New Media Institute

New Media Institute

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

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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    Emuel Aldridge

    Senior Lecturer

    About: Emuel Aldridge is a graduate of UGA and has worked in the NMI since 2006. He currently teaches three courses at the NMI: New Media Production, teaching students how […]

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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

    NMI Administrative 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 Spaulding serves as the Emerging Media faculty advisor in the New Media Institute. An alumna of the first cohort of the Emerging Media Master’s concentration, Spaulding now leads the […]

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    Dayne Young

    Program Coordinator

    Dayne is the program coordinator for both the NMI and the Carmical Sports Media Institute. With the NMI, Dayne serves as the TEDxUGA Producer, chair of the New Media Advisory […]

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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

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

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

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

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

#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

#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

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

Grady College Prospective Student Day – Virtual

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!

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Spring 2025 Grady Convocation Ceremony

Grady College’s Spring 2025 Convocation Celebration will take place on May 7, 2025. The ceremony will start at 2 p.m. More information will be released prior to the event.

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UGA Graduate Commencement Ceremony Spring 2025

The UGA Graduate Commencement Ceremony for Spring 2025 will be on May 8, 2024. Exact time and further details are forthcoming.

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UGA Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony Spring 2025

The UGA Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony for Spring 2025 will be on May 9, 2024. Exact time and further details are forthcoming.

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Spring 2025 Grady Graduation Celebration

Graduates and their parents are invited to celebrate with other graduates and faculty/staff at this drop-in celebration from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on May 9, 2025. Guests will enjoy light refreshments and photo opportunities with Dean Davis and others. Tickets are not required for the celebration at Grady.

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Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB) Radio Talent Institute

Take a huge step toward starting your career in On Air, Podcasting, Streaming, Audio Production, News/Talk, Sports, Social Media, Sales, Marketing, Promotions and more at the Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB) Radio Talent Institute. This week-long opportunity runs May 12 – May 17, 2025. The cost is $395 and scholarships are available. The program creates opportunities for new and emerging careers in media.  It is truly an incubator of well-rounded, well-educated college students, or recent graduates with a passion for media and a determination to get into the business. The institute brings in industry professionals from around the country as Guest Speakers who bring their real-world knowledge to this intensive 6-day summer program. Upon completion of the institute, students will further their networking opportunities with access the National Radio Talent System’s Career Center. This is where those in the industry are able to discover and hire NRTS graduates, who very likely, will be tomorrow’s industry leaders. Learn more and apply.

Read more about Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB) Radio Talent Institute

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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