Melissa J. Smith

What drew Melissa Smith to diving, apart from an ingrained love and appreciation of her home state of Florida’s waters, was her overwhelming sense of curiosity. This is the same sense that drew her to journalism, and she is excited to have the opportunity to merge those two worlds as the 2016 Bonnier Dive Group Publishing Intern.
Melissa will be graduating from the University of Florida in May 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in sustainability studies. She loves all things outdoors; from hiking and camping to fishing and paddling. She is especially interested in environmental issues such as invasive species removal and monitoring reef systems off Florida’s coastlines. Melissa is currently the copy desk chief at The Independent Florida Alligator, which is the largest student-run newspaper in the country. She has also worked at Sea Watch, a magazine published by the Coastal Conservation Association Florida; and for WUFT News, the PBS affiliate in Gainesville, Florida.
Melissa is excited to join the Bonnier team in Winter Park this summer and help continue to give a voice to the research and work that is done by the Rolex Scholars and the other interns of the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society®.