Profiles of Tenacity: Forest Dynes

Forest Dynes is a fourth year student pursuing a double major in journalism and sociology. Through his involvement as photo editor of The Red & Black, Forest aims to connect communities and tell authentic stories through photography.

Read his Q/A below.

Why did you choose your major?

I chose my majors because of some advice that a journalism professor told me during my first semester of college. He told me that the journalism major is a great way to learn how to tell stories, but adding another major like sociology is a great way to learn about what kind of stories to tell. This combination has allowed me to learn the technical skills of journalism while gaining a better perspective of the world around me.

What does tenacity mean to you?

To me, tenacity means continuing to work hard even when things get tough and being ready for the next challenge ahead. From what I’ve heard, life only gets harder from here, so I believe facing those challenges head on with confidence is key to success. I also think tenacity involves learning from your mistakes. When you slip up and make a mistake, what truly matters most is how you get back up, learn from your mistake and keep going.

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

One piece of advice I would give to other Grady students is don’t be afraid to push yourself to tell stories outside of campus. Journalism is about connecting communities and you are a part of the greater Athens community as well. There’s countless stories that have yet to be told in our community. Don’t stop talking to people and learning from them.

What motivates you?

I constantly find myself motivated by my friends and peers in the amazing things that I see them accomplish. I’m also always motivated to try to have a good day. To me, a good day is one where I’ve learned something new, explored, met new people or helped someone. I think the feeling of accomplishing something, no matter how big or small, really motivates me.

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

Professor Mark Johnson has had the biggest impact on my life during my time at UGA. It was Professor Johnson’s intro to photojournalism class my first semester of freshman year that first drew me to visual journalism, and I haven’t looked back since. Professor Johnson is also the professor who gave me the advice that convinced me to double major. He not only taught me the techniques to make a good photograph or the different ways to sequence a set of images, but more importantly he taught me that the most important thing is to care.

What has been your biggest accomplishment in the past year?

My biggest accomplishment this year has been taking on the role of photo editor at The Red & Black. I’ve had so much fun getting more involved in the newspaper and gaining a better understanding of how a newsroom functions. It’s taught me invaluable skills in leadership, teamwork, attention to detail, time management and the list goes on. It’s an experience that I’m so lucky to have had.

Where’s your favorite place on campus and why?

My favorite place on campus is probably the grass in front of LeConte Hall. If I ever need a quick nap or some downtime on campus, it’s the perfect spot. Not too many people walk by, there’s some nice trees and it’s a great location with Grady and Baldwin right across the street.

What advice would you give to your freshman self?

I would tell my freshman self to get more involved, stay busy but consistent, focus on what is important and take it all in because it goes by fast. College is a chance to explore many different things and I’d encourage myself to take more advantage of those opportunities.

Editor: Lily Alarcon, lia52467@uga.edu