SCMS Students Headed to Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

Image: Sage West, Ilene Prusher, Laurie Mermet

Two School of Communication and Multimedia Studies students have been accepted to the incoming class of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Both students were in MediaLab. Florida Atlantic’s  community reporting project.

Sage West, who graduated from SCMS in December 2024, wrote a story about Delray Beach, Florida  that was published by MediaLab and then re-published by all of MediaLab’s media partners ( The Palm Beach Post, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel and WLRN.) Her success led to her having a regular freelance arrangement covering Boynton Beach and Delray Beach for the Palm Beach Post.

Laurie Mermet, who will be graduating in Spring 2025, has had stories picked up by WLRN and The Invading Sea, a source for news, commentary and educational content about climate change and other environmental issues affecting Florida.

MediaLab’s goal is to engage Florida Atlantic’s student body in developing advanced media skills as they report, document and produce content to local media partners and to a wider audience throughout South Florida.

The initiative is led by a team of experienced journalists dedicated to mentoring the next generation of media professionals. Ilene Prusher, Digital Director, and Rachel Benaim-Abudarham, Deputy Digital Director, bring a wealth of experience in digital journalism, reporting, and newsroom leadership. Their expertise helps shape the digital strategy of MediaLab, ensuring that students gain hands-on experience with innovative storytelling techniques and cutting-edge media tools.

In October 2024, MediaLab was awarded a $100,000 grant from Press Forward, a national movement to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news. MediaLab is one of only seven academic programs to be selected for this prestigious award recognizing the importance of the work being done to support the media landscape.