NATCHEZ — Leah Schwarting has joined The Natchez Democrat as a reporter.

A 2015 graduate of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Fla., Schwarting previously served as the editor at FSC’s student publication, The Southern, and completed an internship at Talk Radio News Service in Washington, D.C.

She was a member of Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Association’s honor society, was named to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges’ 2015 edition, was FSC’s Journalist of the Year for 2013 and 2015 and recipient of the Florida Capitol Press Corps’ Barbara Frye Scholarship in 2013 and 2014.

At FSC, Schwarting was president of Sandwich Ministries, which prepared sandwiches and care packages for the homeless community in Lakeland.

Schwarting is the daughter of Marian and Ronald Schwarting of Riverview, Fla.