New Media Institute

New Media Institute

The New Media Institute equips students with the skills to create digital solutions for tomorrow’s media landscape.

Five smiling young adults stand together in front of a step-and-repeat banner with New Media Institute and Emerging Media logos. Two are wearing red shirts, one white shirt, and two are in casual outfits.

overview

The New Media Institute (NMI) is an interdisciplinary academic unit dedicated to exploring the critical, commercial, and creative dimensions of emerging technologies. The NMI is committed to the teaching and training of new and emerging media professionals and to providing students with technical skills and knowledge. Curriculum focuses on critical investigations into the constantly changing technology and media landscape and the development of skills to design and build interactive digital products. As a key partner of the Innovation District, the New Media Institute connects our students with industry and university needs to provide interactive digital solutions to real-world problems and organizational objectives.

NMI offers the interdisciplinary NMI Certificate program for undergraduates, as well as residential and online Emerging Media master’s degrees for graduate students.

NEW MEDIA CERTIFICATE

The New Media Institute is home to the New Media Certificate, UGA’s largest interdisciplinary certificate. Classes in user experience design, web development, digital storytelling and emerging technologies, among others, are offered for certificate students.

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Perspectives

“By starting out with advertising as a major and venturing into the New Media Institute with classes like web development, I reignited my passion for computer science and now actively pursue it in my day-to-day through my organization, UGAHacks.”

John Atkinson

Perspectives

“After I graduate with my undergraduate degree in December 2022, I will be pursuing a masters degree in Emerging Media as a Double Dawg at UGA. I’m really excited to learn more about how technology and design can make some cool, innovative projects for brands.”

Heaven Robinson

Perspectives

“I love how it stands to represent all of the different ideas on campus and being able to say I have a small part in bringing together all of these students, faculty, alumni and community members in Athens.”

Esther Kim

TEDxUGA curator

Faculty

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    Chris Gerlach

    NMI Lecturer

    Chris joined the NMI in 2013 as a Graduate Assistant, equipped with a strong foundation in integrated marketing communications and a curiosity for emerging technology. During his undergraduate years, he […]

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    Tyler Mazurek

    New Media Certificate Faculty Advisor + Instructor

    Tyler was first acquainted with the NMI as an Entertainment and Media Studies student. To explore his growing interest in all things NMI, he became a member of the inaugural […]

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    Kyla Sterling

    Emerging Media and Double Dawgs Faculty Advisor + Lecturer

    As Faculty Advisor for Emerging Media and Double Dawgs, Kyla oversees students’ journeys from recruitment to graduation—and beyond! She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the […]

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    Megan Ward

    New Media Institute Director

    Originally from Jupiter, Florida, Megan Ward fled the Gator state to be a double-dawg, earning both her Bachelors and Masters in Public Relations from Grady College. An NMI alumna herself, […]

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    John Weatherford

    NMI Experiential Learning Faculty Advisor + Principal Lecturer

    As Principal Lecturer and Experiential Learning Faculty Advisor, John leads a variety of instructional efforts at the NMI. With a Masters and Bachelors degree in English from UGA, he combines […]

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    Barbara Bond

    Lead Business Manager

    Prior to Grady College, Barbara Bond spent the last ten years in the health care industry – nine years as a lead certified pharmacy technician and one year as a […]

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    Olivia Carino

    Part-time Instructor

    Olivia Carino (AB ’18, MA ’21) graduated in December 2018 with a degree in Communication Studies and a Minor in Sociology. In July 2019, she discovered her passion for web […]

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    Leah Spalding

    Part-Time Instructor

    Leah Spalding (ABJ ’15, MA ’17) is a part-time, remote instructor at the University of Georgia, as well as an assistant professor of UX Design at Western Kentucky University. Leah […]

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    Dayne Young

    Program Coordinator

    Dayne is the program coordinator and an instructor for the Carmical Sports Media Institute. He also serves as the producer of TEDxUGA for the New Media Institute. Dayne is a […]

