Multimedia Journalist

Everyone Has a Story.

Jennifer Sleem is a multimedia journalist and journalism student at the University of Central Florida pursuing the Electronic Broadcast News track. Her work spans written, audio and visual storytelling, with a focus on culture, community and human-centered stories.

My Latest Work

The Wrap: How a Central Florida funeral director comforts grieving families and herself

"The Wrap" brings you Central Florida headlines, deep reporting dives, and insightful conversations from Central Florida Public Media. This week, we hear from one local funeral director on her job of help people grieve. Plus, Orange County reports two measles cases.

"The Wrap" brings you Central Florida headlines, deep reporting dives, and insightful conversations from Central Florida Public Media. This week, we hear from one local funeral director on her job of help people grieve. Plus, Orange...

Why ‘Practical Magic’ Is Making a Major Comeback Among Gen Z

Sometimes a movie reenters cultural conversation decades after it first came out, and suddenly everyone online is talking about it again. That’s exactly what’s happening with Practical Magic. With the announcement of Practical Magic 2, fans—especially Gen Z audiences—are rediscovering the original film and bringing it back into the spotlight.For those who haven’t seen it yet, Practical Magic tells the story of two witch sisters, Sally and Gillian Owens, played by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman...

Spring Break Looks Different for Everyone: How College Students Are Actually Spending the Week

When people hear the words “spring break,” a very specific image usually comes to mind: beaches, tropical trips, parties, and Instagram stories full of sunsets and group photos. Social media often makes it seem like everyone is flying somewhere exciting for the week. But, in reality, spring break looks very different for most college students.For some students, spring break really is about travel. Whether it’s a beach trip with friends, a family vacation, or even just a short weekend getaway, th...

The Rise of Girl Horror: Why Feminine Fear Movies are Defining a New Era of Scary

For decades, horror belonged to male fear. Slashers, serial killers, blood-splattered chases through the woods — the genre was built on violence, survival, and monsters that rarely looked like us. But somewhere between Midsommar, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and Pearl, something shifted. A new wave of horror emerged — one rooted not in external danger, but in the terrifying intimacy of being a young woman.Girl horror isn’t just a trend; it’s a cultural mirror. And right now, it’s reflecting something w...

The Thanksgiving Come-Down: Why Its Hard Returning to Campus

The days after Thanksgiving break feel strange for many students—almost like emotional whiplash. One minute you’re home, falling into old roles, absorbing family expectations, and sleeping in your childhood room, and the next you’re back at UCF trying to snap into “finals mode.” As Deborah Martinez, a junior hospitality major, put it, she felt like her brain “couldn’t switch channels fast enough.” That experience is far more common than most students realize.
Returning home often activates p...

Why 'Supernatural' Just Keeps Coming Back

On Sept. 13, 2005, the CW premiered a show about two brothers driving a ’67 Chevy Impala down endless backroads, hunting monsters, and fighting demons. That show was Supernatural. Twenty years later, the Winchesters are still haunting us. Not just with ghosts and ghouls, but with memes, fan edits, and the eternal question of whether Dean really loved pie that much (hint: absolutely).Despite ending its historic 15-season run in 2020, Supernatural has refused to stay dead (which feels very on bran...

Ghosting: A Result of Hookup Culture

It always starts the same way: a swipe, a quick smile in a profile picture, maybe a half-funny line about music taste. Match. A few texts, a late-night meetup, maybe something physical, and then silence. Ghosted. On to the next.For many college students, this cycle feels like the new normal. Hookup culture was supposed to be empowering, freeing us from outdated relationship rules and letting us explore on our own terms. And for a while, it did — no one had to settle down too early or explain why...

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