Spring 2026 graduates recognized during Grady Convocation

A man gives an YO hand sign for his fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi as he crosses a stage. He is holding a box in his hand and there is a lectern in the background reading Grady College of Journalism.

Timothy Goldsmith, Jr., flashes a YO hand sign for his fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi as he crosses the stage at Grady College Convocation, which took place at The Classic Center Grand Hall on May 8, 2026. Goldsmith, who earned a Master's degree, was one of nearly 550 Grady College graduates this spring. (Photo/Sofia Yaker)

Spring 2026 graduates recognized during Grady Convocation

May 08, 2026

Grady College graduates were celebrated by family, friends and faculty during Convocation ceremonies in The Classic Center Grand Hall on May 6, 2026.

Nearly 550 graduate and undergraduate students were eligible for the ceremony including four Ph.D. graduates, almost 90 master’s students, more than 140 advertising majors, nearly 110 PR graduates, 115 journalism majors and 86 graduating with degrees in Entertainment and Media Studies.

“Graduates, we admire your creative spirit, fierce determination and loyalty of one another,” said Charles N. Davis, dean of Grady College, during his opening remarks. “On behalf of a faculty and staff who love our students, it is so gratifying to celebrate your successes!”

A woman standing at a podium holds a camera and takes a picture. She stands behind a lectern with a sign reading Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. — Caroline Newbern, the senior speaker at Grady Convocation, makes a photo of the audience after delivering her remarks which focused on the cornerstones of photojournalism. “Always lead with love,” she said at the end of her remarks. “Now, it’s time to capture our own stories.” (Photo/Sofia Yaker)

Caroline Newbern, a double major in journalism and English, was selected as the student speaker during a competitive audition process. During her time as a student, Newbern served a variety of roles at The Red & Black, including managing editor and culture editor. The Atlanta resident also served as a student photojournalist for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, an editorial intern for UGA Marketing and Communications and a student worker for the National Press Photographers Association.

During her comments, Newbern talked about how she pivoted her expected career path when she came to UGA and how journalism has become her life.

Caroline concluded her remarks by reflecting on the four photojournalism cornerstones that Mark Johnson, the John G. Alston, Sr., Professor of Sports Media, taught her: 1. Fill your frame; 2. Control your background; 3. Wait for moments; and 4. Care.

“Often, moments are not loud, proud or obvious, nor do they come ‘when the time is right,'” Newbern explained about waiting for moments. “Have patience and trust in yourself and the world around you.”

View the slide show above and view complete photo albums from Spring 2026 Grady College Convocation can be found in the following UGAGrady Flickr albums:

Graduate students

Advertising majors

Public Relations majors

EMST majors

Journalism majors

Ceremony candids

Pre-and post-ceremony candids

Video of the Grady College Convocation can be viewed below or on the UGA Grady YouTube page. The procession starts at the 41:00 minute mark and Newbern’s talk begins at the 59:00 mark.

Author: Sarah E. Freeman, freemans@uga.edu

Three adults pose for a photo in a brightly lit lobby. A man in a suit and red tie stands in the center with his arms around two women, all three smiling broadly. The woman on the left wears a black dress with a colorful sash, and the woman on the right wears a black blazer.

A female graduate with blonde hair shakes hands with a man in a suit on a stage. She wears a white dress and a red stole with teal tassels. A large banner for the University of Georgia Grady College is visible to the right.

Six young adults stand in a row posing for a group photo in a modern hall. They are dressed in semi-formal attire, including black and white dresses and a blue suit. Two of the individuals wear white academic hoods over their shoulders.

On a graduation stage, an older man in a suit leans down to warmly embrace a graduate in a wheelchair. A woman in a white patterned blazer stands in the background, smiling as she shakes hands with another person off-camera.

A candid moment where an older man in a patterned shirt adjusts the tie of a younger man in a navy blue suit. An older woman with short grey hair and glasses stands between them, watching with a warm smile.

A man and a woman, both wearing black, pose for a picture.

A high-angle shot of a check-in desk at an event. Two women are seated at the table with a laptop and paperwork, while several students, some wearing red graduation stoles, stand in line to check in.

A female graduate in a short white dress and a red University of Georgia stole smiles and waves to an audience while walking across a stage. She holds a diploma cover in her left hand. Two men in suits stand in the background behind a podium.

A man in a black suit and red tie leads a procession of graduates and faculty down the center aisle of a large event hall. The audience stands on either side, watching as they walk toward the front.

A candid, over-the-shoulder shot of a woman with long, dark curly hair hugging another person in a white jacket. They are in a large indoor venue filled with people seated in green chairs during a ceremony.

Three young adults smile for a close-up photo. The man on the left wears a white shirt and bright red tie; the two women beside him wear white tops and red academic stoles. They are all wearing glasses.

A group of eight family members and graduates pose for a multi-generational photo in a modern, bright lobby with marble floors. The group includes two graduates in white dresses and red stoles, surrounded by smiling adults in formal and semi-formal attire.

our young men in suits and dress shirts stand with their arms around each other, smiling for a photo in a large hall. One man on the far left wears a tan suit and a red University of Georgia stole.

A lively group of young women in an auditorium cheering and holding up their smartphones to take photos or videos. Their expressions are joyful, with some laughing and shouting in celebration.

A high-angle, candid shot of a graduate in a red blazer embracing another person in the middle of a large auditorium. The background is filled with a soft-focus audience seated in bleachers and chairs.