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    Claire Jordan 

    NMI Instructor

    Claire is an NMI Instructor and proud NMI alumna, with a Bachelors degree in Public Relations and a Masters in Emerging Media from UGA. Her practical insights, drawn from her […]

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    Jake Troyer

    NMI Remote Faculty

    As a remote NMI Instructor, Jake teaches a variety of courses each year for the New Media Certificate and Emerging Media Masters. Through a project-based curriculum, Jake’s courses guide students […]

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    Lauren Baggett

    NMI Communications and Development Director + Instructor

    Lauren is an Instructor and the NMI’s Director of Communications and Donor Engagement. Lauren earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. She […]

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The Latest

Read the newest headlines, get updates and discover events happening at Grady.

Read more about Grady InternViews: Heaven Robinson

Grady InternViews: Heaven Robinson

This is part of a series where we ask Grady College students to describe their summer internship experience.   Heaven Robinson is an Emerging Media Masters student working with Breaktime Media […]

Read more about #ProfilesofTenacity: Rachel Ziner

#ProfilesofTenacity: Rachel Ziner

Rachel Ziner was taught the value of setting goals and achieving them from a young age. To her, tenacity comes after those goals are achieved. Ziner is a Double Dawg, […]

Read more about Emerging Media students create Historic Athens app

Emerging Media students create Historic Athens app

Using 21st Century technology to provide users with a sense of history from the 1800s and 1900s is the goal of a new Historic Athens app, created by a team […]

Read more about Innovative NMI student project teaches transferable skills, boosts employability

Innovative NMI student project teaches transferable skills, boosts employability

Identify a gap or problem, and find a solution. That’s one of the mantras of the New Media Institute (NMI), housed on the fourth floor of Grady College. And that […]

Read more about New podcast studio offers production space to students around campus
Four men in business attire sit around a wood table in a podcast recording studio with microphones, soundproofing foam on the walls, and soft lighting. They are smiling and facing the camera.

New podcast studio offers production space to students around campus

Podcasting is one of the fastest-growing ways of communicating and thanks to a partnership with the New Media Institute at Grady College and the Entrepreneurship Program at Terry College, there […]

Read more about NMI students build brand to support local Georgia seafood
Two people film a plate of food on a table covered with a red tablecloth inside a restaurant, while a few people dine in the background near large windows.

NMI students build brand to support local Georgia seafood

Eating your way through local seafood cuisine along the Georgia coast may sound like a dream come true, but for a group of Grady College students, it was another day […]

Read more about Stepping Stones UGA app traces history-making paths of UGA desegregation
White columns of a neoclassical building in sunlight; inset shows a magazine cover with the title STEPPING STONES and an image of a stone entry gate with a red-accented background.

Stepping Stones UGA app traces history-making paths of UGA desegregation

Following the steps that Charlayne Hunter-Gault (ABJ ’63) and Hamilton Holmes took leading to the UGA Admissions Building…the terrifying night of riots at Myers Hall…and the refuge of the Killian […]

Read more about NMI students thrive in Innovation District
Four people have a discussion in an office with the word METROPOLIS on the glass wall. One person gestures while others listen, with whiteboards and brick walls visible inside the room.

NMI students thrive in Innovation District

Nicholas Kreitz pours a cup of coffee, exchanges a few words with his boss as they pass one another by the kitchenette and slings his backpack over his shoulder as […]

Read more about #ProfilesOfTenacity: Rohit Rammohan
A man stands with arms crossed beside a quote on a red background that reads: Tenacity means striving despite the circumstances to be the best version of yourself. It is one of the most important characteristics you can have as a person.

#ProfilesOfTenacity: Rohit Rammohan

What does the word “tenacity” mean to you? I’ve actually been thinking about this a lot recently. In my mind, it means striving despite the circumstances to be the best […]

Read more about #ProfilesOfTenacity: Cesar Moncada
A young man smiles outdoors next to a red box with white text about helping others through advertising and branding. The name Cesar Moncada appears in bold. Background text repeats Profiles of Tenacity.

