Cox Institute Griffiths Innovator earns Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing

Maura Potvin, a 2025-26 Griffiths Innovator with the Cox Institute, recently earned a Certificate in Editing through the Poynter Institute, a training program offered in partnership with the American Copy Editors Society (ACES).

Potvin, a second-year student from Kennesaw, Georgia, is a journalism major with a theatre minor. She is also pursuing Grady College’s Certificate in News Literacy. Completing the Poynter certificate allowed Potvin to fulfill the requirements of the Cox Institute’s challenge grant program that will provide a scholarship to reimburse the cost of the training.

The seven-part course ranges from basics on clarity and verification to deep dives on errors and fact-checking with the latest techniques, according to the Poynter Institute’s website. The program marks itself as the premier editing certificate in the journalism industry, providing the skills to perfect grammar, word use and style.

Potvin said she has already noticed a difference in her editing since taking the course, noting improved accuracy and identification of errors in her reporting assignments.

“When I was doing [editing] before, it was a lot of, ‘This feels wrong in my gut, and I know it’s wrong,’ but now I feel like I have more of the language and knowledge to back that up and say, ‘This is what feels wrong,’” said Potvin.

Although she anticipates her career plan evolving throughout college, Potvin said she sees herself pursuing an editing role in journalism after graduation.

Author: Alexis Derickson, alexis.derickson@uga.edu