#GradyGrit: Meet Mikaela Cohen

Why did you choose Grady?

I chose Grady when I was freshman in college because I had a dream of becoming a news anchor on Good Morning America. Grady taught me that journalism is a much wider field than I had initially imagined. Even though I don’t want to be a news anchor anymore, Grady has taught me that pursuing a career in journalism has endless possibilities and the opportunities are out there if I follow them.

What skills/knowledge will you take away from Grady?

In my time at Grady, I have learned how to be adaptive and intuitive. Industries will continue changing and growing, but Grady has taught me to be open to any changes that any industry will throw at me.

What or who has had the biggest impact on your life during your time at UGA?

Keith Herndon, a journalism professor in Grady. He has been my greatest Grady mentor and supporter. He cares genuinely for all of his students and wants to see them succeed. He spends a lot of time cultivating and creating opportunities for his students, and I cannot thank him enough for all the opportunities he has helped me with.

What is your best advice for a student taking their first class at Grady College?

Find your Grady professor, the professor that inspires you and helps you succeed. There is definitely at least one Grady professor out there for everyone, you can even find two or more that you really connect with.

Knowing what you know now, what would you tell yourself before you began taking Grady classes?

Stop comparing yourself to others! Always focus on what you love to do, and everything will fall into place.

What are you planning to do after graduating with a Grady degree?

I hope to intern somewhere this summer exploring new skills in digital or audio storytelling. I also hope to continue as a Grady student in graduate school.

How do you think Grady students are unique compared to other majors on campus?

Grady students are go-getters. Every Grady student that I have met is ambitious and hard-working, and I think that’s what makes us stick out. You will never meet someone that isn’t willing to work for what they want.

What is the hardest part about being a Grady student?

It can be hard at times being around so many successful students in Grady and comparing myself to them. I’ve come to learn that there’s a beauty there; the reason everyone around me is successful is because I’m successful too. I’ve also had to learn that everyone’s path to success looks different.

What is your favorite app?

My favorite app is Goodreads. I’m a big book nerd so I love tracking how many books I’ve read and how fast I can read them. I can also see what books my friends are reading which is great when I need book recommendations.

Favorite place on campus?

You can probably catch me at the Main Library more often than not. I work there, I study there and sometimes I feel like I live there. It’s almost become a home for me on-campus because I always see so many familiar faces there.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I’m extremely type-A. I’m so organized to the point where my closest is color coded and all my T-shirts are neatly folded in my drawers where I can see it.

Morning person or night owl?

I am a morning person all the way. I’d much rather go to sleep earlier and wake up to see the sunrise.

What is your favorite coffee shop?

There’s something about 1000 Faces coffee that hits just right, but Walker’s and Buvez are some great spots. I try to support local coffee shops as much as possible, but Starbucks also has pretty good coffee.