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Madison Willis

Gathering news and editing stories is what I've excelled at for the past couple of years. I am a quick learner, always trying to put my skills to the test. My hours of community service has helped me handle stressful situations and take on the role of leadership.
I make it my job to find the truth in my stories and ensure that every community is heard.

I'm an alumna at University of Central Florida journalism major in the digital/print track. 

My skills include writing for print and digital, online journalism, video editing, photo editing, social media, communications and investigative reporting.

Please, look through my portfolio. I am open for a collaboration, as I am always looking to learn new things. ​

Hard News

Explore the hard news section of my writing work below. 

Afterdark dance team kicks off at Knights Got Talent

5 Sources - 657 Words
Hip-hop music echoed between college buildings, drawing hundreds of UCF students to catch a glimpse of the stage at Memory Mall Monday night.

At the first performance of Knights Got Talent, five UCF students danced with everything they had so that no one forgot their group's name: Afterdark dance team.

“It’s just amazing,” senior marketing major Janine Do said. “I didn’t know how much diversity and special talents that we all have here … You never know what people might have, like, behind the

'We Shall Overcome' recognizes LGBTQ diversity during Lake Eola event

4 Sources - 948 Words
ORLANDO | Audience members sat in awe as colorful flags were tossed up in the air and the hum of music rattled their chest at Walt Disney Amphitheater at Orlando’s Lake Eola Park Oct. 13. In partnership with Come Out with Pride, five local nonprofits put on a show to honor diverse trailblazers within the LGBTQ community, called “We Shall Overcome: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Diversity.”

The collaborative efforts of COWP, QLatinx, Bros in Convo, the Orlando Gay Chorus, Central Florida Sounds of Freedom a

PHOTOS: Come Out With Pride celebrates in Downtown Orlando

3 Sources - 608 Words
ORLANDO | Thousands of attendees filled Lake Eola Park and the surrounding Downtown area in Orlando Oct. 15 for the annual Come Out With Pride parade and festival.

Come Out with Pride is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that strives to make an annual pride event that creates a sense of community by encouraging LGBTQ people to embrace their identities, while educating the general public what Pride means. This year’s Pride theme was “A Place for Us.”

“It’s exhilarating being around so man

‘We will fight’: Orlando activists, organizations march for Women’s Rights

4 Sources - 927 Words
Under the hot sun in front of the Orlando City Hall on Sunday, local residents ranging from all different ages, women, men and children gathered with painted signs advocating for reproductive rights. Crowding in front of the building, participants dressed in the beautiful colors of the rainbow, making a declaration as they marched for the Orlando Women’s March.

‘Fight! Fight! Fight! Abortion is our right!’

Attendants who came to the rally were introduced to several speeches from their local activist leaders. Including a speech from Florida Democratic Rep. and UCF alumna Anna Eskamani, who shared her story about being an abortion clinic escort and the powerful women in her life, while highlighting the importance to gather as a community during these times.

Orlando Strong Symposium comes to UCF, highlights effects of recent Florida laws

4 Sources - 974 Words
This year’s Orlando Strong Symposium: For Our Collective Rights & Freedom aimed to bring awareness to the consequences of recently passed Florida laws. The event was hosted at UCF Downtown, and Sept. 15-16, guests were able to connect and advocate for the rights of of women, immigrants, people of color, workers and LGBTQ+ Floridians.

“I'll be honest, until most recently, it's been hard for me to find hope and joy in these times," Marco Antonio Quiroga, executive director of the Contigo Fund said. "The truth is, hopelessness is the fire of being a marginalized person in this country. But when we feel hopelessness, it is even more urgent that we gather together."

'Pass the Plate' potluck connects transfer, international students

4 Sources - 581 Words

UCF students held their plates eagerly as they waited to serve themselves the assortment of dishes displayed on picnic tables at the "Pass the Plate" potluck on Tuesday.

The potluck was hosted by the International Student Association with their first-time partner Transfer Knights.

ISA's mission is to unite all the diverse cultures around campus and support international students as they get accustomed to American life. Transfer Knights is a social group that provides resources, events and workshops for students who transfer to UCF from other colleges.

First-time dance instructor, UCF student teaches Bollywood dance workout to raise money for children's hospital

2 Sources - 578 Words

Senior psychology major Shumaila Asad moved her hips and shoulders to the beat of the Bollywood music, teaching her first dance workout class at UCF’s Career Services and Experiential Learning on Wednesday.

At the Shake it with Shum event, students were able to experience a Bollywood-inspired dance workout that combined choreography and cardio-based exercises. Asad said that learning the steps was not the important part of the class but rather that everyone had fun.

Students connect with businesses, explore job prospects at The Invitational

4 Sources - 911 Words

The Invitational, organized by the Office of Professional Development at the College of Business, is an event for internships, externships and job opportunities for students. The event gathered businesses seeking to take on business students who are willing to apply themselves for their career path.

