Profiles of Tenacity Archive

“To me, tenacity is a willingness to leave your comfort zone to get what you need, whether in your personal life or professional pursuits.”

“I also think back to when we planted seeds for ideas that would shape my college experience — like brainstorming web series concepts in Writers’ Room, pitching an AAJA chapter at UGA to Dr. Lough, the first conversations about the Backlight Student Film Festival, or the beginnings of what would become The Red & Black’s DEI Committee.”

“I don’t really have a professional hero, but I love seeing Black women paving the way for us, such as Issa Rae, Oprah Winfrey, Shonda Rhimes and Rihanna.”

“My proudest moment has been being appointed a 2022 MAIP Fellow. This internship program focuses on promoting diversity within the advertising world, and I am so excited to have been placed with the Digitas agency for an Art direction internship this summer!”

“Coming in as first-generation college student and a rural student, I was faced with unique challenges; however, through tenacity, determination, and perseverance, I have been able to overcome barriers and give back to other students like myself.”

“I enjoy telling stories and I enjoy making compelling content, but most importantly I want to make people care about the why in sports.”

“To me, tenacity means pursuing your goals relentlessly and not giving up when you run into obstacles or self-doubt.”

“Tenacity means believing in yourself every step of the way towards achieving a goal. I believe that by having self-confidence, you can transcend the impossible. You can achieve anything you want in life if you believe you can achieve it.”

“I am passionate about mentoring young black men in hopes of instilling the confidence I once lacked in them at an early age. It is important to invest in our youth because they are the future and need to know that their potential is truly limitless.“

“Tenacity, in my opinion, means possessing the determination to reach a personal goal or level of success. Having this quality also means that you won’t settle for anything less than what you envision.”

“For me, tenacity means always staying positive when facing tough circumstances or situations.”

“Tenacity means pushing through whatever comes your way and never giving up. It means setting your mind on a goal and doing whatever it takes to reach it no matter what situations arise in life that could stand in your way.”

“I would not be in Grady had it not been for an early pandemic existential crisis in Spring 2020. I realized one night that I wanted to explore my passions for multiculturalism & storytelling while gaining some of the hard skills only a Grady degree could provide.”

“For a journalist, tenacity means forging on despite disparate odds and chasing every lead that can lead to the truth.”

“Tenacity is remaining persistent, pushing boundaries, and never taking no for an answer. It’s refusing to limit yourself or settle for mediocrity.”

“It’s important to understand that people that hire you and want to work with you will seek you out because you have talents and gifts that they want. It’s important to recognize the power you hold and be your biggest supporter in advocating for yourself.

“I think tenacity is knowing what you want and having a plan on how to get there.”

“I have always tried to do not let the facts block out my voice, thus allowing the reader to get to know both me and the story I’m reporting. “

“Being a part of Grady has given me a chance to meet incredible individuals, including students, faculty and advisors. It makes me so honored to be a part of this community.”

“It was a very rewarding summer to see how much my education is really showing up in my future career path, and I’m really grateful for the foundation Grady has laid for me.”

“PRSSA has given me so many opportunities, taught me so many things, and given me so many great friends. I am so proud that I took the leap of faith in pushing myself to take on such a big leadership role”

“I was motivated to continue pursuing my Grady degree because my Grady professors have been incredibly supportive; it has meant a lot to see everyone want you to succeed.”

“If I can make just one person feel at home or accepted on this campus, then that is a successful college career in my book.”

“The Industry has been extremely instrumental during my time at UGA, and as president this year, it means a great deal to me to have so many new and familiar EMST students looking to get involved and find their home on campus.”

“In today’s world, information is everything and I chose my major because I love getting to shape media narratives in positive, beneficial ways that inform our public.”

“I am extremely passionate about supporting women in media, specifically women that go into sports media. I love connecting with other women who are as passionate about sports as I am and helping others get into the field!”

“I am most passionate about representation in the media. As our society continues to grow, I hope to be a part of projects that tell audience members that they are seen and heard.”

“I’m proud that despite the pandemic, I took lots of opportunities to improve my craft and be creative. I worked on even more films and videos for myself and others.”

“The health and medical courses I’ve completed facilitated my transition from editorial intern to senior editorial intern at WebMD, and continue to inform my work as a freelancer today.”

“I’m passionate about learning new things and restoring shared narratives within our local communities. I want to tell stories that unite more than divide, and sports are an incredible opportunity for that.”

“I want those who come after me to enjoy the resources I had in the same way, if not better. That includes making sure all people have access to them.”

