Student Spotlight

Miranda Miller, a Master’s student in English, has been awarded the prestigious David G. Hartwell Emerging Scholar Award at ICFA 2025. This annual award, presented by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts (IAFA), recognizes the most outstanding paper submitted by a graduate student at the conference. Miranda’s paper, titled "Parasitism, Coexistence, and Colonialism in Animorphs," stood out among submissions, earning her this distinguished honor. Winning this award is a remarkable achievement for any graduate student, but it is especially noteworthy for a first-year MA student, as the award is typically given to PhD candidates. To qualify, Miranda submitted a written version of her paper months in advance, demonstrating her dedication and scholarly excellence. Congratulations to Miranda on this outstanding accomplishment!

Florida Atlantic University senior, Alvaro Sopo Salazar recently accepted a D.C.-based internship with Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar. This spring, he will reside in the nation's capital, having secured housing through The Washington Center, to gain hands-on experience at the heart of American government. Alvaro attributes his initial government internship experience with the FAU Florida Legislative Intenship Program (FFLIP) as a pivotal step in launching his career in public service. He hopes that this position will further his goals, potentially opening doors for full-time employment on Capitol Hill or enhancing his preparation for a master's degree in Political Science at Florida Atlantic University. His experience is marked by a strong commitment to government service. In May 2024, Alvaro interned in the office of Representative Chip LaMarca, which led to a subsequent internship in Senator Marco Rubio’s Miami district office during the summer. Alvaro is on track to graduate from FAU in May 2025, well-prepared to pursue a dynamic career in public policy and governance.

Maisha has been part of the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholar Program, Cohort 5, and she is graduating this spring in less than four (4) years with a major in Political Science and a minor in Sociology, with a career goal of becoming an attorney.The program provides academically talented first-generation, low-income students with financial resources, academic support, and mentorship to give them an opportunity to graduate debt-free from Florida Atlantic University in four years or less. By graduating debt-free from Florida Atlantic University within the targeted timeframe, Maisha exemplifies the transformative impact of the program.

Kaila Palmer is a senior at FAU double-majoring in Communication Studies and Political Science. Kaila is poised to embark on the next chapter of her academic journey, as she sets her sights on pursuing a Master of Arts Degree in Communication with a specialized focus on Digital Media starting this fall. Throughout her time at FAU, Kaila's involvement on campus has been nothing short of impressive. Her passion for extracurricular activities has not only enriched her college experience but also earned her well-deserved recognition. In Spring 2023, Kaila's outstanding contributions to Student Government were honored with the prestigious Senatorial Excellence Award, a testament to her leadership and dedication to making a difference in her community.

Daejah Pierre Jules is currently a senior at Florida Atlantic University, pursuing a degree in Linguistics and aiming to become a Speech Language Pathologist. Before graduating in the Fall of 2023, Daejah is taking a summer internship where she plans to shadow Karina Lee, a speech pathologist. During her time at FAU, Daejah has taken on leadership roles in Tau Sigma and Black Writers Collective and has become an ambassador for the College of Arts and Letters. She also works part-time as a Program Development Student Assistant at the Career Center. Additionally, she has showcased her own poetry at various events on campus and received the TAP program scholarship in the Spring of 2023

Ameion Hamlet is a senior student at Florida Atlantic University with a major in Sociology. Through the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy, research, and educational institute, Ameion landed her internship with Tyson Foods, a modern, multi-national, protein-focused food company producing approximately 20% of the beef, pork, and chicken in the United States. Ameion serves as a Governmental Relations Intern in Tyson's Washington D.C. office. In the last year, Tyson Foods and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation became partners to invest in future leaders by giving internship opportunities to students like Ameion."Working with Tyson Foods has allowed me to see government relations from a different perspective and gain knowledge on different topics, like food insecurity or animal welfare. I am more in tune with the agriculture space now," said Amaion during her interview with Tyson Foods.

Natalia Gutierrez is a 24-year-old Senior student at Florida Atlantic University with a major in Language, Linguistics, and Comparative Studies, and a minor in English. She has recently interned in the House Republican Conference which led to two full-time job offers on Capitol Hill.

Read the full article from the Wall Street Journal here.

Kali Jobs is a junior at FAU with a major in Communication Studies and a Minor in Film and Video. Kiley is interning with UFC in Las Vegas this semester as a Production Intern. She is working in the Originals Production Department with the UFC located in Las Vegas, NV. Creating content, assisting with shoots, and helping out at the live events have been a blast for her.

Kennedy McKinney is a sophomore at FAU with a major in multimedia journalism. The Jacksonville native has been involved in journalism since middle school. During her first year at FAU, McKinney and her peers felt the need for a publication that would represent the Black community, address issues pertaining to the community, and share their accomplishments. The first Black newspaper of FAU, The Paradigm Press, was founded a few months later in March 2020. As a founder and editor-in-chief of the newspaper, McKinney believes the publication is growing and serving its purpose every day. She says that although the newspaper takes a lot of time and effort, the process has been rewarding. McKinney plans on attending law school after graduation and aspires to be a social injustice correspondent. Her advice to other students is to find something that you like and get involved with the student organizations, and also make sure to manage your time properly. Kennedy was featured in a cover story for Legacy Magazine:   https://online.fliphtml5.com/bluyl/ixgn/#p=12

Lucas Wilson is a candidate for a Ph.D. in Comparative Studies under the supervision of Alan Berger, FAU’s Raddock Family Eminent Scholar Chair for Holocaust Studies. In the past year, Wilson has had his work published in several volumes, including the Flannery O’Connor Review, for which he won the Sarah Gordon Award, The Struggle for Understanding: Elie Wiesel’s Literary Works; Teaching Jewish American Literature; and Twentieth-Century and Contemporary American Literature. He is, moreover, co-editing with his supervisor a collection of essays tentatively titled Emerging Trends in Third-Generation Holocaust Studies. His work has been accepted into several other edited collections, including Canadian Holocaust Literature; Silenced Masculinities; Becoming: Transformative Storytelling for Education’s Future; and Crossing Sacred Borders: Writing Journeys in Literature and Culture. Further, his non-academic work has been published in LGBTQ Nation, Queerty, and RVA Magazine  and he also conducted and transcribed a series of oral histories of children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors that are now publicly accessible through the College of Charleston.

This year, he has also taught at University of Toronto (where he was also both a Research Assistant and a Writing Tutor), as well as at Seneca College.

 Wilson completed his BA in English from Liberty University and finished his MA in English from McMaster University. He then complete his MTS with a Certificate in Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt University, graduating first in his class.