Sebring native Georgia Dawkins, who’s pursuing a broadcasting degree at FAMU, is one of the hardest working students in the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication. Over the course of her FAMU career, she’s interned for ABCNews.com in New York City and headed the school’s chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, which received “Student Chapter of the Year” honors earlier this year.Shortly after her exhilarating election night 2008 at FAMU TV-20, Dawkins penned an op-ed for the News Sun with the following reflections:
I sat on the floor of the FAMU-TV 20 studio with my back to the wall waiting for our special election show to begin at 11 p.m. but at 11:01 several students ran into the control room waving a paper yelling "297!" All I could do was shake my head. My friend Margie kept trying to convince me that it was true but I had to see it for myself.
After a mini debate we ran to the elevator and quickly headed to the newsroom to check CNN. As we rushed into the room everyone was cheering but I still didn't believe. "Breaking News: Barack Obama President-Elect!"
My stomach, which had been in knots all day, quickly dropped to the floor as I wept. The pain I felt was love. All I could think was, "Is this really happening? Is this just a dream?" I just knew I'd wake up Wednesday morning to headlines that read “Nationwide Recount! Florida is contagious.”
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