“Tenacity means pressing on and fighting for something even when it’s hard.”

“As an openly gay man living in the South, my existence would not be possible without the change makers that came before me, and I want to be a change maker for the generations to come.”

“My most memorable Grady experience was studying abroad at Trinity College in Oxford, England. Learning about international communications and speaking with some of the best in professional communications was an incredible hands-on learning experience.”

“A few years ago, I was a web journalist for a short bit writing headline stories and that showed me just how much I enjoyed being able to share stories that mean something to the world.”

“Tenacity is holding on when it would be easier to let go. Holding onto loved ones, holding onto the truth, holding onto our humanity and holding onto hope. I think the past year has served as a case study in tenacity for all of us.”

“As a Black woman, I often reflect on how important it is to have representation because I did not see a lot of that growing up. Seeing other women, especially minority women, work in a field that was not very diverse a few decades ago always reminds me to keep going and to remember to make more room at the table for other women.”

“I have always been a naturally curious person, asking a lot of questions about any and everything as a little kid. As I grew older it just seemed to naturally evolve into me wanting to be a journalist.”

“Tenacity is all about persisting when things are tough, uncertain, scary or downright impossible. Growing as a human is all about leaving your comfort zone and pushing past the things that make you want to quit.”

“My father has always reminded me to never become complacent and to never stop searching for opportunities, whether it be in professional or personal life. I think it had the biggest impact on why I decided to pursue a master’s degree at UGA.”

“I’ve always loved to write and tell stories, but Grady showed me that journalism is so much more than that and really taught me — and continues to teach me every day — how to be the best in my field.”

“Film and television have always been what I’m most passionate about. Ten different people sent me the article about how UGA was starting an MFA program in film, television and digital media in December 2019. I decided to throw my application in and didn’t think much about it as I started pursuing advertising jobs before graduation.”

“Tenacity means having a clear vision, and not letting the small stuff get in the way of executing it!”

“Until I went to Grady’s journalism camp the summer before my senior year of high school, UGA was not even on my list of schools. It was the first time I felt like I really connected with people like myself: outgoing, friendly and determined.”

“Tenacity means never ceasing, adjusting and adapting until the job is done.”

“I absolutely know I want to work in post-production, so my goal after graduation is to move to Los Angeles and take steps to become an editor for television.”

“The Red & Black has shown me how to show care for the people I talk with in the community.”

“Tenacity means striving to achieve a dream or a goal no matter the obstacles that get in your way.”

“I’ve used my studies and skills in every single one of my internships! My EMST and film studies roots were integral to my internship with the Peabody Media Center. One particular example is how crucial my teachings in editing were. When COVID-19 necessitated the switch to online classes in the spring, I had to edit an entire video project on my own. It was incredibly challenging, but I learned a lot from that project and am proud of what I created!.”

“Most importantly, I will miss the lifelong friends I made in Grady who I will always hark back to and be so proud of as peers in the industry.”

“The excuse of being a student is temporary… go make mistakes, go make your project, follow your curiosity and act on it while you have the chance.”

“No matter what happens I know Grady has prepared me to take on every challenge I encounter and turn it into a success story.”

“I am passionate about the ability we have to bring a story into the life and imagination of cinema, poetry, writing, and the way that brings comfort, newness, and understanding. The world is full of smaller worlds waiting to be shared.”

“Grady students are so unique in that we take an idea, fine tune it, and create it. In a lot of other colleges, an idea is given to you and your create it, but Grady students carry a project from beginning to end.”

“Grady has allowed me to pursue a variety of different things throughout my time at UGA. The connections I have built through Grady have allowed me to spend my time branching out, and I have been able to find new things that interest me.”

“I have learned how to be adaptive and intuitive. Industries will continue changing, but Grady has taught me to be open to any changes thrown my way.”

“I chose Grady because it would give me a professional edge; I am challenged and pushed to better myself personally and professionally every day here, and I love that.”

“Nothing motivates me more than seeing people achieve their dreams and push themselves towards limits they never thought possible.”

“I think Grady students see the world differently. When they meet someone, they are automatically invested in understanding that person’s story. They take every opportunity to create, from silly day projects with friends to huge, year-long, 20-person crew productions.”

“At Grady, not only do you learn from seasoned industry professionals that want to see you prosper, but you get access to an incredibly supportive community of leaders through Grady’s channels.”

“Connecting with a group of individuals and presenting information to audiences with an honest perspective to seek social engagement and positive change is my purpose.”