Public Affairs Communications Certificate welcomes newly admitted students

The Public Affairs Professional Certificate in Public Affairs Communications (PAC) has announced its newly admitted 2019 PAC cohort. With 25 Public Affairs Communications students and 25 Applied Politics students, both tracks in the certificate program are at full capacity and stand ready to prepare students for a variety of careers in public affairs.

The PAC program’s applications increased 50 percent over 2018 numbers, driven in large measure by the efforts of Tieger Fellows, PAC Ambassadors and current students under the guidance of PAC program director and Carolyn Caudell Tieger Professor of Public Affairs Communications, Joseph Watson, Jr. The PAC program and Tieger fellowship are the product of the vision and funding provided by Grady College alumna Carolyn Caudell Tieger.

This year’s Tieger Fellows have managed a range of activities designed to increase student involvement in and awareness of the PAC program, culminating in this growth.

The current Tieger fellows are: Maria Stagliano, social and digital media fellow; Avery Whitehead; program promotion fellow; Anna Leigh Herndon; local media relations fellow; and Madison Gable, national media relations fellow.

“I am pleased to see the continued growth in demand for our first-in-the-nation public affairs communications program,” said Watson. “This is a testament to the hard work of our fellows, ambassadors, and students. The more students learn about the unique opportunities and relationships fostered by this program, the more they want to be a part of it. We are pleased to accept such an accomplished, diverse and talented pool of students to the PAC program.”

As the first undergraduate program of its kind in the nation, the PAC program offers students a unique opportunity to develop a focused skill set in strategic communications. Through coursework and experiential learning offered by the program, students in the 2019 cohort will be trained in educating, shaping or changing public opinion on public policy, legislation, political candidates or issues.

Here is the Public Affairs Professional Certificate’s 2019 PAC Cohort:

Adia Aidoo
Alexis Brock
Abigail Chasteen
Abigail Clark
Camryn Crosby
Patrick Femia
Sarah Geary
Jessica Green
Zach Green
Karlie Hanson
Melissa Hevener
Jayla Johnson
Zoe Maher
Jessica Martin
Jordan Mikilitus
Jasmine Monroe
Bridget Nabors
Tucker Norman
Hannah Payne
Rayna Perry
Caitlin Phillips
Sethi Simran
Mary Smalley
Lauren Swenson
Grace Wilbanks