The Florida Frontier was founded on August 27, 2006, by a group of University of Florida students who aim to represent the ideals and beliefs of American conservatism both to the student body of UF and residents of the Gainesville area.

We exist to provide the student body with a just representation of issues and ideas that are indispensable to a robust higher education. We strive to promote the true principles of individual liberty and personal responsibility; these motivate and compel us to educate and promote change in the current political thought. In order to achieve these goals we shall:

1. Educate and Motivate: We will be fair and honest in everything that we print. We will present stories that are topical and important for our readers from both the campus and community, and reveal the failure of the established press.
2. Express and Promote: We will provide an avenue for greater diversity of expression on campus. The Florida Frontier will offer an alternative forum to address major problems and issues on and off campus that have not received proper attention from other publications.
3. Commit to Excellence: We will work at the highest standards of journalistic accuracy and integrity. We will maintain a constant state of intellectual honesty that will be evident in each edition that we print.

Ryan Collipi

Associate Editor, Webmaster

Born in Los Angeles, California, Ryan moved to Florida back in 1997 and has lived here ever since. Although spending the first seven years of his life in California, Ryan is a staunch conservative and has supported most of the Republican political campaigns for as long as he can remember. As a student here at the University of Florida, he hopes to make a difference by participating in the College Republicans and working in political campaigns. He plans to major in Economics with minors in Computer Science and Business Administration, and is considering Grad School or Law School after graduation.

Frank Colosi

Contributor

This chap helped found the frontier back in Aug 2006 and has helped keep it moving forward since. While he enjoys long walks on the beach he does sit down and write the occasional article. Born in Trenton, NJ this Jersey boy found his conservative roots in history. Today he fights for the American family and the American Dream.

John Daly

Contributor

Born in South Florida, the heartland of liberalism, John first got into politics when he put a sign saying "Terrorists for Kerry" on the back of his truck in 2004. After coming to college and being subjected to socialist ideals day in and day out, he found the Florida Frontier and has contributed articles since May 2008. This past summer, John completed one of his top five life goals when he got to speak with Rush Limbaugh on his radio talk show. After about a minute of raving on the show, John exposed the extreme liberalism at the University of Florida to 22 million listeners and explained the importance of parents teaching their children the different between a right and privilege. A political science major, John will be attending law school next fall.

Nick Fitzpatrick

Contributor

Born in Atlanta Georgia, this chap learned his liberal bashing from his Congressional represtative, Newt Gingrich. He believes in limited government and unlimited prosperity. In a message to all those fighting for the conservative effort, he adds "Don't forget your six-shooter pilgrim."

Patrick Flanagan

Contributor

Born and raised in Kingwood, Texas, this chap is a Computer Science Engineering major with a Japanese minor, studying at UF. A self-described "classical liberal" or lower-case "L" libertarian, he believes in freedom of the individual. He's been programming since 3rd grade (albeit in QBASIC), and once started a computer service business. In recent years, he has worked on 53rd and 3rd in New York City with a shipping brokerage and in Tokyo, Japan with a proprietary trading company.

Bryan Griffin

Editor-in-Chief

Bryan Griffin was born in 1988 in Tampa, Florida to Leslie and Frank Griffin. Bryan has been writing for eight years, as he has moved from publication staff to publication staff through his school career. He began on the staff of the Wilson's Word at Woodrow Wilson Middle School, and then moved on to the Pep O Plant at Plant High School, where he served as editor. After four years here, he was offered a columnist position for the Tampa Tribune. When arriving at UF, he joined the Frontier staff. In 2007, he took over as Editor in Chief from former editor and founder Matt Dean. Bryan considers himself a staunch conservative, with emphasis on supporting the foreign policy currently in the Middle East, and conservative social values within the country. Bryan has interviewed, in his journalistic career, such notable politicians and political figures as President George Bush, Sen. John McCain, Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes, Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. Fred Thompson, Sen. Duncan Hunter, Sen. Mel Martinez, Gov. Charlie Crist, and Gov. Mike Huckabee, to name a few. Bryan is a licensed pilot, and enjoys hobbies such as looking after his pets, fencing, and SCUBA diving.

Jeff Ivey

Contributor

A native of Merritt Island, Florida, Jeff has been a life-long Florida Gator and politically conservative Republican, who especially looks to his two political heroes, Ronald Reagan and Speaker Newt Gingrich, as representations of good Republican governance. On top of writing and politics, Jeff also enjoys American History, Gator Football, College football, and fishing.

Johnathan Lott

Layout Editor

Hailing from the small town of Gulf Breeze, Florida, Johnathan has served as layout editor of the Frontier since September 2007. He believes in the core values of the Republican party and considers himself a moderate conservative with a strong belief in small government, local governance, and a free market. He has a tendency to neglect work in favor Super Smash Bros: Brawl and has been described as both “one hell of a saxophonist” and “tone deaf,” depending on whom one asks.

Matt Mitchell

Managing Editor

A native of Sarasota, FL, Matt Mitchell is a founding staff member of the Florida Frontier and has served as Managing Editor since September 2007. He is a practicing Catholic and a supporter of a wide range of causes equal in nobility and futility from Ron Paul and the Chicago Cubs to faster-than-light travel and attracting women. He is a Constitutionalist and a lifelong Republican.

Jean Morrow

Contributor

I received my A.A. degree from Central Florida Community College of Ocala Florida in December 2007 and I'm currently a junior pursuing a degree in Political Science, with a certificate in Public Administration and a minor in Education. Upon finishing my undergraduate program, I aspire to continue on to law school. For the past three years, I have been a motivated and active member of my hometown American Legion Auxiliary, Blanton-Thompson Unit 155 of Crystal River, Florida; serving as the Public Affairs Coordinator for the group and leading and coordinating numerous community projects including a 'Support Our Troops' dinner to purchase phone cards to help troops call home for the holidays. I am a member of College Republicans, Phi Theta Kappa, Pro-Life Alliance, UF's only political science honors society Pi Sigma Alpha, Circle K International and I am one of 120 college students on the All-Florida Academic Team for 2007-2008. Additionally, I work for my hometown Walgreens store as a certified photo specialist and substitute teach on occasion. This past September 11th, I planned and coordinated the Young America's Foundation's "9/11: Never Forget Project" on the Plaza of the Americas. This endeavor was sponsored by CR and together we constructed an American Flag memorial consisting of 2,977 flags representing each person tragically killed in the terrorist attacks 7 years ago. The goal of this project was to remind the UF campus to never forget about this horrific day. Lastly, I am committed to helping spread Conservative principles across our school and communities and to helping bring the "Team of Mavericks" to the White House.

Ryan Pahota

Contributor

I was born and raised in Green Cove Springs, Florida, part of the largely Conservative Northeast Florida. I am a Southern Baptist Christian, and a small-government Conservative, a mixture of John Locke classic liberalism and Edmund Burke conservatism. I am a History major, believing that (like Burke) the history and experience of our forefathers is the basis for society and should be revered and only changed incrementally. My loved ones are my heroes that are important to me and constitute everything I am and will be.

David Yakobovitch

Contributor

Raised in Coral Springs, FL, David has been a staunch Republican since his first days of high school. He has helped register over 700 students at his high school's Voter Registration Drive, and actively spoke out to liberal critics in the classroom. Growing up in Democrat Capital U.S.A (AKA Broward County) David has faced strong opposition in the liberal journalism, but has continued to express his ideas. A finance and math major, David enjoys reading reports on the state of the economy and failing at tennis matches. His aspiration to become an investment banker faces criticism with the financial crisis, but David remains an optimistic, enthusiastic individual who herds stray elephants into the pack.