Mike Velez, Neighbor

Mike’s lot in journalism came as a product of heart rather than thought.  After moving from New York to Florida in 2009, Mike, a senior at the University of South Florida, joined his school paper as a means to make friends and connections in a new world – but what he found was a career.   The happy accident brought him to cover topics such as politics, the economy, education, health and research.  Always the consummate writer, Mike honed his passion toward news writing and hasn’t looked back since.