Harper Lee Schuknecht is a 19-year-old Junior at Florida State University. Harper is pursuing a double major in Political Science and International Affairs, with a minor in German.

In the summer of 2026, Harper had the opportunity to intern at The Herald-Advocate in Hardee County, Florida. Though she is not pursuing a journalism or communications degree, Harper is aware that these fields are the ground that public service is built upon. The right to know, for news to be spread in a palatable way, is something that communicators protect. As an aspiring public servant, knowing how to effectively communicate with the public is important to Harper, and this is why she took the opportunity to work with The Herald-Advocate.

Writing a handful of pieces each week, Harper had a unique look into rural Florida. Coming from Highlands County herself, she has always been in touch with rural life, but actually writing on it was a different matter. This opportunity improved her writing skills, yes, but more importantly, it let her connect to a group of people she may have otherwise never even met.

Harper is still occasionally asked to write feature pieces for The Herald-Advocate.

Starting in August 2026, Harper started working as a News and Research Communications Intern at Florida State University's University Communications Department. Harper works in producing pieces to share progress and events at FSU with faculty, students and the public. This job has helped her to more deeply connect with her University community, along with Tallahassee as a whole.

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The Herald-Advocate: June 18, 2026