Journalism at FGCU

Here’s some of our News Production students observing a live interview on the set of WGCU!

WINK News reporter Olivia Jean visited News Production class on Wednesday to talk about what it’s like to report in the field!

If you're age 50 or over, we'd love to have you visit our News Literacy class for Generation Day next Friday, Oct. 4, either at 12:30 or 2:30 or both.

Once a semester, we open the class to visitors age 50 and older. The visitors meet our students and collaborate with them to prove or debunk samples of news and information.

The 50-minute classes meet in person on the FGCU campus.

Please email [email protected] if you'd like to participate.

Journalistic Writing students learn about how Addyson McCullough wrote her story: “A year later: Investigating the ‘incredibly sad’ drowning of FGCU student Graham McGrath” for the News Press & Naples Daily News.

Read her story here: https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/2024/08/22/graham-mcgrath-fgcu-student-drowning-lake-como-florida/74566825007/

Journalism seniors pose with Professor Lyn Millner and WINK News Managing Editor Carolyn Dolcimascolo during their Senior Capstone class on April 17, 2024. WINK News and the Journalism program partnered to produce solutions journalism stories about the fentanyl epidemic.

Meet adjunct instructor Mark Bickel. He teaches Journalistic Writing and says he absolutely loves it. His mission, after more than three decades as a journalist, is to share his knowledge and expertise with the next generation of news hounds.

Fun fact: At Syracuse University, Bickel was a classmate of Mike Tirico, today the face of NBC Sports.

Meet preceptor Glenn Miller. He helps teach Professor Lyn Millner’s News Literacy course, which is a Humanities GenEd course open to all majors.

The course is about critical thinking and separating fact from fiction. An example: Consider this photo of Miller from a long time ago.

Did he play for the New York Mets? Or is that Fake News?

This is Lucas Nicholson. He is a senior at Bonita Springs High School aiming to graduate with an associate degree and then finish schooling at FGCU! Lucas is majoring in Communication with a double minor in Journalism and Management. Outside of the academic life, Lucas produces and works for ESPN+ to get all of FGCU Athletics on the streaming service. You can usually catch Lucas down at Alico Arena or at Hertz Arena working with the Florida Everblades. Recently, Lucas got the opportunity and was hand-selected to travel to Utica, NY, on a broadcast trip where he will be putting his talent to work to broadcast United States Premier Hockey League hockey. We wish Lucas the best of luck and are happy to have him as an Eagle!

Meet journalism professor Judd Cribbs. Cribbs was a writer, reporter and managing editor for 25 years before becoming a teacher. Cribbs teaches news-style classes, including Audio and Video Journalism.

Fun fact: He was in a movie called “Terror Inside,” and played the owner of a diner. He did not win an Oscar for his performance.

Meet journalism professor Lyn Millner. She teaches News Literacy, a Humanities GenEd course that shows students how to dissect news narratives and elevate their critical thinking game.

“It’s a course for any student, regardless of major.”

Fun fact: In college, Millner majored in accounting and worked as a paralegal. But she spent all of her extra time at the student newspaper.

Meet Klaudia Balogh, a Florida Gulf Coast University graduate.

“Since graduating the FGCU journalism program, I’ve had such an exciting journalism career,” Balogh said. “I’ve attended graduate school in London, worked on broadcast national news as the Los Angeles correspondent, and worked for both print and digital publications.”

According to Balogh, for the past 10 years she has been covering health, longevity, and wellbeing. All at the same time, she fulfills what she feels is her true purpose in life as a journalist - to help people understand and optimize their health one story at a time.

Balogh’s biggest piece of advice for students in the journalism program is to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. “My biggest leaps in the industry and biggest personal and professional growth came from stepping out of my comfort zone.”