But of ALL of these opportunities, there is a unique cluster of them that will always stand apart from the rest, and they are all found in my very own College of Journalism and Communications.
I am very proud today to serve as an ambassador for my college, giving tours to UF J-School hopefuls, explaining to them why we have so much to offer, and specifically what we can offer to them. One such resource is the Center for Media Innovation and Research, which in its description alone explains the thing about our college that is so great: the fact that we are always moving forward.
I am happy to call the Innovation News Center my home and workplace. From walking into the newsroom, you would think that you have stepped away from the college educational scene and entered into a professional setting...it's that cool. I have the privilege to work with materials that just aren't available to other schools. And I have the honor of serving as an anchor for a live broadcast for WUFT, Gainesville's PBS affiliate. This is a broadcast that reaches several counties, and a broadcast that I hope is just the first television news shows I get to be a part of in the future, thanks to UF.
Because of the training and extra-curricular reporting and anchoring work I have done with our program and with WUFT News, I know that I will be ready to become a reporter upon graduation. And I feel confident that the uniqueness and depth of our program will prepare me for the media world I am entering into.
I have been trained extensively in radio, web, and television reporting. But most importantly, I have learned what it really means to be a reporter.
At the end of the day, my goal is to help people through my work. Reporting is where my love for the spotlight and passion for serving the community come together as one. I have a spark that has been lit inside me that drives me every day to be better and better, and I hope this spark will land me wherever I'm meant to be when my time at the University of Florida comes to an end.
