Name: Patricia Matamoros Cedeño
Age: 23
Year: senior
Major: telecommunication
Minor: Latin American studies
Her Campus: What sparked your interest in the field of telecommunication?
Patricia Matamoros Cedeño: “Honestly, I am still figuring it out as I go. Every day is a different experience, and I am always learning something new about telecommunications. I guess you can say what I love the most about it is the fact that I have the chance to help out someone in need or the ability to change someone’s day with my passion. That, to me, has no greater reward, and that is why I love it so much. It has taught me to be a passionate and responsible individual.”
HC: As Noticias co-anchor, what have you enjoyed most about your work?
PMC: “What I enjoyed the most about this opportunity was having the chance to provide news that really mattered to the Latino community. My team and I made sure we had current local, state, national, international and sports news for our weekly radio show. Noticias WUFT is the only Spanish-speaking radio segment in all of North Central Florida, so I loved being able to reach the large Latino community and make them feel at home.”
HC: How did you come across your internship opportunity with WCJB TV20?
PMC: “Actually, my internship with TV20 came to be thanks to my anxiety about graduating and the big questions that come with it: What are you going to do after you graduate? What’s the next step? Are you going to grad school? The questions never end, and I was feeling like I had not done enough to get experience within my intended field. Luckily, a friend brought the opportunity to my attention, and I quickly emailed the news director of TV20. He provided me with all the information regarding the internship program, I applied, and everything worked out.”
HC: What did you learn from Noticias that has helped you throughout your internship?
PMC: “Even though they are different media channels because one is radio and the other is television, Noticias helped me a lot with my internship. My confidence level is much higher than it was before, and I am more comfortable, for example, with making phone calls to get information for a story and just operating within the newsroom environment. Noticias provided me with a better vocabulary to use when interviewing people or when talking to my supervisors.”
HC: Many believe telecommunication is a dying field. Why do you believe they are wrong?
PMC: “It is crazy for people to think that way because we constantly provide the entire world with information. It is possible that certain sectors of broadcast journalism could be changing, but I do not believe that it is a dying field at all. Turn off the television news sources for just one day, and we would see the drastic change for all.”
HC: As graduation approaches, how do you plan to stand out in such a competitive field?
PMC: “I think that UF has provided me with so many different, incredible opportunities that make me stand out. I am currently helping coordinate a journalism conference for Hispanics that will take place in Cancun, Mexico, and I am also the internal relations committee chair for the Hispanic Communicators Association. Noticias WUFT provided me with a yearlong experience in radio, and now I am a producer for “News In 90,” which has helped me gain more experience with editing and with news updates. These on-campus experiences, together with my internship with TV20, have helped me so much by giving me a greater understanding of the responsibility that a successful reporter has. I know I definitely could not have picked a better place to study my passion. UF was and will always be one of the best decisions I have ever made.”
HC: Will you incorporate your interest in Latin American studies into your future career?
PMC: “Of course. I have always loved politics, and I am very passionate about the issues, especially since I come from Nicaragua, a country that has gone through so many different political problems. That is my No. 1 reason for pursuing Latin American studies in my career. I want to understand the different aspects of everything that encompasses Latin America because in the future I see myself being the next Maria Elena Salinas, who is an incredible Latina, journalist and my idol. She has interviewed countless influential public figures, and I can only dream of one day following in her footsteps.”
Photo courtesy of Patricia Matamoros Cedeño