Profiles of Tenacity

My involvement in Talking Dog has led me to the person who has had the biggest impact on my life as a student at UGA. Mary Ellen Barto is the professional managing director of the agency, and she is the best professional oversight I could ask for. Mary Ellen is incredibly knowledgeable, truly cares about her students, always helps us elevate the quality of our work, and is passionate about the industry. She has taught me so much, and I am beyond grateful!

To me, tenacity is channeling the little version of ourselves—the one who always found a way to turn lemons into lemonade. It’s getting up, even after you’ve snoozed the alarm three times. Most of all, tenacity is the courage to look for rainbows, even in the middle of a storm.

Timing is everything. Keep your head down and keep working so when the time comes you’re ready for the moment. When the moment comes, be confident. You’re capable of a lot, but you just haven’t proven it to yourself yet.

Coming to college, there’s this shift in what “family” means. Your real family is still there, of course, but when you’re out on your own, your friends become the people who fill that void. I honestly couldn’t be more grateful for the ones I’ve found here. They’ve made my time at UGA unforgettable, not just because we have a lot of fun (which we definitely do), but because they’ve pushed me to grow, supported me through the hard stuff and helped shape who I’m becoming.

One piece of advice I’d give to other Grady students is to not let fear or rejection hold you back. Imposter syndrome is real, and it’s easy to feel like you don’t belong or aren’t qualified, especially in a competitive environment like Grady. But you need to remind yourself that you are where you are for a reason.

Karen Andrews has had the greatest impact on my life during my time at UGA. As her special events intern, she took me under her wing and continually challenged me to grow—not just professionally, but personally as well. I feel incredibly lucky to have been mentored by such an inspiring woman, and I know I’ll carry her lessons with me throughout my career and beyond.

When I first came to the University of Georgia, there was no other option for me other than journalism. I knew that this major would give me everything I needed to spend my life telling stories while forging my own. During my time in undergrad, I have traveled the world in pursuit of these stories. From Paris, Prague, Minneapolis, Kentucky and the Classic City herself, my journalism major has taken me to places I never knew I wanted to be. Through this major, I have learned so much about myself, not only as a journalist and storyteller, but as a person.

To me tenacity means standing firm in your beliefs – knowing what you want and who you are and staying true to that. Tenacity is a beautiful mosaic of determination, confidence, intrinsic drive and optimism. It is understanding your goal and working diligently towards it.

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.

If I could give my freshman self advice, I would say to stop comparing yourself to everyone around you. No one has it all figured out, and it is okay to feel the hard feelings. College is a huge transition, so give yourself grace and take it one step at a time.

For me, motivation can only take me so far; it’s a jump starter for many things in my life. However, the true game changer was learning that when one battery runs out, you’ve found a fuel that will keep you going no matter what — discipline. I believe discipline will take you farther than you could ever imagine. Stay consistent, practice your soft skills (e.g., time management, communication, etc.), tune out the world for a moment and remind yourself why you’re chasing it.

The North Campus lawn that looks out onto East Broad Street was where I stopped on my campus tour during my senior year of high school, and at that moment I knew I didn’t want to go to school anywhere else.

College is the time to meet people outside of your interests, and you only have 4 years to do that. Between my involvement in competitive sports, German, theatre, new media and the industries club, I have been able to cultivate a well-rounded education and network of friends.

The second floor of Grady holds a special place in my heart. I’m there every day, almost all day. I work in the office for the experiential program team as a graduate assistant, and I take advantage of my time there by visiting professors’ offices and talking with them. I’m also often in the PAF, studying, attending events or going to ambassador meetings. It’s like my second home—a space where I’m supported and encouraged to be my best self.

Working for Georgia Football Creative as a graphic designer and photographer has had the biggest impact on my life while I have been at UGA. I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of covering countless games, practices and events with the team that have made me grow in ways I could not have even imagined.

I grew up in a family where journalism was important. My father is a Marine and was deployed twice while I was really young. I remember watching the news with my mother and sister for updates on the war in Iraq and having to constantly pester my mom with the question of “when is daddy coming home?” For my family, especially my mother, we depended on journalism for updates on when a huge piece of our family would be returning home.

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.

Most people think of tenacity as dogged determination to stay the course no matter what. For me, tenacity has been more about finding the courage to continue growing personally, academically and spiritually even when that growth requires inconvenient or painful change. I don’t like to be wrong, but I have learned there is freedom in admitting mistakes and finding a new path forward.

Tenacity to me means the strength to do what scares you, to take chances and fight for your future. Personally, I see my tenacity in being a first-generation student. I didn’t always think I would be able to go to college, however fighting for yourself, being determined and knowing that the future is just over the horizon, makes the hard work worth it.

My biggest accomplishment has been believing in myself and my abilities more. Sometimes, I can be hard on myself and become doubtful of my gifts and skills. I’ve learned to give myself grace and that really goes a long way.

