Valeria De Miguel Melo
Managing Editor
Stories are told all around us. At The Observer, the sharing of stories with the world is invaluable. The advisor for The Observer, Jennifer Shapiro, always ensures the newsroom is a safe space for writers and photographers to express themselves and learn about the world around them.
“These workshops give students an opportunity to learn what a career in the media field would be like, and a chance to network with professionals,” said Shapiro. For the 20th Annual Observer Boot Camp, three speakers presented to the collegiate newspaper staff: Arianna Allen, who does social media for the Houston Texans and an Observer alumnus; Deborah Wilker, a reporter with Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter, and Jossie Carbonare, a former reporter with WPBF 25 News and an Observer alumnus.
Allen began her career at the Broward County Athletic Association while attending Broward College. Later, she became an intern for Inter Miami CF, where she worked in the digital department, helping manage the team’s social media platforms. While working for Inter Miami CF, she also wrote for the official Florida Gators’ athletic website. Allen said there is “lots of storytelling” in her job, which she is deeply passionate about.
Two Observer writers, Carolina “Max” Fajardo Martinez and Alex Muños, found Allen’s work captivating. “It was just fascinating being able to see the schedule of someone who has to report on sports days because you don’t often get to see that side of it. All you see on the news is that the report is done… Behind-the-scenes things are always really fun for me,” said Fajardo.
Due to the nature of her job, Allen collaborates with many people. She shared that networking is a huge part of her life. In fact, this is how Allen got her internship at the Broward County Athletic Association. She emphasized that connections not only open doors but also provide invaluable experiences.
Allen also emphasized the importance of personal branding when seeking jobs and internships, saying, “It’s the only way to get a job.” She built her own website and included the link on her LinkedIn profile so potential employers could easily view her experience. She encourages all students to do the same.
The boot camp featured journalist and editor Deborah Wilker. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, she was eager to answer questions from Observer reporters. Wilker has worked focusing on coverage of the theater and music industries, a music critic for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and worked at Fox News Channel. During the boot camp, she welcomed every question from students seeking to improve their skills.
“We only have about three seconds to capture a reader’s attention,” she noted. That’s why she stressed the importance of a strong title and a captivating introduction. She reminded students to focus on facts and presentation, always addressing the five basic questions: who, what, where, when, and how.
The final speaker for the boot camp was Jossie Carbonare, who began her TV career in South Central Pennsylvania at WPMT FOX43. She’s a Broward College alumna, now a freelance journalist. Her key message to the boot camp attendees was to be bold. When reporters infuse boldness into their writing, she said, they become unforgettable.
Student Paola García remarked that she enjoyed hearing about the entertainment side of journalism: “… I think of journalism, and I think of, you know, investigative journalism, but then she [Wilker]was talking about a new form of journalism I hadn’t really thought about.”
The writers from The Observer had the invaluable opportunity to learn from professionals through the stories shared during the 20th Annual Boot Camp. For more information, contact Shapiro at jshapiro@broward.edu.
caption: Arianna Allen
Photo Courtesy of Arianna Allen
