Grady Ambassadors

Grady Ambassadors

The Grady Ambassadors are a dynamic team of student leaders who serve as official hosts and ambassadors for the Grady College.

overview

overview

The goal of the Grady Ambassadors is to present a positive and lasting image of Grady College and its students to all constituents. Ambassadors have a strong presence at college events, lead tours and interact with alumni and potential donors, special guests and speakers, and prospective Grady College students and their parents.
The Grady Ambassador organization consists of 20 to 30 undergraduate and graduate students who report directly to Karen Andrews, the college’s director of Special Events and Student Leadership, who also serves as the adviser for the group.

Membership in the Grady Ambassador program is open to all full-time undergraduate students enrolled in Grady College, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.  If you have additional questions, contact Karen by email, karena@uga.edu.

Keisha Chestnut moderates the 40 under 40 panel.
Group of Grady Ambassadors after 40 under 40 panel

  • Visit our Ambassador Alumni webpage to meet some of the former Ambassadors.

2024-25 Ambassadors

  • Headshot of Lily Alarcon

    Lily Alarcon

    Major: Public Relations, Minor: Communication Studies, Certificate: New Media Studies

    Headshot of Lily Alarcon

    Lily Alarcon

    Major: Public Relations, Minor: Communication Studies, Certificate: New Media Studies

    The students in Grady are incredibly supportive and are always willing to give advice about internships and classes. Being in an environment with such motivated people constantly inspires me to get more involved.

  • Hannah Ahuja

    Advertising, Fashion Merchandising minor

    Hannah Ahuja

    Advertising, Fashion Merchandising minor

    My favorite Grady College experience has been all the events we put on. The college makes an effort to put on events that are more personal to the students and our everyday activities.

  • Headshot of Jaiden Arada

    Jaiden Arada

    Entertainment and Media Studies, English Minor, New Media Certificate

    Headshot of Jaiden Arada

    Jaiden Arada

    Entertainment and Media Studies, English Minor, New Media Certificate

    My favorite Grady College class to date was Entertainment Media Industries (EMST 3150) with Dr. Bernabo. The knowledge I learned in that class helped become so literate in entertainment industry language and provided me with skills that I utilize inside and outside of the classroom.

  • Eniola Badejo

    Entertainment and Media Studies & Management Information Systems

    Eniola Badejo

    Entertainment and Media Studies & Management Information Systems

    My favorite Grady College experience was presenting my faculty-mentored undergrad Grady research at the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities Symposium. It meant so much to me to finally show off what Dr. Read and I had been working on for so long!

  • Headshot of Leah Banko

    Leah Banko

    Entertainment and Media Studies

    Headshot of Leah Banko

    Leah Banko

    Entertainment and Media Studies

    I absolutely adore Women in Media. I think it is so cool to see women from across all majors and interests come together to share a passion for media. I’ve met so many women who have not only supported me in my creative endeavors but who have also created a space where everyone feels welcomed and empowered. They are the best!

  • Sydney Brass headshot

    Sydney Brass

    Public Relations; Spanish Minor

    Sydney Brass headshot

    Sydney Brass

    Public Relations; Spanish Minor

    “The versatility of Grady allows students to gain skills and apply skills in any industry they intend to pursue a career in. Because of our robust alum network, Grady students are equipped with industry connections; whether that industry is beauty, entertainment, sports or anything else.”

  • Madison Brown

    Journalism with a Certificate in Personal and Organizational Leadership

    Madison Brown

    Journalism with a Certificate in Personal and Organizational Leadership

    “Grady is special because Grady is a family. Everyone here, students, faculty, and staff are here to help and uplift one another. It is an environment where everyone can prosper.”

  • Headshot of Madden Callahan

    Madden Callahan

    Major: Public Relations; Minors: Fashion Merchandising and Communications

    Headshot of Madden Callahan

    Madden Callahan

    Major: Public Relations; Minors: Fashion Merchandising and Communications

    My favorite Grady class was Podcasting with Kim Landrum. Learning how to produce a podcast from start to finish was such a unique experience that I have been able to share and leverage in job interviews. Kim did an amazing job creating a classroom environment where we all were invested in each others projects and wanted to push each other to be the best we could be. I wish I could take this class every semester!!

