In grade school, mystery books were the only kind of books I could tolerate. While my peers were reading The Fault in Our Stars, I either had my nose in a Nancy Drew novel or was in the middle of a chapter in Encyclopedia Brown. There was something about the characters' ability to investigate a situation that I was envious of. So naturally, as I grew up, I gravitated to the idea of working in a student news environment.
Fresh out of high school, during Summer B 2019, I googled if UNF had a student news organization. That's how I found Spinnaker, a warm nook in the Student Union with a welcoming staff. I started volunteering immediately. Since then, I've navigated almost half of the positions in the news department and learned tremendously from each.
I'm a photography major, so for me, combining photography and writing has been a successful recipe for informing others through effective journalism. Although there are challenges here and there that most journalists face, my curious mind keeps bringing me back to journalism, a truly alluring craft.
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• February 8, 2023
University of North Florida alumni Brennan Wojtyla brings industrial artifacts into a fine art setting in his solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). Wojtlya has been working as MOCA’s...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• January 19, 2023
Award-winning movies like Parasite (2019) and Moonlight (2016) are at any University of North Florida (UNF) student’s disposal using Kanopy, a free educational streaming service. Kanopy also has a selection...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• November 16, 2022
The second floor of the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA) features Shervone Neckles’ Bless This House, a hospitable collection of pieces that explore welcoming themes of family, home, and...
The University of North Florida faculty union — United Faculty of Florida (UFF) — and Board of Trustees (BOT) tentatively agreed upon a contract last that, if ratified and approved, will give faculty...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• September 20, 2022
Another hero has exploded from the pages of Marvel Comics, joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Created by Stan Lee, She-Hulk, aka Jennifer Walters (played by Tatiana Maslany) is The Incredible...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• September 15, 2022
¡Hoy es un día especial! It’s time to honor the contributions of Hispanic culture, history, and people. UNF will be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with tons of events, including a “Nuestra Noche,”...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• September 9, 2022
Given you might want to buy things like underwear brand new, you never know what gem you may find at the local thrift shop. Second-hand apparel has thankfully become increasingly popular among Gen-Z over...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• September 8, 2022
Imagine sitting under the shade of a pear tree, sipping on sweet homemade organic tea as the light breeze tickles your nose with the smell of freshly picked citrus. Well, that peaceful daydream can come...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• August 4, 2022
Covering the walls of the third floor in the Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is a collection of Kara Walker’s pensive artwork. Walker dives into racism, colonialism, gender violence and...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• July 29, 2022
Every now and then, students get a sweet tooth that the typical on-campus Starbucks pastry can’t satisfy. And when you’ve got a craving for baked goods, they might as well be fresh too. Here are some...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• July 28, 2022
Does “we’ve been trying to contact you regarding your car's extended warranty” sound familiar to you? Spam calls have been a nuisance to people for a long time, begging the question: How do they...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• July 27, 2022
It's not always easy to get a good night's sleep, especially for students living on-campus. While a new living situation or noisy roommates may make it difficult to get a full eight hours, some studies...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• July 19, 2022
The University of North Florida (UNF) issued a Safe Ospreys notification Monday morning, around 8:30 a.m, alerting Ospreys that the Lot 14 boardwalk was closed for the day because a fallen tree had blocked...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• July 11, 2022
The Jacksonville Beach pier has re-opened to visitors after a lengthy three-year hiatus due to hurricane repairs.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on July 6 to mark the occasion as the Jacksonville...
Check out Spinnaker photographer Justin Nedrow and Darvin Nelson's top photos of June!
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For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns,...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• June 30, 2022
Dr. Moez Limayem was approved by the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) Thursday and has officially become the University of North Florida’s seventh president.
Ending a long national search for the...
Waist-high orange barricades drew a line down the middle of the Duval County Courthouse lawn as hundreds of protesters rallied in downtown Jacksonville Friday evening. With signs raised in the air,...
Demonstrators march south of the Duval County Courthouse as they chant various abortion rights messages across downtown Jacksonville on Friday, June 24, 2022.
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• June 15, 2022
Officially established in 1822, this year marks a milestone for Jacksonville (JAX), signifying 200 years of change with a lot of history to explore.
Jacksonville, once named Cowford in its early days,...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• June 7, 2022
Imagine you’re watching the season finale of Stranger Things, and just as the climax unfolds, it's abruptly interrupted by a Coca-cola commercial. Well, that may not be far from the future, as advertisements...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• June 6, 2022
The monkeypox virus has become a rising topic in media, just as the COVID-19 pandemic is starting to loosen its grip on society. The feeling is familiar to the early months of 2020 before COVID-19 surged...
Darvin Nelson, General Assignment Reporter
• May 24, 2022
The East Coast can expect an active hurricane season because of ongoing La Niña and “above-average” Atlantic temperatures, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) during...
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