Phoebe Martel
WUSF Rush Family Radio News internI’m one of WUSF’s summer radio news interns, reporting on all things Tampa Bay for the next few months.
In May, I graduated from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where I studied Communications and English. My introduction to journalism came through The Daily Tar Heel, UNC’s independent student newspaper, where I covered arts and culture, affordable housing and university governance.
Writing was my first love, and it shaped my path into reporting.
Outside the Tar Heel, I worked for a campus literary magazine and a local lifestyle publication. While I still love writing album reviews, community journalism is where I’m focusing my energy these days.
As an “NPR baby,” I grew up listening to Baltimore affiliate WYPR on car rides home, and my inner theater kid always secretly wanted to be on air. I first got my radio feet wet during a collegiate internship at Vatican Media in Rome, where I produced web stories and broadcast segments on human rights and migration policy — while also managing to meet Pope Francis and befriending several nuns.
In every place I’ve lived, storytelling has been my way of feeling connected to something larger than myself. Now back stateside, I’m excited to channel my curiosity into stories that reflect Tampa Bay in all its fascinating complexity.
In my free time, I do very amateur boxing and dance, write equally amateur screenplays and obsessively curate Spotify playlists.
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After 30 years with the Tampa Police Department, Chief Lee Bercaw is stepping down to teach criminology at USF. During his tenure, the city saw a significant reduction in violent crime. -
With a 3-2 Clearwater City Council vote approving a street handover, the Church of Scientology's Flag Services Organization won a tentative victory in its downtown expansion efforts. -
E-bike and e-scooter injuries and fatalities have increased across Tampa Bay. AAA's "E-Ride Ready" campaign urges young riders to wear helmets and stick to safe speeds. -
Florida DMV system outages are creating massive headaches for county tax collectors. Launched in January, the network was supposed to modernize motor vehicle services. -
A poco más de dos meses de que se celebren las elecciones primarias, los defensores de los derechos de las personas con discapacidad y de la tercera edad temen que muchos electores de Florida no renueven sus solicitudes de votación a tiempo para votar desde sus hogares. -
With just over two months to go until the primary election, disability rights and senior advocates fear that many Florida voters won’t renew their ballot requests in time to vote from home. -
Homeland Security Investigations Tampa signed an agreement with BRIGHT Network, a University of South Florida St. Petersburg-based platform that connects trafficking victims to essential services. -
USF showed off construction progress on the stadium complex on the Tampa campus. The facility is set to open in time for the 2027 college football season.
