Newszine | Staff

Newszine Staff

Newszine is published weekly by the Applied Journalism class in the Interactive Media Lab of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.

Executive editor/publisher:
David Carlson
Managing editor:
Dave Stanton

Fall 2005 Student Staff

Bryan App

A senior majoring in journalism at UF, Bryan App will finally escape academia in the spring of 2006. Possessing an interest for sports reporting, Bryan began covering women’s swimming for the Independent Florida Alligator during the spring of 2004. Finally, after watching way too many softball games and chasing the Gators basketball team throughout the Southeast – including a near-death experience in Starkville, Miss. – Bryan now covers football for the Alligator in addition to contributing a weekly column and serving as sports editor. When he’s not hacking up a story in some smelly press box, Bryan enjoys playing the drums for the most rockin’ band to inhabit this planet: the Runnamucks, tossing around the ol’ pigskin, mountain biking, drinking Bavarian wheat beers – as well as Guinness – and playing a good game of darts from the comfort of any dank Irish pub.

Jenn Beckett

Jenn Beckett, a journalism senior at the University of Florida, graduates in December 2005. She is applying to graduate school at UF and Florida Atlantic University for a master’s in journalism. She seeks a career in documentary film. Currently, Jenn is the president of UF’s Student Society of News Design, and the secretary of UF’s Collegiate Living Organization. Academia aside, Jenn enjoys being athletic, her hobbies include: ocean kayaking, playing Dance Dance Revolution, bike ridding, swinging at the batting cages and salsa dancing. Jenn also loves music: she likes listening to eclectic tunes, and playing guitar and piano. Something unique about Jenn is that she practices a vegan diet, and she likes preparing animal-free meals for her family. The most recent book Jenn read, outside of her requirements for school, was The Tao of Pooh, which she enjoyed.

Alan Festo

Alan Festo was born in Stamford, CT in 1982 and found his way to Gainesville with the help of his parents at age three. He attended Newberry High School and graduated in June of 2000. He then attended Sante Fe Community College in Gainesville where he began to focus on journalism. After four years at Sante Fe he realized a life long dream when he was accepted to the University of Florida for the 2004 fall semester. Alan has been a member of the University of Florida Fightin' Gator Marching Band for the past five years and was the trumpet section leader in 2003. When he’s not playing his trumpet you will almost always find Alan watching Gator sports and working on his golf swing.

Emily Hayes

Emily Hayes, 21, will graduate in December from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications with a Bachelor of Science in Reporting. She plans to pursue a graduate degree in mass communications or creative writing from the University of Florida or the University of Central Florida before starting her professional career. Though her current degree is preparing her for a job as a newspaper reporter, she has also considered becoming a high school teacher or novelist. Aside from academic activities, she is planning her March 4 wedding, which will take place in her hometown of Orlando.

Gwen Heimburg

Gwen Heimburg is a journalism senior at the University of Florida and will graduate in the spring with a focus in online media and a minor in art history. She plans to continue her studies in the UF journalism master’s program next fall. Gwen was born and raised in the great city of Orlando, Fla. but somehow found the inner strength to tear herself away from the strip malls and horrible traffic to attend college in Gainesville, Fla. In her spare time Gwen enjoys bike riding, having lunch at El Indio, and backpacking in the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina.

Lindsey Kirkland

Lindsey N. Kirkland is a 20-year-old senior at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. She is majoring in journalism with a specialization in editing. She will graduate in December 2005. After graduation, she hopes to work at a small- to medium-sized newspaper in Florida. Kirkland was born in Gainesville. She grew up in Lake Butler, Fla., and is now living in Starke. Starke is a small town near Gainesville that is slightly famous for prisons and the “sweetest strawberries this side of heaven” (according to the local, weekly newspaper where she is doing her internship). She commutes to and from Gainesville three days a week for a total of about 60 miles each day.

Jessica Phillips

Jessica Phillips is a 22-year-old senior majoring in Journalism in the College of Journalism and Communications in Gainesville, Florida. Jessica plans to graduate in August 2006 and has been a native of Gainesville all of her life. She plans to pursue a career in the Online Media field and after graduation, will either attend graduate school to study Media Law, or work for a Christian newspaper that has a Web site. Earlier this summer, Jessica completed an internship at W.C.J.B TV 20 News that gave her a great opportunity to work in a newsroom. She currently has an internship at the Gainesville Guardian and hopes to develop a portfolio of newsworthy artricles. She enjoys reading, writing, singing, and most recently, posting Weblogs.

Jen Vance

I am currently a Journalism senior and plan to graduate in the Spring of 2006. I was raised in Daytona Beach, Florida and love the beach as well as the outdoors. When I graduate I hope to write a series of children’s books about my cat, in addition to writing freelance for different parenting and children’s publications.

Nick Weidenmiller

Nick is a UF senior majoring in journalism who hopes his contributions to Newszine will help make him more computer and web savvy. Born and raised in Naples, Fla., Gainesville is the coldest city Nick has ever lived in, though in the future he’d like to experience one of the “tough Midwestern winters” his family talks about. Both of his older brothers and parents were born in Chicago, leaving Nick as the family's only true Floridian, and (sadly) only Gator. After writing for the Independent Florida Alligator during his first three years, an internship in public relations this summer has led to fewer jokes about P.R. majors and more serious thought about a future outside of newspaper and magazine writing. For the time being, Nick’s a full-time senior who spends his days playing intramural sports and his nights lounging with friends and occasionally stepping out to enjoy Gainesville's night life.

Spring 2005 staff:

Doug Bell
Brian Clay
Brian Davis
Craig Dawson
Bianca Ferrer
Beth Jenkins
Dan Jimmerson
Jonathan Krotov
James Kunkel
Lauren Lewis
Medha Raval

Fall 2004 staff:

Laureen Ricks
Emily Seawell
Jess Johnson
Daniel Aleman
Thomas Gries
Jason Matthew Walker
Ronnie Boxx

Spring 2004 staff:

Erin Burden
Emily Byers
Seantee Campbell
Munye Chan
Amy Clendenin
Luis Delgado
Beryl Firestone
Tina Hasko
Andrew Hensley
Matt Moody
Melissa Parsons
Jen Raymond

Fall 2003 staff:

Jenny Altier
Kristen Beyke
Cat Demsky
Christie Kulavich
Heather Leslie
Elizabeth Marum
Brian Murray
Zachary Sipp
Michelle Villamer
Cassandra Zwick

Newszine Staff

Fall 2005 Student Staff

Bryan App

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