Ryerson Alumni Achievement Awards - Marci ien

[music] I was a curious kid; always asking "why?", always asking questions. I went for an open audition for a kids' show called Circle Square and then I was offered a position on that show. It was almost through osmosis that I ended up at Ryerson and then radio and television and then found news and all of a sudden it went, "ok," it was that moment, "journalism, this is who I am." It's all come together and the thing that comes to mind first and foremost would be the Swiss Air Crash. It was a story that really changed me as a journalist. I remember one evening in particular, talking to a family and there are always those questions, you know, reporters that ask those questions how are you feeling? And I thought I wouldn't ask those questions. I asked them, you know, how were they going to continue; and how they remembered their loved one. That right there changed everything. That showed me that you can be respectful in this business. That's the kind of journalist I want to be. The professors at Ryerson were in the field and could offer first-hand knowledge of what skill-set we needed, why we needed it, and if we had questions we could go right to the source because they were doing it. To have the mentorship available, to have that camaraderie is so very important. Dwight Drummond and I are very very tight; and we went through RTA together. We held each other up. Ryerson breeds great people. It's because it's a great community. Isn't it the cherry on top? It just is. it doesn't get much better, such validation. I've done something right. I know there are a lot of other people like me, graduating from Ryerson. It's so important that they stay connected to that Ryerson family. [music]