My first two years at the University of Florida were spent in constant turmoil, trying to decide what subject I would declare my major in. I had spent my four years of high school deeply involved in student journalism but was also so drawn to the ocean and studying science. I had no clue what to pick—until one day I realized I didn’t have to.
After deciding that I would major in marine science while pursuing a minor in mass communication, I scoured the internet for opportunities to gain experience science communication. One fateful day, I stopped by a table outside of the Reitz Union during the Sustainability-in-Action Showcase and discovered TESI.
I will forever be thankful that I decided to stop by, because the opportunities that this chance encounter has led to truly changed my life. I am so grateful for TESI allowing me to fall in love with science communication.
From writing Know Your Florida posts about all my favorite Florida critters and parks to Tell Me Abouts inspired by my marine science classes, I quickly realized how privileged I am to love my job! The marriage between my two passions of communication and science has been so lovely to experience and my time at TESI has confirmed that that is what I want further to pursue.
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I am fortunate enough to have produced two feature stories and two videos as an environmental communication intern, making it nearly impossible for me to pick my favorite piece of content—but I will!
The first feature story I wrote for TESI is titled “Sea Turtles, Seagrasses, and Shifting Baselines” and certainly has a special place in my heart. Not only was I extremely proud of the way that the story turned out, but I really enjoyed the process of writing it. While I do find interviews to be nerve-wracking, I had such a pleasant experience speaking with the sea turtle researchers! Being able to pull my knowledge from my classes into the interview to ensure I had enough information to properly explain the concept I was writing about was thrilling. This was the moment that I realized that science communication is truly the perfect field for me.
Having the opportunity to experience something akin to your dream job at the undergraduate level is something I will never take for granted. I am so appreciative that my time at TESI has allowed me to gain confidence in my writing, while allowing me to delve into topics I am interested in and sharing that information with the world.
TESI has been a part of my life for the past 2 years, so this is a very bittersweet goodbye. I know all the skills and knowledge I have gained here will take me where I am meant to be.