Cox Institute Graduate Assistant Earns Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing

Mikaela Cohen, a graduate assistant for the Cox Institute, recently earned the Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing.

Cohen completed the online training program through the Poynter Institute’s News University in partnership with the American Copy Editors Society.

Cohen completed the training as part of an independent study course with Dr. Keith Herndon, director of the Cox Institute. Completing the certificate fulfilled the requirements of the Cox Institute’s challenge grant program, which will provide Cohen a scholarship to reimburse the cost of the training.

“After working as the assistant editor for The Red & Black newspaper last summer, I wanted to hone and cultivate my copy editing skills further. This certificate helped me do just that,” said Cohen, a first-year graduate student earning a master’s degree in Journalism at the University of Georgia. “Certain modules taught me the importance of writing concisely and editing without changing a writer’s voice. It was also a refresher on various grammar rules and SEO best practices.”

Cohen is a business reporter for The Red & Black this semester. She will intern with the strategic content team at CNBC this summer.

“Featuring an industry training program within an academic course provides another path for experiential learning and professional development,” Herndon said. “Mikaela used this opportunity as part of our challenge grant to work on essential skills that are important in developing her career goals.”