Hats Off to Our Spring 2025 Graduates

Caps and gowns are bittersweet.

With commencement approaching in less than two weeks, soon-to-be graduated Gators are preparing to make their debuts as alumni. The Heavener Arch, Bull Gator and Century Tower rarely see a day without someone in a square-shaped, tasseled hat posing for senior photos, hoping to capture the student experience in a frame. 

At the University of Florida, bachelor’s degree candidates wear uniform attire to the ceremony. Tassels are the only exception: The caps are adorned with distinctly colored strings to represent the college they’re graduating from. 

In a sea of rainbow tassels, many of our members will be found in the College of Journalism and Communications’ signature black and white. As they move their tassel from the right to the left, they will have a reason to be proud – not only of their incredible academic achievements but of the home they have built here. 

“Something I always think about is that Alpha is as much of a student organization as it is a business, and I love when people find genuine friends and mentorship,” said strategic director and upcoming graduate Cecilia Edelberg. “All of those relationships are so important.”

Edelberg met some of her closest friends when she joined Alpha PR’s in-house team after attending an involvement fair during her freshman year, back when it was still known as Alpha PRoductions. Before becoming managing director in 2023, she served as director of culture and assistant managing director the years prior. 

“I was hesitant to be the assistant managing director because I was just a sophomore,” she said. “But I was sure becoming managing director was the right thing to do.”

Between poor retention rates and a dwindling clientele, Alpha PRoductions needed a lot of attention; but she and her peers saw its potential. 

Now-seniors Maria Caballero and Chloe Oakes stepped up as vice president of accounts and vice president of public relations, respectively. Oakes said that their recruitment cycle proved to be a huge success.

“We decided to be very strategic about our recruitment,” Oakes said. “The most rewarding part about it was how many applications we got. We got so much more than we could have ever hoped for.”

Alongside other organizational leaders, Edelberg, Caballero and Oakes improved member satisfaction, implemented general board meetings and doubled the account roster – creating Alpha PR as we know and love it today. 

“I really do hope to see Alpha remain what it is,” said Caballero, current managing director. “I feel like we’ve built a culture where we’re both professional in an external sense, but internally, we feel comfortable to joke around, to talk to people that we normally may not talk to and check on one another.”

Alpha PR’s identity really began to take shape as more new faces arrived that fall. Eden Wright had known of Alpha PR since her freshman year, but it wasn’t until she took a trip to Florence in her third year that she was drawn to apply. As fate would have it, Caballero was her roommate abroad. 

Wright quickly immersed herself in client work, collaborating on four accounts since 2023: UF’s Office of Career and Corporate Partnerships, Alpha PR’s in-house team, Five Star Fans and UF's Public Relations Department. With a proactive mindset and powerful work ethic, she always took initiative.

“Be the person who’s willing to do something,” Wright said. “Be the person who says yes.”

Kate Augustine became copy supervisor of the in-house team in September, starting her senior year off on the right foot. She said she saw Alpha PR’s blog as a way to strengthen its brand, promote thought leadership and explore different styles of writing. Augustine hopes that the blog continues to be an important part of the organization long after she graduates in May.

“Being in Alpha has been one of the most rewarding parts of my college career,” she said. 

Clare Meyers was introduced to Alpha PR during her sophomore year. Now a current senior and account supervisor for Honey Nitro, she joined to make the most of her education in the CJC. In the last year, she and her team have developed a comprehensive social media strategy for the coffee company, which was one of the first clients whose scope of work primarily involved digital content creation. 

“Honey Nitro didn’t have any social media except for Instagram,” Meyers said. “When we first started, they had under 300 followers, and they just hit 1,000 last week. Watching it grow has been amazing.” 

Paula Lamus, who had just transitioned to the public relations major, also joined Alpha PR as a junior. She was eager to get involved and meet people with shared goals.

“Alpha PR gave me a safety net. That support and sense of community made me feel welcome at the J-school,” Lamus said. Her most recent work includes conducting focus groups and research for the UF Public Relations Department. 

These Spring 2025 graduates have everything they need to succeed, and we’re not talking about the required regalia. They are full of talent, enthusiasm, diligence and strength of character – traits that will serve whatever path their futures hold.

Congratulations to our graduating seniors: Jessica Adan, Kate Augustine, Alexa Binder, Maria Caballero, Ceci Edelberg, Sara Klein, Paula Lamus, Clare Meyers, Chloe Oakes, Lauren Otero, Valentina Sandoval, Krisha Sanghavi and Eden Wright.