A Tale of Two Passions: A Student’s Adventure in Journalism and Political Science

By Aurora Martínez, Journalism senior

An enthusiastic journalist since middle school and a self-described political junkie, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications student Brett Posner-Ferdman wanted to be the change he wants to see in the world. Media literacy and holding a global perspective kept him on the right track.

Posner-Ferdman, a Journalism senior, is originally from Toronto and doesn’t let a day go by without checking three different news sources: one focused on American news, like CNN, The New York Times or The Washington Post; one with a more global perspective, like BBC; and the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest daily newspaper.

“It gives me a holistic picture,” he said. “If you’re only listening to what’s happening in your own country, then you’re deaf to the rest of the world.”

The 21-year-old moved to Miami in 2011 and is now a senior double majoring in journalism and political science. Since his freshman year, he has gained hands-on experience doing investigative digging and developing data analysis skills with the Brechner Center for the Advancement of the First Amendment.

Cognizant that from a very young age journalism and politics have been the cornerstone of his identity, Posner-Ferdman’s experience with research and data literacy as well as the mentorship of former Brechner Center Director Frank LoMonte led him to intern at the CNN Washington, D.C., bureau this past summer. He joined The Row team, which he describes as the backbone of CNN, a team that works on securing editorial quality — from fact-checking and copy editing to assigning and keeping track of stories developing at bureaus across the world.

“There’s a very rapid sort of element of getting things done in The Row,” Posner-Ferdman said. “You have to work fast; you have to work accurately.”

He said the job wasn’t easy, but it was rewarding. He rubbed shoulders and worked with high-profile professionals, including award-winning reporter Marshall Cohen and justice and crime reporter Katelyn Polantz. Whether providing feedback on stories, responding to correspondence within a minute or fact-checking Mike Pence’s and Chris Christie’s town halls as they were happening, Posner-Ferdman said there was never a dull moment.

“One minute, you could be working on a piece about the war in Ukraine. The next minute, it could be a Trump piece. And then the third piece could be a story about a seahorse hotel in Australia,” Posner-Ferdman said.

Outside of work, living in a new city was challenging, he said, because he lacked a social circle, but he still used his free time to make his own fun. He would explore places in the city and surrounding areas without any pressures, taking advantage of the capital’s public transport, distinct neighborhoods and array of free museums.

While still in D.C., Posner-Ferdman had a coffee chat with a friend of a friend who worked at the State Department and encouraged him to look into virtual, part-time internship opportunities with the State Department. He was not planning on doing another internship in the fall, he said, but when he came across a Toronto-based one, he decided to give it a shot. He got an interview and was offered the position on the same day.

Posner-Ferdman is now about a month into a part-time, year-long internship through the State Department as a data analyst for the U.S. Consulate in Toronto. With two other interns, he’s looking at electoral districts and political trends in Ontario with the goal of creating an interactive data map that the State Department can use not only to look at historical trends but also give predictions related to what will happen in the 2025 federal election.

Posner-Ferdman’s strengths include organization and planning, but after graduation the page is blank, he said. During this past year, he has worked hard to excel academically, land prestigious internships and experience some of the best times of his life, he said, but he has also felt exhaustion and suffered the loss of three family members. He is now thinking of taking a gap year to recharge before entering the workforce, going to law school or pursuing a post-graduate degree.

“My philosophy in life is that everything always works out in the end,” he said. “It helps keep me not stressed out.”

Posted: October 25, 2023
Category: College News, Profiles, Student News, Student Profiles
Tagged as: Brett Posner-Ferdman