As another fall semester begins at the University of Central Florida, Watermark Out News’ Orlando office welcomes a few new faces 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 fall intern Paige Bright.
Speech contests at her elementary school and poetry awards helped spark Paige Bright’s early interest in writing.
Years later, that interest has grown into a passion for journalism and storytelling, leading her to become one of Watermark Out News’ new interns this semester.
Bright is a senior at the University of Central Florida studying journalism with a concentration in fine arts. Her interest in art and literature has helped shape one of her main career goals: writing about the arts and entertainment.
“I want to write about arts and culture,” Bright says. “I took these classes as a way to have a deeper understanding of what I want to write about.”
For the 20-year-old, learning about the arts extends beyond the classroom. In her free time, she reads books, visits museums and explores the stories behind the art and artists she enjoys.
Her reading interests range from classic literature to international science fiction. Among some of her favorite books are Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and Haruki Murakami’s “Kafka on the Shore.”
“I think you read it and you understand it, you can never watch anything that has a villain in it without connecting it back to one of these,” Bright shares.
While fiction and journalism may seem like two different worlds, Bright sees a connection between her interest in literature and her desire to tell stories about people and their communities.
That interest led her to a previous internship with Orlando Weekly, where she had the opportunity to interview local independent artists and report on the cultural side of Central Florida. Through that experience, she found herself drawn to stories about people who may not always receive widespread attention.
“I like getting to read the stories about the underdogs, read stories about people in the community who are doing something, whether it’s to help someone, or to help a group of people or to just like bring the community together,” Bright says. “I think that’s why I chose journalism.”
Her interest in the arts and the people behind them continues to influence the type of journalist she hopes to become.
When asked about her dream job, Bright said she would love to interview musicians and eventually work for a publication such as Rolling Stone.
For her, writing about an artist goes beyond covering an album, a performance or the public image audiences see onstage.
Bright is interested in learning about the person behind the performance and the experiences that have shaped their story.
“I don’t think a lot of people think about all the different ways that you can talk to an artist or a musician,” Bright shares. “There’s the character that they play when they are on stage or when they are performing, but there is also a person who has other hopes and dreams and stories.”
The interest in the stories behind public figures and performances is also part of what she hopes to bring to her work at Watermark Out News.
As a publication focused on the LGBTQ+ community, Watermark provides a space for stories and voices that Bright believes are especially important to cover. For her, journalism can help readers better understand experiences outside their own while also giving members of the community a place where they can see themselves and their stories represented.
Bright said telling these stories can help show the general public that being part of the LGBTQ+ community is not “uncommon” while also creating a space where people feel their voices can be heard.
“I think that especially in a time like now, when there are people doing everything they can to try and silence you, having a place to speak is the most important thing,” Bright says.
From elementary school speech contests to poetry awards, Bright’s interest in writing has continued to follow her through different stages of her life. Her path has since expanded from the books she reads and museums she visits to the people and communities whose stories she hopes to tell.
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