Meghan Bowman
ReporterNothing about my life has been typical. Before I fell in love with radio journalism, I enjoyed a long career in the arts in musical theatre.
In 2019, I moved to Tampa from Austin, TX. While in the Lone Star State, I met my husband and had two beautiful boys. While continuing to work in the arts world, I also volunteered with members of the LGBTQ community in recovery. That outreach allowed me to meet groups of people from all walks of life and led me on a path to give a voice to the voiceless.
Now I am a senior at the University of South Florida studying Broadcast News. This is my fourth semester at WUSF and I have learned and grown so much. I’m excited to finish the last semester strong and continue to put everything I've learned at WUSF into practice.
Having worked in the Tampa radio community for over a year, joining National Public Radio has been a dream come true.
While I miss "keepin’ it weird" in Austin, the rich history and diversity in the Tampa Bay area and the great people who live here are why this is now my favorite place to call home.
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Boyd Hill Nature Preserve is an important habitat for gopher tortoises in southern Pinellas County. Recent deaths and a lack of protections for the species raise concern with the Center for Biological Diversity. -
Bike boxes are the green-painted, L-shaped sections of roadways at signal-controlled intersections. Officials say there have been up to 50% reductions in crashes between cars and bikes where the boxes are used. -
Mark Luther, director of the USF Center for Maritime and Port Studies, said the Sunshine Skyway collapse in 1980 led to innovations for bridge protection that were not present at the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. -
The collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge spurred recollections of the 1980 Sunshine Skyway disaster. Over 40 years later, search and rescue officials say the two incidents are "eerily similar." -
The University of South Florida is one of many schools forced to phase out diversity, equity, and inclusion offices thanks to a new state law. But USF officials say the school will remain diverse. -
There were more poll workers than voters early Tuesday at some precincts in Pasco and Hillsborough counties. This Florida Presidential Preference Primary Election was different than years past — for many voters, only one candidate was on the ballot. -
LGBTQ+ advocates say the law was too vague — leading to fear, confusion, and anxiety in students, parents, and teachers. The settlement defines what the law can and cannot regulate in schools. -
Tampa will dye about a half-mile stretch of the river near Curtis Hixon Park a bright shade of green on Saturday. A growing petition lists concerns that, while festive, the dye used is harmful to the environment. -
New College of Florida president Richard Corcoran, who spoke against public funding for DEI programs, and Ameshia Cross, of the Education Trust, kept the discussion cordial despite the polarizing topic. -
More than two dozen USF students gathered outside the Tampa campus library. They plan to hold a hunger strike unless school leaders meet their demands.
