Profiles of Tenacity: De’Ondre Harris

De’Ondre Harris is a fourth-year journalism major in the public relations Double Dawgs program. He is a Grady College ambassador, studio intern for The Bert Show and a student bus driver for UGA Transit. He encourages all students, especially transfer students, to take advantage of resources and opportunities presented throughout their college experience.

Why did you choose your major?

I first knew I wanted to major in journalism at a young age when I watched Channel 2 Action News with then Monica Kauffman-Pearson and later on the late great Jovita Moore. Those two primetime news anchors were prominent people in Atlanta and I knew I wanted that same effect that they had as a journalist. As time went on I began to study and research more about the journalism world and I became more aware of the different entities that journalism had to offer. I originally started my college career at Georgia Southern University as a Multimedia Journalism student and that was when I became well immersed in the world of journalism as a student reporter with the George-Anne Media Group covering different stories around campus and within the Statesboro community. After experiencing being a journalist in the field I knew right then that this is something that I would like to do as a career. It also helped that I  loved to talk and communicate with others and keep informed on what’s going on in our society.  I then decided to make the tough decision and transfer because I knew about all the great things Grady had to offer that would benefit me in my potential career in the news. After being in Grady for just a short period of time it really solidified why I wanted to transfer because I have been awarded so many great opportunities because of it.  

What does tenacity mean to you?

Tenacity to me means to defy the odds while being resilient and persevering through adversity. Tenacity is not always pretty but it is necessary because it teaches you things you may not have known about yourself. When you are equipped with tenacity you have more grit and leverage to dominate those challenges you may face. Also on the contrary, when you are tenacious it reflects in your work ethic and sets you apart from everyone else. 

What is one piece of advice that you would give to other Grady students?

One piece of advice I would give to other students is to take in the Grady experience fully. What I mean by that is to take on every opportunity that may scare you or you think that you aren’t ready for it. You want to be completely open because you don’t want to limit yourself or even confine yourself to a box. I always tell people to take advantage of the different opportunities that Grady has to offer. I strongly believe that our alumni relations are always willing to give back to those coming up through Grady now. The outpour of the alumni and the staff within Grady is just unmatched. The staff here at Grady has our best interest at stake. People like Helen Mahany, Jennifer Smith, and Melissa Garber are all people who made my transferring process to Grady so smooth and kept in contact well after I got acclimated. 

What motivates you?

Being a positive impact and role model is what motivates me the most in keeping my drive. I pride myself on representation and I want to be a strong role model for those who look like and can resonate with me. When I was growing up, there were very few male, let alone African- American male journalists, while I was growing up so I wanted to be that person for those under me to look up to. I also pride myself on being a positive person especially when living in a world full of hate. One of my sayings that I choose to live by is that “It costs you nothing to be a kind human being” so I try to translate that into everything that I do. 

What has been your biggest accomplishment in the past year?

My biggest accomplishment was becoming a Grady ambassador. When I got the news that I had been chosen to be one of the many people who gets to represent the Grady college I was overjoyed with excitement. That excitement stemmed from Grady affording me with such resources and opportunities I wanted to pour back into it and let others know about the great work that we do at Grady College. 

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

Helen Mahany and Melissa Garber hands down have had the biggest impact on my life here at UGA. Helen Mahany started as my advisor during my orientation and from the first moment we met we instantly clicked. As the school year progressed she was always there for me with the many questions I had for her and just with life in general. Helen is someone who by far made the whole transition process for me so seamless. Also, Melissa Garber, the director of undergraduate admissions, really filled that void for me when Helen was aware of the new job at a different institution. She really welcomed me with open arms being more of my confidant and easing my nerves on different roadblocks that I encountered. They were both always open for me to just drop by their office just to talk about random things that I came up with and about life in general. I would not have navigated through Grady without Helen or Melissa being by my side. 

Where’s your favorite place on campus and why?

My favorite place on campus is by far the Grady building. That is where I spend the majority of my time whether I’m in class, giving tours, or simply just studying on the Grady lawn. I love all of the updating that is going on to make it look fresh and inviting. The second floor is my favorite because that’s where there is the most foot traffic so I see some of my classmates, faculty, and other familiar faces, and that’s where all of the free food is most of the time. We at Grady love free food!!

What advice would you give to your freshman self?

Be patient and trust the process. I had to learn that everything that is meant to be will always work out and it usually happens when you least expect it to. I came in with a whole agenda of what my college career would look like and that just wasn’t realistic for me. I had to accept that there were going to be highs and lows, those low moments shaped me into the person I am now and I am better because of those low moments. When trusting the process really taught me to fully immerse myself in the present instead of constantly worrying about the future, tomorrow is not promised. Also, I would tell my freshman self that it is okay to not be okay and that you don’t have to have everything figured out at that moment. 

Editor: Madden Callahan, emc50486@uga.edu