#GradyGrit: Meet Lottie Smalley
Editor’s Note: #GradyGrit is a new series of profiles of Grady College students who show determination, leadership and outreach to the community. Search “#GradyGrit” on the Grady College website for additional profiles.
Hometown: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Year: Junior
Degree: Public Relations major, Design & Media Minor
Activities and Involvement: Director of Communications for the Student Government Association, member of PRSSA, member of Ad Club, member of Women in Media, member of DiGamma Kappa Broadcast Society, member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and member of the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society, content creator on YouTube
How has Grady influenced your time at UGA?
Grady College has influenced my time at UGA in more ways than I can count. From the incredible professors to the amazing student organizations, I am so proud to be a Grady Dawg. Everyone in Grady wants to see each other succeed. It’s such a supportive community of creatives who understand the value of collaboration and don’t equate that to competition.
“[Grady is] such a supportive community of creatives who understand the value of collaboration and don’t equate that to competition. – Lottie Smalley
What is your most memorable Grady experience?
My most memorable Grady experience was definitely studying abroad with Global Grady. Last May I lived in Munich for a month and studied travel journalism with some pretty incredible people. The most unexpected but best part about my trip to Germany was the connection I made with my professor, Dodie Cantrell. Her expertise and insight was invaluable and her friendship is something I will cherish forever.
What has had the biggest impact on your life during your time at UGA?
Meeting viewers here on-campus that recognize me from YouTube has had a big impact on me. I started my YouTube channel six years ago as a creative outlet and never imagined it would grow to the following I have now. My videos started out as middle school makeup looks and must-haves, but as I grew, my channel grew alongside me. College can be overwhelming, and I’ve been told that my latest videos with topics ranging from college essentials to freshman advice can be vehicles to self confidence. It really is the most rewarding job and is so encouraging when I meet girls on campus who watch my videos and tell me I made them feel comfortable. Even at my Grady orientation, I met a viewer from Colorado who struggled to know if UGA was right for her as she was unable to visit for a tour. She told me that my videos were so helpful in her decision to transfer to UGA, and she couldn’t thank me enough for being that resource for her. Those are the people who impact me and inspire me to keep doing what I love.
What motivates you?
I’m constantly motivated by the fear of being average. I don’t want to feel like I had all this potential and didn’t use it.
Favorite smartphone app?
I have an app called “Grateful” that reminds me to log something I’m thankful for each day. I love it because it keeps me mindful and thankful for the abundance in my life.
Who is your professional hero and why?
Lucie Fink is just a few years older than me but is a huge inspiration. She turned her passion for digital media and video production into a full-time custom position at Refinery 29 in just over a year. Forbes has a great article on her if you want to learn more.
What is your proudest moment in the past year?
One of my proudest moments in the past year was completing my travel journalism video package in Germany during my study abroad trip. As a PR major, it gave me a lot of confidence to know if I can do this in Munich where most people speak German, doing this at home will be a piece of cake.
What is your favorite creative outlet?
My favorite creative outlet has always been YouTube. I feel like I can be most authentically myself in my YouTube videos whereas Instagram and other social media can tend to portray a sense of false perfection.
Favorite quote?
Quotations are one of my favorite sources of inspiration, and I typically have a new favorite every week. One that I’ll always love is, “What you think about and thank about, you bring about.”
What would people be surprised to know about you?
Something that might surprise people is that I don’t drink coffee. I’ll have an iced latte on rare occasions, but if I do, it’s a treat. I try to stick to drinking a ton of water every morning instead.
Create your own question: What’s your dream job in public relations?
I like to say that I don’t necessarily have a “dream job.” With the ever-changing social and digital media landscape we have today, for all I know my “dream job” may not even exist yet. With that being said, I have two jobs that I’m eyeing right now. First, I would love to create social media video content for a women’s outlet like Allure or Bustle. But I also would love to work as a creative director for an agency specializing in beauty and consumer lifestyle products.
Date: November 8, 2018Editor: Ashley Soriano, ashleysoriano@uga.edu