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Former Fellowship Winners Check In
After winning a CJF fellowship, many winners continued to study journalism and made it
their vocation while others use the communication skills they learned in other careers.
Read about some of their accomplishments.
their vocation while others use the communication skills they learned in other careers.
Read about some of their accomplishments.
Jessica Niestzche (2009 South Plantation High)
Jessica Niestzche attended the UF's summer journalism program and returned to high school as yearbook editor to mentor her staff.
"10 years ago, when I was awarded the CJF fellowship, I had no idea my career would take into the intersection of politics, media, and tech. Thanks to the fellowship and the guidance of educators I've approached each opportunity with an open mind and heart, and I couldn't be more excited about the future!" Jessica then graduated from FSU, and moved to DC eager to start a political career, "I thought my path would take me to Capitol Hill but after a few months, I came by a dream job at Twitter--one that mixed my interest in both state and national politics, data, and campaigns. I applied on a whim (I knew absolutely nothing about tech) and I was offered a role as an Associate Partnerships Manager on the Government and Politics team." She then focused on working with politicians and elected officials from the US and around the world with their Twitter presence. After starting on the 2014 midterm elections, she went to the UK for it 2015 General Election and then to Panama at the Organization of American States' Cumbre de Las Americas--where President Obama and President Castro of Cuba shook hands for the first time. After a "whirlwind (and incredible)" three years, Jessica took time off from Twitter before joining Facebook for a short time and then Bumble. "Then I realized I really missed Twitter, the people, and the mission and came back to the company as a #ReTweep." She is now a Product Specialist focused on helping large publishers (such as CNN) monetize their video content. Lane Nieset (2005 - South Plantation High) Nieset on location in Antarctica.
Lane Nieset continues to use her skills in her profession. She said that her summer CJF experience at the UF "was the reason I chose journalism as the field I wanted to go into professionally."
After graduating from the UF Summa Cum Laude (with a BS in Journalism and a BA in French and internships in New York with Town & Country and Women's Health), she accepted a fellowship with Time, Inc. in Alabama as a digital assistant. Nieset returned to South Florida to become an editor with Recommend, a Miami-based trade magazine, and she traveled everywhere from Bordeaux to Saint Lucia writing destination and hotel-focused articles geared to travel agents. Now she lives in the South France area as a freelancer working on assignment for Recommend, Shermans Travel, Paste Travel, BRIDES and USA Today's 10-Best. Her first Vogue story covered her recent island hopping adventures down to Antarctica and Hurtigruten, camping and drinking craft brews in some of the most remote locations on the globe. Andy Jacobsohn (2004 -South Plantation High) Photo courtesy of the Dallas Morning News: Allison Slomowitz Special Contributor.
Andrew Jacobsohn also uses his photography experience that began in high school. He has worked as a staff photographer at The Dallas Morning News since 2014. In that time he has covered Texas Rangers training, high school football and local news stories. He also has produced a collection of photographs highlighting individuals who were present for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
The portraits were introduced at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in a gallery called "Portraits: History Lived." Jacobsohn graduated from the University of Central Florida and had several internships including one with ESPN. Previously he was a photo editor at the Daily Beast in New York City, a staff photographer at Newsday, and an assistant photo editor at Major League Baseball. His photo internships at The Dallas Morning News and The Florida Times-Union paved the way. Several of his color assignments are noteworthy: two Super Bowls (Dallas 2011, New York City 2014), 2012 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, demolition of Texas Stadium, third inauguration of Gov. Rick Perry, New York Fashion Week and Westminster Dog Show. Jessica Bleier (2001-South Plantation) Photo courtesy of Peter Arnell.
Not all CJF fellowship recipients have a journalism-writing career. Jessica Bleier (2001) is a New York-based professional model and actress who is a Cum Laude graduate from the University of Florida. She has traveled all over the world for work, been photographed for Vogue, Self, Cosmopolitan, Allure and Ocean Drive, and featured in commercials and TV shows both nationally and internationally.
"Even though I did not become a professional journalist (although... who knows it may be in the cards for me as a second career) the experience of attending the Summer Journalism Institute at the UF and the corresponding skills I learned there had an immensely profound and positive impact on me that continues to resonate in my life today," she said. "Winning the award gave me validation that I was good at something I loved and worked hard for, and it absolutely set the tone for achieving success in my adult life." Justin Robert Young (2000 - South Plantation) Justin Young 2017.
Justin Young attended Syracuse University and was the editor of The Daily Orange, which earned four Pacemaker Awards during his tenure.
After graduation he worked at The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) and the Sun-Sentinel. As an entrepreneur he created The Contender, a social card game where users can simulate a Presidential Debate using real quotes raised over $140,000 on Kickstart in 2015 and has sold another $100,000. The photo is from his podcast for TWIT network. NSFW Show. The term generally means Not Safe For Work which means he talks about something that might be too much for your boss or co-worker to see over your shoulder. |
Julie Leventhal (1998 - South Plantation High) Leventhal 2017
The CJF gave the first fellowship in 1998, and the recipient was Julie Leventhal, the editor of the Sword and Shield, the South Plantation High newspaper. After earning her degree at the UF, she has been in New York as a lecture agent at WME/IMG Speakers for the last six years. She secures appearances for authors, athletes, chefs, broadcasters at meetings, conferences, summits, and so on.
"My journalism background has been invaluable in my career," she said. David Drucker (2013 - South Plantation High) Drucker on his pod cast.