  • Headshot of Keisha Chestnut

    Keisha Chestnut

    Journalism Major, Communications Minor

    Headshot of Keisha Chestnut

    Keisha Chestnut

    Journalism Major, Communications Minor

    Grady College is exceptional because of the people who bring passion and dedication everyday. From students to faculty, the Grady community is full of individuals who inspire and support one another and that is what makes the college special.

  • Headshot of Samantha de la Vega

    Samantha de la Vega

    Major in Public Relations, Minors in Fashion Merchandising and Communication Studies

    Headshot of Samantha de la Vega

    Samantha de la Vega

    Major in Public Relations, Minors in Fashion Merchandising and Communication Studies

    My favorite Grady College class is ADPR 5920: Public Relations Communication with Professor Tom Cullen. This was where I learned the foundations of PR and Tom never fails to make the class laugh.

  • Headshot of Kylie Earnhardt

    Kylie Earnhardt

    Advertising, Emerging Media Double Dawgs

    Headshot of Kylie Earnhardt

    Kylie Earnhardt

    Advertising, Emerging Media Double Dawgs

    Women in Media was the first club I joined as a freshman, and I immediately felt welcomed by everyone there and their mission deeply resonated with me. It was one of the first spaces in college where I felt safe enough to challenge myself by starting conversations and asking questions to new people, and those conversations have been wildy formative for me both professionally and personally.

  • Mia Fishman

    Journalism Major

    Mia Fishman

    Journalism Major

    “Grady College is a place full of “shirt-off-their-own-back” kind of people. Everyone that’s a part of this school is willing to stick an arm out for you in order to build you into your best self!”

Additional Information

Explore the UGA Promotion and Tenure documents for UGA and Grady College.

Events

Intern Hours

Join us for Intern Hours, a peer networking event for Grady College students. Each session features a group of current Grady students who had or have internships in Summer/Fall 2024 or Spring 2025. Get tips on how they found their internships, how to prep for internship applications, what they did in the role and more. See details on this month’s featured interns on Instagram @UGAGradyCareers.

Washington DC Alumni Event

Join Grady alumni and friends at the Henri in Washington DC for a networking reception to welcome current students visiting the city. To RSVP, please click here.

Small Talk 101

Through our hit Professional Fridays series, the NMI has gathered years of feedback from industry partners about what traits help graduates land jobs. One common request is the development of soft skills. They need employees who can work on a team, solve problems, and demonstrate rockstar interpersonal skills. Just like with new technology, the NMI believes it takes practice to master a skill. Small Talk 101 will bring our current students together with industry experts, alumni and University friends to expand professional connections and practice networking skills. We will highlight tips and tricks to better relate in professional settings.Small Talk 101 is made possible by the support of Brooke MacLean (ABJ, 2011), CEO at Marketwake. Help our students build critical interpersonal skills. Join us on February 21 – and share with your colleagues! RSVP here: https://bit.ly/smalltalk2025

Grady College Prospective Student Day

Prospective Student Day is an opportunity for high school and transfer students and their guardians to learn more about Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Current UGA students who are interested in applying for Grady College majors are also welcome. In addition to a guided tour, students will hear about admissions, eligibility requirements and programs of study. This event covers our undergraduate programs only. If you are interested in graduate program information, email anne.hurne@uga.edu. Register here to join us at Grady College Prospective Student Day!

Gray Media Visit

Gray Media is visiting Grady College for internship and full-time hiring. They will host 1:1 meetings for students throughout the day. Check the Grady Job Leads listserv emails and weekly newsletter for more information soon.

Women in Media – A Seat at the Table 2025

UGA Women in Media hosts its Seat at the Table event. More information coming soon.