Everyone in their own way is uniquely talented. We all got into this college for a reason. Remember, your peers are not your enemies. Even if one person achieves something and another achieves something else, you are also doing incredible things or will do incredible things! Support each other’s successes and learn from those you may envy.

“For me, tenacity is the ability to recognize my goals and stop at nothing to achieve them. I am always learning, adapting, changing, and trying to be the best version of myself, but progress does not come without rejection, failure, or a change of plans. My biggest accomplishments have been made possible through my perseverance at times when it felt like all was lost.”

“Tenacity, to me, means defining what kind of life you want and making it happen. Even when the path changes and the steps to get there aren’t clear, you don’t sit back and just hope it’ll work out; you take action to make it a reality.”

To me, tenacity means having the determination to keep moving forward, even when faced with challenges or discouragement from others. It’s about staying focused, resilient, and true to your goals, regardless of the obstacles. Tenacity is a blend of persistence and self-belief, and I believe it’s this quality that gives a person real strength. Without tenacity, true success is hard to achieve.

Surround yourself with successful people who want you to succeed, too. These are people who are more experienced than you and who want you to learn from their experiences.

I am most fulfilled by international stories – I love learning and experiencing different ways of life, and the various forms of storytelling that follow from that. Most importantly, I’m invested in changing the media landscape in a way that provides more visibility and competitive wages and education to those in creative industries in developing countries, which often fall victim to exploitation by Western streaming services or production companies.

Get involved! Always say yes to new opportunities. Everything is a chance to learn something new or make a friend.

Enrolling in the New Media Certificate program has been the most transformative experience of my time at UGA. It introduced me to a world where technology merges with creativity, and exposed me to career possibilities previously unknown to me. Notably, I secured an internship at Delta Airlines through connections I made during a field trip to their headquarters.

My most memorable Grady experience was actually visiting the big three talent agencies during the Grady Los Angeles program. I had heard a lot about talent agencies, and how they were a common place for people to start in the entertainment world. But they also felt oddly mysterious to me, so getting to be inside the buildings themselves was a cool opportunity.

Don’t stand in your own way! Rejection and judgment are scary, but they shouldn’t stop you from putting yourself out there and taking risks. It will all be okay in the end.

If you have the passion, if you have the drive, and you care deeply, you will make it. Don’t compare yourself to a classmate or a professional who is 10 years ahead of you in the field. But, to get to where you want to be, you have to push yourself past what you’ve already done. Take every opportunity and assignment, get feedback and connect with your professors.

My family legacy and future self motivate me a lot. As a first-generation student of color who is the first in a family line to take physical in-person graduate classes, I want to be more than just a journalist/creator/entertainer/entrepreneur checking boxes. I want to be the knowledgeable head of the household who is a scholar of the world.

You can’t mess up what is meant for you! I’ve always felt burdened by the potential mistakes I can make as a young professional. College is the first time many of us are entering the corporate world, and it can feel like every move directly impacts our future. This simple mantra reminds me that everything will unfold the way it is supposed to, regardless of any missteps I make.

Surround yourself with successful people who want you to succeed, too. These are people who are more experienced than you and who want you to learn from their experiences.

All of my Grady classes in undergrad and graduate school have prepared me for my capstone campaigns classes, which have provided an amazing opportunity for real-world experience while still in school. In my undergraduate campaigns class, I was able to work with a real agency to create a full campaign for one of their clients and bring together everything I had learned in all of my coursework. Additionally, through connections I made in that class, I was able to land an account service internship with that agency during the following summer.

This world is so extraordinary, but we don’t take the time to understand it. People are the root of this. That’s why I love this industry. We have the potential to make real good change. Take the time to find the purpose behind a project or client, and watch that fiery passion start to fuel your work!

To be tenacious you must be persistent. Never stopping to reach your goal no matter what may stand in the way. For me, that’s chasing my dream of working in sports. Whatever video story or work-related experience is next, I want to give it my all. That attitude of never settling is the core foundation of tenacity.

If I could talk to my freshman-year self, I would tell her to take in every moment. Walking to class, getting coffee with a friend, eating at Bolton or even waiting for the crosswalk to turn for what feels like hours, is so special. UGA is truly the best school with the best people, so soak it all in!

Whether that’s with a piece I wrote or edited together, kind words, or just a goofy antic or joke, I wake up every day hoping to be a positive influence on someone.

Just over a year ago, I started writing the screenplay that would win 1st Place at the Broadcast Educators Association’s Festival of Media Arts Award for Best Narrative Feature Screenplay. I started out making every beginner mistake, but over time and eight different drafts, it has become something I am extremely proud of.

Really take the time to get to know the Grady faculty and staff. They go out of their way to help Grady students, whether it be making a networking connection for you, setting up wellness events, or simply lending an ear.

My biggest accomplishment within the past year has been continuing to trust in myself and my gifts which has allowed me to walk in my first New York Fashion Week Show and launch my creative consulting business.