(Photo courtesy Juno Le)
The start of 2026 is also the start of a new semester at the University of Central Florida, which means a few new faces around Watermark Out News’ Orlando office thanks to our participation in UCF’s Journalism Intern Pursuit program.
We thought it would be a good idea to introduce our readers to these eager journalism students by having them write a profile on each other. Below we get to know 2026 spring intern Juno Le.
Juno Le, UCF senior, said his love for writing comes from the copious amount of books he’s read.
“My reading goal I set for the year was 120 books. I got it in at 123 by the end of the year,” Le says.
Le is an avid fan of science fiction and dystopia, including series titles like “Silo” and “Southern Reach.” Oddly enough, this love of sci-fi translated very seamlessly to journalism. He compares writing a story to the scientific method or a puzzle, weaving together voices into a coherent product.
“With journalistic writing, you are essentially framing someone else’s voice and what they’re saying, so it’s kind of like you’re sewing the pieces together rather than having to build the textile, build the fabric, and make all of the pieces,” Le shares. “You just have to put it together. I really like that. I love hearing from people and being able to put that into one congruent thing that fits.”
Le was the editor-in-chief at his high school’s student-run newspaper, where he competed in numerous journalism competitions. His focus on and passion for photography brewed into a love for multimedia journalism. He likes having the ability to mix videography, photography and writing together, and believes they work in tandem to create a more well-rounded story.
“I like how journalism doesn’t have to be like, one thing or the other. Like, yes, some people just do the writing, and some people just do the video or the photography,” Le says. “But I like how there have been options for me to do a mix of everything.”
Le is currently the social media manager of the UCF’s student-run newspaper, The Charge. He was previously the paper’s STEM beat reporter and is currently a co-president of UCF’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was also the art director for the 14th issue of Centric, UCF’s student-created magazine.
This is Le’s fourth internship, with bylines in publications like Orlando Weekly, The Community Paper and Oviedo Community News. He still writes for Orlando Weekly as a freelancer, where he channels his passion for music-writing, but is excited to delve into denser, newsier topics at Watermark Out News.
“I really like the heavier news aspect and the focus on uplifting queer voices,” Le explains. “I think that’s really important, especially to me as a younger queer person living in Florida, I feel like it’s like, these are the times where we need to hear the things that these people have to say 100%.”
Outside of his journalistic pursuits, Le enjoys baking and says that the NYT Cooking Gochujang Caramel Cookies are a staple in his house. He also enjoys crafty, hands-on activities like felting, crocheting and embroidering. He also has a deep appreciation for film, with a love for hosting movie nights and a minor in cinema studies.
Le also currently works part-time at Barnes and Noble, where he shares his love of sci-fi and queer media with customers. He recorded himself bawling his eyes out rereading the last 30 pages of “The Poppy War” trilogy by RF Kuang, one of his favorites, and says it’s a great method to recommend the series to customers.
“I have it saved in my favorites folder so that I can show customers when I’m trying to sell it to them, like, you should read this book,” he says. “And they’re like, ‘why would I want to experience that’, and I’m like, ‘you’ll understand.’”
With this packed schedule, Le says that he wouldn’t be able to get by without a daily cup of the notoriously strong Cafe Du Monde, a staple for his very traditional Vietnamese grandparents who run on the same fuel.
“Our household coffee was always Cafe Du Monde. That’s the only coffee I buy to this day. I will not buy any other coffee,” he says. “Like, if I even think about it, the ancestors will strike me with lightning.”
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