#ProfilesOfTenacity: Cesar Moncada

What are you passionate about? I am very passionate about helping others and using my skills as a form of service. The reason I chose to go into advertising and […]

Read more about New Media Institute publishes native apps from capstone class
Two women stand on a stage giving a presentation beside a large screen showing smartphone interfaces. Audience members are watching. Banners for the New Media Institute are visible on each side of the stage.

New Media Institute publishes native apps from capstone class

A new bar has been set by the New Media Institute capstone teams with the acceptance and publication of four new native apps in the Apple App Store. The mobile […]

Events

Woman talks with a student during a networking event.

Pitch Perfect: Networking for Film Festivals

Building on a successful 2025 pilot, the 2026 Pitch Perfect program will offer focused, industry‑aligned preparation that reflects the current realities of Georgia’s entertainment landscape. The event equips students with the skills, confidence, and strategic awareness needed to navigate professional conversations, articulate their interests clearly, and leverage Backlight as a career‑building opportunity—not just a showcase

 Students should attend if they’d like to get networking practice, to get more experience speaking about their creative projects or to prepare for the upcoming Backlight Student Film Festival on March 27.

Students can register to attend here on Handshake: https://uga.joinhandshake.com/events/1917606/share_preview

Read more about Pitch Perfect: Networking for Film Festivals

GSPA Spring Workshop and Awards

The Georgia Scholastic Press Association and its middle and high school members from across the state will celebrate the best in scholastic journalism at the Spring Workshop and Awards. The event will be held at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Check-in begins at 8 a.m. A workshop will lead the event, 9-11:45 a.m., followed by a banquet-style awards luncheon at noon, catered by the Georgia Center. Professional dress is suggested. The 2026 program will be a available closer to the event. Visit https://www.ugagspa.org/workshop-awards for more.

Read more about GSPA Spring Workshop and Awards

Prospective Student Day

Register here to join us at Grady College Prospective Student Day!

Read more about Prospective Student Day
Male student sits in a chair and talks with other students. A sign in front of the student reads Featured Intern.

Intern Hours

Join us for Intern Hours, a peer networking event for Grady College students. Each session will feature a group of current Grady students who had or have internships in Summer or Fall 2025 or Spring 2026. Get tips on how they found their internships, how to prep for your own internship applications, what they did in the role and more. See details on this month’s featured interns on Instagram @UGAGradyCareers.

Read more about Intern Hours
Graphic listing "2026 Dawg Day of Giving."

2026 Dawg Day of Giving

Things are heating up for the fifth annual Dawg Day of Giving! Join us at the Instructional Plaza on Thursday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as we celebrate the impact of philanthropy. Stop by to enjoy snacks and prizes, and take your shot at guessing how many gifts we’ll receive by placing your mark on our live gift thermometer.

Read more about 2026 Dawg Day of Giving

2026 Grady Salutes

We look forward to recognizing our Alumni Award honorees and Grady Fellowship inductees at Grady Salutes on March 27, 2026. The 2026 Grady Salutes event includes a catered luncheon on the Schnitzer Family Media Lawn. Our 2026 Alumni Award honorees include:

  • Sarah Karges (ABJ ’15)
  •  Eric NeSmith (ABJ ’02)
  • Tracy Brown (ABJ ’88)
  • Wilson Lowrey (MA ’90, PhD ’00)
We also honored our 2026 Grady Fellowship Inductees:
  • Tracy Brown (ABJ ’88)
  • Maureen Clayton (ABJ ’80, MA ’84)
  • Alan Griggs (ABJ ’72)
The cost is $50 per person, and reservations should be made by March 18. Reservations can be made here.

Read more about 2026 Grady Salutes
A person in a blue suit stands on stage in front of large red and white TEDxUGA letters, delivering a talk. The stage is dimly lit with an audience member in silhouette in the foreground.

Tedxuga

TEDxUGA brings together a carefully selected group of UGA faculty, staff, alumni and students each year to share ideas worth spreading. This university-wide program is coordinated through NMI.

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