, and she was a female. She proved to me that you can have a passion for sports as a woman. But most importantly, she showed me that you can be a leader in sports as a woman.

Now, we have female photographers, female broadcasters, and female writers. I hear our women openly discussing sports with no fear of getting judged or challenged. I see our women proudly wearing sports jerseys and t-shirts with no fear of being called out. I see our women confidently walking through the halls of the TD Bank Sports Center, sitting in press boxes, or standing courtside, and I can’t help but think of the progress our organization has made.

QBSN has always emphasized opportunity for all, and this includes women. Within the past two years, I have seen the number of female members double and triple in our organization, and I cannot wait to watch it continue to grow. I like to think that our e-board has made an impact on that number. With three out of seven e-board members being female. I hope that we’ve given other women the confidence they need to participate. I want all women to know that they shouldn’t feel restricted by their gender.