The Department of Journalism and Media Management will host the 65th Annual Student Showcase from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday April 28 to honor outstanding contributions in student media. Students from UMTV, The Miami Hurricane, Distraction Magazine and the Ibis Yearbook will be recognized for their achievements throughout the year.
Student media outlets have received recognition this year from organizations including the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the College Media Association, Society of Professional Journalists and more.
The event also will honor SoC alumna Lissette Gonzalez as Communicator of the Year. Gonzalez has served as morning and noon meteorologist for WFOR-TV, CBS 4 in Miami, since 2006. Her weathercasts inform South Floridians on weekday mornings from 5 to 9 a.m. and noon.
Gonzalez graduated UM with a double major in broadcast journalism and vocal performance. She went on to obtain an additional degree as a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist from Mississippi State University with honors. She also earned the National Weather Association (NWA) Television Weathercaster Seal of Approval and is a member of the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society.
Gonzalez was named Best Meteorologist by the Miami New Times “Best of Miami 2013.” Her weathercast has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists with a Florida Award of Excellence. And she was also selected as one of Brickell Magazine’s “Top 20 Professionals under 40″ and she was featured in Ocean Drive Magazine’s “Beach Patrol: The people who make Miami.”
Born and raised in Miami, Gonzalez is a former Miss Miami and Miss Florida. In 1998, she was named second runner up to Miss America, and won more than $50,000 dollars in scholarship money, which helped her complete her studies and graduate from the University of Miami.
