Cecilia Garza has joined the news team at the Bainbridge Island Review.

Garza hails from the Lone Star State but has spent the last four years in the Midwest where she is a recent graduate from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism.

“We are very excited to have such a thoughtful and creative journalist of Cecilia’s caliber on the team,” said Review editor Brian Kelly.

While in college, Garza worked as a staff reporter at the city newspaper, the Columbia Missourian, where she reported on the Neighborhoods and Community Life beat.

She also worked on the editorial staff at a global news website called Global Journalist which covers free press issues around the world.

In her spare time she contributed long-form coverage to the city magazine, Vox Magazine.

Garza is an active member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and served as the president of her university’s chapter for two years to promote diversity in newsrooms and media coverage both on and off campus.

This past summer she traveled by car from her home state of Texas for four days to the country’s Northwestern corner after accepting an internship with YES! Magazine, located on the island. While at YES! she has covered labor rights, the strikes at Walmart and contributed in the editorial process for the magazine’s Web team.

What started as a three-month stay turned indefinite as Northwestern life grew on her. She will be contributing to the Arts & Culture sections of the Review and also taking on general assignments.

“I look forward to becoming a bigger part of the Bainbridge Island family and community,” Garza said. “Working with the Bainbridge Island Review is an exciting opportunity.”