“I have never been to an Invitational before," Wegman said. "This is the first time I have attended in person, and it has blown my expectations away. It just makes getting a job or an interview so much less intimidating: It’s a lot more personable this way.”

RSO speed networking guides business majors on the right path

2 Sources - 338 Words

Within the tight space of the Business Administration I building, on Wednesday, various business majors crowded the halls to discuss their career plans and professional futures with several organizations.

The Registered Student Organization Speed Networking event, created by the Student Engagement Committee, is a chance for students to interact with in-school organizations related to their field of study.

Featured Articles

Explore a featured selection of my writing work below.

UCF researchers create $1.25 million project to address special education shortages

2 Sources - 450 Words

UCF researchers said they aim to alleviate Florida’s shortages of both special education teachers and school psychologists with a new $1.25 million project.

Project CENTRAL is the continuation of previous work by Co-Principal Investigators Mary Little, Dena Slanda and Oliver Edwards. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, the project will assist local educators by giving them enhanced education and preparation.

“The primary focus of this particular U

Some UCF groups struggle to get student government funding

2 Sources - 695 Words

Carolina Orria, a UCF senior and president of the club, said the class was possible because Fernando volunteered to teach. The student organization has gotten zero funding from UCF Student Government since she has been involved with the club. And that’s the problem, she says.

“We don’t take a membership fee; it’s all based on donations,” Orria said. “Or if we get aid or fundraisers.”

There are student organizations on campus that receive little to no funding from Student Government, even it budgets $350,000 a year to support them. For some clubs, the issue is not being familiar with the application process, which they say is complicated.

Breaking tradition: Marketing student channels medical background in career path

4 Sources - 1370 Words

Mauney said students like his wife got to experience the traditional college trajectory of going straight from high school to college and finding a career after graduation. Mauney said he didn't follow that path but instead made his own route. As a nontraditional student, this isn’t Mauney's first time attending college, but it is his first bachelor's degree.

Mauney tried to stay in the medical field by following in his mother's footsteps and taking up nursing. After almost two years, he said he found that path wasn’t for him either. It did, however, spark his interest in medical devices, which led him to pursue a career in the business side of the medical field, looking to help people in a different way that best worked for him.

'I'm at war with GPA': Alumnus succeeds despite poor grades

4 Sources - 1778 Words

While his classmates were taking a test in international business, Carson Hunt was on a plane to Mexico.

During his sophomore year at UCF, Hunt had started taking monthly trips to Mexico to further his company’s outreach to manufacturers.

As his business began to blossom, however, his grades began to drop dramatically. But Hunt’s competitive nature didn’t let him lose focus on what was important to him: the fruition of Merch, which at the time was named Upparel.

Electronics and economics: FinTech shows growth through graduate program

4 Sources - 939 Words

After only two years of operating, UCF’s business program FinTech will launch its graduate program next fall.

Venugopal said the computer science portion of the program will have courses on basic programming, full-stack programming, algorithms, artificial intelligence and blockchain. The finance portion of the program, Venugopal said, will contain courses on basic finance, corporate finance and banking, introducing FinTech, data analysis for FinTech and FinTech entrepreneurship. Pirinsky said plans for in-person and online classes for the graduate program are underway.

The Afterdark dance team leads homecoming week's annual event Knights Got Talent Monday. Sophomore graphic design major Janelle Robinson dances with a smile as she takes center stage at the outdoor event in Memory Mall.

Multimedia

Afterdark dance team kicks off at Knights Got Talent

The Afterdark dance team leads homecoming week's annual event Knights Got Talent Monday. Sophomore graphic design major Janelle Robinson dances with a smile as she takes center stage at the outdoor event in Memory Mall.

Publication: NSM Today

Date of Publication: Oct 28, 2022

Jeremy Rodriguez (left), a member of Future Leaders of Orlando, listens to speakers at Orlando Women’s March on Sunday. Rodriguez said this year's march will focus on the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the 15-week abortion ban that has recently been passed on Florida. Several community driven organizations gathered at Orlando City Hall to march for reproductive rights.

‘We will fight’: Orlando activists, organizations march for Women’s Rights

Jeremy Rodriguez (left), a member of Future Leaders of Orlando, listens to speakers at Orlando Women’s March on Sunday. Rodriguez said this year's march will focus on the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the 15-week abortion ban that has recently been passed on Florida. Several community driven organizations gathered at Orlando City Hall to march for reproductive rights.

Publication: Centric Magazine

Date of Publication: Oct 9, 2022

UCF students start dancing as Default Friends performs on stage at Addition Arena Side Stage on Tuesday. “Art is how we decorate space, music is how we decorate time,” said Oliver Sulla, who is the drummer for Accident Attorneys.

UCF bands join together for their first spooky concert

UCF students start dancing as Default Friends performs on stage at Addition Arena Side Stage on Tuesday. “Art is how we decorate space, music is how we decorate time,” said Oliver Sulla, who is the drummer for Accident Attorneys.

Publication: Centric Magazine

Date of Publication: Oct 29, 2022

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