Profiles of Tenacity: Elizabeth Rice

Elizabeth Rice is a senior Journalism major from Cumming, GA, set to graduate in December 2024. She serves as an Investigative Reporter for The Red & Black and a Producer for Grady Newsource, showcasing her passion for storytelling and multimedia journalism. Elizabeth is also the founder and president of the Transfer Student Club at UGA, an ambassador for the UGA Foundation, and an active member of organizations like ONA and SPJ, reflecting her leadership and dedication to innovation in journalism.

Why did you choose your major?

I have always been the curious type. I was never cut out for a stale, stagnant profession where the work I produce is simply measured by profits and paper pushing. For as long as I can remember I’ve always been obsessed with other people and their stories. 

What does tenacity mean to you?

To me, tenacity is vision and courage — a vision for the end goal and the courage to achieve it. Tenacity requires long, consistent efforts and the grit to do whatever it takes to get you to wherever you need to be. Tenacity is making decisions we don’t like to make, taking risks that scare us, constantly growing, and thinking about new and creative ways to execute tasks and push through so we can get to that end goal –– the vision. Tenacity is about having a laser focus on what you want and doing whatever it takes to get there.

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

You will never get to where you want to be if you don’t put yourself in opportunities that will force you to learn, grow and struggle. You’re young and in college! This is the time to do things that scare you, figure out what you’re good at and what you’re not, and learn while you do it. A good place to start in my experience has been writing for The Red & Black and volunteering and producing content for Grady Newsource.

What motivates you?

A deeply rooted desire to never stop growing. Each day is truly a gift and I am motivated by the idea of blossoming into the best version of myself.

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

The organizations that have inspired and pushed me to the journalist I am today during my career at UGA are The Red & Black and Grady Newsource and the wonderful professors I have had at Grady including Dodie Cantrell, Amanda Bright, Ralitsa Vasileva, Audrey Haynes, Joseph Watson, Moni Basu, Keith Herndon, Jon Peters, Kyser Lough, and Mark Johnson. In addition to my professors, my peers have had just as great of an impact on me inspiring me to follow in their footsteps and showing me what is possible.

What has been your biggest accomplishment in the past year?

Working on myself. Taking time and putting in work to become a better worker and journalist. I really struggled with things like time management and coordinating tasks which has been very discouraging but I decided I wanted to change my habits and do better. 

Where’s your favorite place on campus and why?

I love North Campus, it’s so beautiful there everything from the buildings to the nature to the library. I love working there and just going on walks. Whenever I’m there I just feel so lucky to be going to such a great school like UGA.

What advice would you give to your freshman self?

Get ready because you’re going to constantly be changing and taking on new challenges. Looking back four years ago, the biggest thing that sticks out to me is that all of the things I’m doing now, I used to think I couldn’t do for various different reasons. I wasn’t going to be good at it, or I wasn’t smart enough or fast enough. To my freshman self –– you’ll be surprised by what you can do if you just find the courage to do it.

Editor: Madden Callahan, emc50486@uga.edu