Three years, one newsroom, one major, one minor, and thousands of lessons learned – all thanks to the University Press.
When I first got to Florida Atlantic in 2023, I always knew I wanted to be a journalist, but I did not know where to start. Until one day in Fall 2024, the Sports Editor for the UP, Megan Bruinsma, gave a speech in my news reporting class, and I wasted no time sending an email to the UP. That following Monday, I went to the 2 p.m. general meeting, and the rest is history.
In very little time, I grew from a Staff Writer to a Sports Reporter, to being named the second-ever female Sports Editor for the University Press, and I finally realized I had found my footing in the college journalism world.
Now, if you had told me in my one year at the UP that I would have the opportunity to run the entire newsroom as Editor-in-Chief, I would have laughed in your face. I thought I was going to be strictly a sports journalist and nothing else, and felt that my lack of a news reporting background would be a disservice to me if I even attempted to step into the role as EIC; I did not have a greater “vision” for the newsroom and felt I needed one to be successful in the role. And I am very glad I was wrong about all those things.
On Saturday, May 9, at 9 a.m., I will walk across that stage with my bachelor’s degree in hand, not just as an FAU alumnus but as a stronger, more confident woman. Having conquered the sports journalism world as a woman at such a young age, I learned that the more people tell you you can’t, the more inclined you are to do it. The most important lesson journalism taught me: not everyone has a story, but everyone has a heart.
Thank you to my staff behind me and to all my professors, advisors, and fellow editors who reassured me that no challenge is too big or too small, even if you handed me the keys to an entire newsroom and said, “Good luck.”
Thank you, Florida Atlantic University, for the most memorable three years of my life. As always, go Owls!
Gabriela Quintero, Managing Editor
When I first joined the University Press, I felt completely out of place. At only 15 years old, I was working alongside students who were five years older than me, writing stories many of them wouldn’t have dared to write. Now, three years later, more than 40 stories under my belt, and graduating from high school (yes, you read that right; I am an FAU High School senior now), I can say that without the University Press, I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have.
The opportunity that made me feel out of place became the one that inspired me to create community — to inspire others to take the chance, to take the risk.
Over the years, I have seen the UP grow into something beyond what I had originally joined. 3,000 followers, six print issues, and four editors-in-chief later, I have learned that when you put passion, courage, and dedication into something, results will follow.
The UP has allowed me to reach new heights: Coming this fall, I will be attending Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City to study political science and economics. The UP may have been my introduction into journalism, but it isn’t going to be my exit. I hope to continue reporting on the issues affecting the South Florida community through Fulcrum this summer as part of their 2026 Summer Fellowship.
Joining a college newspaper as a high school student hasn’t been easy, but with encouragement from past and current staff, I have kept working hard to make it a reality.
The UP isn’t just an extracurricular or a resume boost; it is a work of love. Every day, our team steps into the newsroom and works tirelessly to report on issues that impact students at FAU – from housing to student government politics, from matters within our academic institution to state and national topics. I applaud current and former staff for molding the UP into what it has become, and to our advisor, Wesley Wright, for supporting students like me throughout this journey.
As I pass the torch to the next generation of UP leadership, I hope that our newsroom continues to seek the truth and share it with the 30,000 students who call FAU home.
Thank you, Florida Atlantic University and A.D. Henderson University School/FAU High School, for everything. And as always, go Owls!
What’s Next?
Come this Summer, Ava Hilton, current news editor, and Emily Ives, political reporter, will become the UP’s newest EIC and ME, respectively. Graduating alongside Martell and Quintero are Madison Norton, creative director, and Fallon Lanteigne, graphic designer. The University Press will continue to report throughout the summer and will resume regular operations in the fall.
Please email Martell at [email protected] and Quintero at [email protected] for more information on this and other stories.
