By Valeria Román Ortiz
Graduating Journalism Student
I did not always want to study journalism, so my arrival at Sagrado was never planned. Life takes many turns, and during one of them, I found myself sitting in the car with my mother and grandmother. I told them I wanted to write because that was truly my passion. I had always loved reading, and expressing myself through words was a way of being honest with my identity, of building it.
Journalism was honest and, through its many branches, it sought justice. It was the career that felt closest to who I was, since I have always been committed to human rights.
Sagrado helped me grow as a person; it all began in 2023. I still keep the boarding pass. I had made a friend, and we wanted to travel to Spain together. The opportunity came when the University announced a student trip, and we both wanted to be part of the experience. That trip changed my life. It was the first time I traveled without my family and without really knowing the people accompanying me, but it was an experience dedicated to me, to my growth.
I met wonderful people and took a Digital Marketing course. That was one of the first experiences I truly treasured. Being surrounded by people so dedicated to their studies made me realize that I also wanted to aspire to more, and for the first time, I felt I was beginning to live the college experience everyone always says you should enjoy.
The day after I got off the plane, I began my first internship experience at Mentes Puertorriqueñas en Acción (MPA), an initiative committed to preparing young people to become leaders and agents of change connected to the country and capable of building it from within their communities. I visited different municipalities around the island and met community leaders and educators. My internship took place at a farm in Las Piedras focused on strawberries and grapes. There, I learned how to plant and discovered the kind of journalism I wanted to practice: one that is socially conscious and committed to solutions.
I always trusted that the universe would open paths for me, that I would not have to chase things because they would come to me. I was not wrong; opportunities knocked on my door. Then came the first major project: Rayos X recruited me to conduct a survey on the youth vote. I worked alongside Diego Vega, Adieliz Matos, Gianie, Nayelyz, and Juan Diego, and together we threw ourselves into the task of gathering information. That experience confirmed that journalism was truly my calling. Appearing on television made me trust that life had a plan for me. When I received a call from my parents telling me how proud they were, I knew I could not stop and that I was hungry to keep learning.
My biggest dream also came true. I had always wanted to learn about print journalism, and the opportunity to practice it came with La Península‘s arrival, a magazine focused on the Santurce community that welcomed me and allowed me to grow as a student. Thanks to that experience, I had the opportunity to stand out as an editor and publish in different media outlets such as 9millones, Platea, Metro, Todas, InSagrado, and ASPPRO. La Península allowed me to develop as a narrative journalist, find my voice, and deepen my commitment to journalism.
In the blink of an eye, my college experience began approaching its end with Professor Ángel Correa’s Basic Television course. Then came the rush: we produced a show, and I took on the role of associate producer.
On Tercera Llamada, we welcomed actress and comedian Marian Pabón, comedian Diego Berríos, and host Alejandro as guests. Teamwork was present in every moment, and I felt it deeply when our professor told us how proud he was of us. One of the greatest privileges was learning from him, as he taught us with patience and wisdom.
“Every piece of metal that is shaped is shaped through fire. And life places us before that force of nature. We decide whether we completely melt in that heat or become structure. My wish for you is that you do not let the flames consume you, but instead become iron so that you may become buildings,” the professor expressed.
On that last day of classes, I looked around campus and my eyes filled with tears. It was the third call, just like the show: the call to a new chapter. I remembered all those memories, the journey I had taken, and the process of building an identity on my own, as someone who had arrived alone from Juncos.
Sagrado turned me into a building, just as Correa said. Now I treasure people; they each have rooms in my heart. I made friends and found professors who believed in me, like María de los Milagros, Correa, and Benjamín Gotay.
I wear my graduation cap with pride, recognizing that Sagrado was, for me, a miracle. I am grateful for every experience, and I think to myself: what a blessing, what an honor. To everyone reading this, it is true when they say that college changes your life.
My greatest advice… live it.