Written By: Yoly Viera
Norelie Cabrera, a senior biology major, has served as circulation manager for the Southern Accent since 2022. While most students experience campus through classrooms and dorms, her job has offered her a different kind of map—one built building by building, route by route.
“It gave me an opportunity to view all of the buildings on campus,” she said. “I feel like a normal student probably wouldn’t have the opportunity to do that.”
What began as a spontaneous opportunity quickly became something more meaningful. Cabrera described getting the job as “very random,” but said she was grateful it happened when it did.
“I actually enjoyed the fact that I did get a job when I first came here to Southern,” Cabrera said.
Since then, she has remained in the role, quietly ensuring each issue reaches its audience.
On distribution days, her routine is simple, yet essential.
“I’ll just make sure I have the large storage bin to collect the old newspapers,” she explained. From the Accent office, she drives across campus in a golf cart provided by the Bietz Center for Student Life’s Student Development office, stopping at academic buildings, common spaces and community areas.
“I would just drive around [to] all of the buildings and put up the new newspapers and then take the old ones,” she said.
While the task may appear simple at first glance, Cabrera has established a dedicated routine for her deliveries. Each week, she collects approximately 400 to 500 copies of the latest newspaper and makes her way around campus to refill the distribution areas.
Along her journey, Cabrera takes the time to gather any old newspapers she encounters in various locations, returning them to the Accent office. This entire process typically consumes about two and a half hours of her day.
However, it is in these small, unscripted moments that she finds genuine joy, turning a routine task into a delightful experience.
“I saw [students] grabbing their newspaper, and it was just really nice to see people still actually reading paper newspapers,” she said, recalling her stops at the Village Market and the Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists.Watching students and faculty pick up a copy reminds her that her work matters, which made the decision to stay in the position for nearly four years an easy choice. When asked why she continued, Cabrera explained the connection it gave her not only to the campus, but also to the community.
Now in her final year, the experience feels “very bittersweet.” Thinking about leaving the role makes her emotional, as it has remained a steady part of her college journey.
As she prepares to graduate, Cabrera reminisced about the experiences this position has provided for her and wishes the same for future candidates.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity,” Cabrera said. “I just hope that the next person can enjoy it, as well.”