"When I arrived a freshman at FIU, I was ready to tackle college journalism head-on. I didn't have to spend time learning what my editor wanted in my stories - the Culpepper Journalism Foundation had already taught me.
He stepped into the studios at 790 The Ticket during the summer of 2017. summer. As an intern, he was responsible for playing sound, editing clips and assisting in the overall production of the mid-day show. He continues to host a podcast on the Miami Dolphins, Dolphins with Dave. "Overall, the CJF helped make me the type of well-rounded journalist that editors and employers look for today." Amanda Steffans - (2003 Northeast)
 Schoultz in Colorado 2017.
Amanda Steffans Schoultz is the Senior Aide to Denver City Council representative Christopher Herndon and she leads communication strategy, events, operations and relationship management for the District 8 team. Previously she served in the Colorado Governor's Office of Communication and Constituent Services.
Schoultz began her career working in local news at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and WPLG, Miami's ABC affiliate, and transitioned to the classroom where she taught English and Television Production at Northeast High. "The Culpepper Journalism Foundation gave me a chance to preview the college experience and get a feel for what a broadcast journalism program would look like," she said. "Living on the University of Georgia campus and working with the professors there helped me build confidence and reinforced my commitment to work as a communicator." Ebony Joseph (2012 - South Plantation) Joseph 2016
After working on the South Plantation's Sword and Shield for two years, Ebony became an anchor/reporter for Broward Teen News at BECON-TV and learned the ropes of broadcast television. "I made life-long friends and realized I wanted to work in this field for the rest of my life."
At the University of Florida, she majored in telecommunications and became an anchor, reporter and producer for the on-campus NPR and PBS stations. Her work was awarded with a Professional Associated Press Award and two National Broadcasting Society nominations. During college she interned at BBC America in New York, NPR headquarters in Washington D.C. and WLRN, South Florida's NPR Member station. Her writing has been featured in the Huffington Post, the Miami Herald and Independent Florida Alligator. After graduating from UF in December 2015, she moved to NYC to join the ABC News team. Faren Dalipram Rajkumar (2011- South Plantation) Rajkumar 2017
Advocacy is a recurring theme among CJF fellowship winners. Faren Dalipram Rajkumar is currently in Washington D.C. doing non-profit religious right advocacy. "Without the scholarship that CJF gave me while I was in high school, I wouldn't have attended my very first journalism program at the University of Florida, and I credited that summer experience for being the start of my life-long love affair with writing."
She studied English at Nova Southeastern University where she was Editor in Chief of the literary magazine. She completed an intensive writing course at the City University of New York and started her MFA at the University of South Florida. "The CJF opportunity gave me exposure to journalism and writing that I never anticipated, and helped me realize my passion for writing." |
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Kristen Bjornsen (2005- South Plantation)
Kristin Bjornsen graduated from the University of Florida, and beginning with her freshman year, she was a salaried staffer on the Independent Florida Alligator before becoming editor her senior year. Currently she is the Art Director for the Miami New Times. Her CJF fellowship took her to Classroom 101 at the Fort Lauderdale Art Institute and inspired her interest in photography and design. "The CJF gave me the opportunity to explore storytelling through many mediums and to network with professionals in a variety of fields," she said. "A brief summer photography program led me to an art director position, and to this day I use the fundamentals I learned that summer in my day-to-day duties." Ashley Khan (2009 - South Plantation) Alysha graduated from the University of Miami where she majored in journalism and political science. She was the online editor of The Miami Hurricane, which won an 2013 Online Pacemaker from the National scholastic Press Association. Her internships included being a metro reporter for the Miami Herald and a business reporter for the Sun-Sentinel. |
Vanesa Hernandez (2001 - SPHS)
Vanesa Hernandez is an Associate Vice President at Bessemer Trust. As a Fiduciary Officer she assists with the administration of trusts as well as risk management. After graduating from the UF (where she also used her CJF fellowship), she earned her law degree at the University of North Carolina. She continues to help those in need as she advises low-income citizens with income tax preparations, as well as being a volunteer with the homeless, children, disaster relief throughout North Carolina, Alabama and Nebraska. Beatrice Dupuy (2010 - Cooper City) Beatrice attended the University of Florida where she worked as a correspondent for the Gainesville Sun. When she has time off from school, she freelances for the Sun-Sentinel. In 2011 she won the National Press Club scholarship for journalism diversity. "Without the CJF fellowship I don't know if I would have been able to attend the Medill-Northwestern summer journalism institute in 2010," she said. |
Anna Parham (2010 - Flanagan High)
Anna attended the University of Central Florida majoring in Digital Media with a Web Design track and minoring in Magazine Journalism. "I would not have been able to attend the program that I did during the summer without your scholarship and this program helped me make my career decision," she said. Colt Dodd (2010 - South Plantation) Colt Dodd graduated from New College with a double major in English and Religion, and was a staff writer, layout and photo editor for the weekly newspaper, The Catalyst and biannual newsmagazine, the Tangent. Currently, Dodd is a computer science teacher in Broward. "The tools I learned in journalism provided me with a better understanding of computer software applications and programming," Dodd said. "I was well ahead of the curve when I arrived at college, and I was able to build a stronger basis for not only graphic design but also film editing and computer troubleshooting." |
www.CulpepperJournalismFoundation.com - 100 Southwest 75 Terrace, Plantation, Florida 33317