Grady College launches 2 new study away programs

This summer, Grady College is offering two new study away programs, in Chicago and Croatia, and bringing back the Travel Writing in Prague program. Information sessions on these programs and seven additional Grady study away programs are happening throughout the months of September, October and early November.

The deadline to apply to all Grady study away programs is November 10, 2022. Students should apply through the application portal and direct all questions to Rebekah Seabolt, global studies program manager. 

Grady Chicago Field Study and Internship ProgramA quote graphic that reads "Chicago is a breathtakingly gorgeous and exciting city that's full of opportunities for Grady majors.

Students on the new Chicago Field Study and Internship Program will spend eight weeks in Chicago, one of the top media and communications hubs in the United States. 

Travelers will gain hands-on experience in their areas of interest by participating in internships Monday through Thursday of each week. One evening each week, students will take a course. Fridays will be open for participating in local learning experiences and exploring the city. 

The course is titled ADPR 5990 Special Topics in Ideation: The Power of Big Ideas. In it, students will study the cutting-edge creative work being done in the Chicago market, meet the people and organizations behind it, and learn how to develop creativity by generating their own sharp and powerful ideas. Students will receive three credit hours for the course and three credit hours for the internship, for a total of six upper-level elective credit hours. 

“Chicago is a breathtakingly gorgeous and exciting city that’s full of opportunities for Grady majors,” said Dr. Jennifer Griffith, program director and senior lecturer in Advertising. “I’m excited about helping students find meaningful internships and seeing them fall in love too with one of my favorite cities.”

The program lasts from June 3 to July 29, 2023. Internships should begin June 5 and end July 27, 2023. All Grady students are eligible to apply. 

 

Quote graphic that reads "The program is unique as it does not focus on one location, but offers students the opportunity to travel throughout the country and be actively immersed in Croatian way of life and culture."International Mass Communication in Croatia 

The new International Mass Communication in Croatia program will run in Maymester 2023 and include a three-credit hour course, JRLC 5080 International Mass Communication. In addition to participating in class lectures, students will have the opportunity to learn about international communication processes from Croatian journalists and academics. They will also visit media organizations and a variety of cultural sites throughout the country. According to the preliminary itinerary, the program will run in three cities, the capital Zagreb and two more on the Croatian coast, Split and Dubrovnik.

“The program is unique as it does not focus on one location, but offers students the opportunity to travel throughout the country and be actively immersed in Croatian way of life and culture. It has a strong stress on academic and experiential learning. We hope that students will enjoy the lectures, media and cultural site visits, as well as guest speakers that we planned for them,” said Dr. Ivanka Pjesivac, program director and associate professor in Journalism.

The program runs from May 14 to June 3, 2023. All Grady students are eligible to apply. 

A quote graphic that reads "We’ll visit a nearby medieval town and an old film photography studio, go on a delicious food tour, see two important sites from WWII and more. The whole time, students will be learning about travel writing and how to explore culture and humanity through their own lived experiences. "Travel Writing in Prague, Czech Republic

After a year hiatus, the Travel Writing in Prague program is returning for the summer of 2023. 

Students in this program will be immersed in an exciting three-credit hour travel writing course, JOUR 5570 Introduction to Travel Writing, which will teach them how to develop strong stories, how to pitch articles to editors, and other practical tools needed to work in the field. 

The objectives for the course are for students to develop an understanding of foreign travel and to learn and practice the skills required of a travel journalist. Emphasis is placed on teaching students how to think critically about gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and other forms of diversity in relation to travel journalism and to evaluate how various digital media are disrupting travel journalism.

“Our time in Prague and the Czech Republic will be full of cultural excursions as well as ample opportunity for students to explore on their own,” said Dr. Kyser Lough, program director and assistant professor in Journalism. “We’ll visit a nearby medieval town and an old film photography studio, go on a delicious food tour, see two important sites from WWII and more. The whole time, students will be learning about travel writing and how to explore culture and humanity through their own lived experiences. Prague is one of my favorite cities in the world, and a favorite site to bring students to.”

The program is expected to run from June 6 to June 29, 2023. The exact dates are subject to change at this time. All Grady students are eligible to apply. 

  • Grady students posing in front of the water while on a study away trip in Cannes.

 

Graphic outlining the dates for study away info sessions. Graphic outlining the dates for study away info sessions.
 

EMST students finish their summer L.A. experience for 2019

Nineteen EMST students lived and worked Los Angeles this summer for the Grady LA Field Study and Internship Program. During June and July, they have been in the thick of the media-entertainment industry and cultural life of Los Angeles.

The students worked full time at media-entertainment company internships as part of the Grady LA program. The internship experience has been framed by an accompanying course on media industries taught by EMST Assistant Professor Anne Gilbert, and a host of often exclusive events and excursions.

Presentations by highly placed industry guests have enriched their class. These included:

  • David Martin-Porras, who talked about his work as director, writer and producer in a number of independent film projects after screening in class his newest soon-to-be-released feature “The Chain.”
  • Felicia D. Henderson and Laura Jean Leal (currently enrolled in the Grady MFA screenwriting program) about working in television as writers and producers.
  • Maria Ferrari, who spent 10 years as a writer and producer for “The Big Bang Theory,” and who currently writes for “Young Sheldon,” on the challenges of comedy writing for television.
  • Grainne Godfree, Sarah Nerboso, and Amelia Sims about writing for television, and the differences between writing for live-action shows vs. animated features.
  • EMST graduate Mark Warshaw (ABJ ’97), who talked about his years in Hollywood as a storyteller, and running transmedia expansion projects for major network dramas.
Students hear from United Talent Agency Co-President and Grady College alumnus David Kramer (ABJ ’90) about his career, and ask questions about the agency business. (Photo: Jay Hamilton)

Off-site excursions have also enriched students’ experience. In addition to touring the Warner Bros. and Fox studios, students attended a tour of the Writers Guild of America script library; and a table read and ADR session for an episode of The Simpsons thanks to Chris Edgerly (ABJ ’91), voice actor for The Simpsons.

Exclusive visits included meetings with United Talent Agency co-president David Kramer (ABJ ’90) along with recent grad/UTA assistant Kimmy Baker (AB ’18); a VIP tour of the Disney Studios lot, which included a visit to Walt Disney’s actual office (arranged by UGA graduate Mitch Powers, who currently serves as Director of Fan Engagement at Disney); and an exclusive tour of Hulu arranged and hosted by Grady LA alum and current EMST student Kelsey Cunningham.

Students also experienced the broader cultural life of L.A., such as gaining an evening’s admission to The Laugh Factory; attending the Abbot Kinney Friday festival, which hosts L.A.’s premiere A-list food-truck event that serves fresh innovative, new cuisine along with old favorites; viewing the just-released movie “Spider-Man: Far from Home” in 4DX, a presentation that includes environmental effects such as seat motion, wind, rain, fog, lights, and scents along with the standard video and audio; and experiencing the Los Angeles Farmer’s Market.

Grady LA is a summer internship/study program in Los Angeles. Students spend eight weeks in LA working as interns for companies in the entertainment industry. In addition, they take an Entertainment and Media Studies course to earn a combined total of six credit hours.

Each week, students hear from guest speakers including studio executives, animators, directors, screenwriters, agents and other key industry players. In addition, students tour various studio and production facilities in Los Angeles to gain an insider’s perspective into the industry.

  • EMST alumnus and Hollywood producer Mark Warshaw with Grady LA students.

Students learn and travel the world through Global Grady 2019

Grady College students are experiencing some of the world’s most renounced media, film, and communications through Global Grady 2019. Grady Newsource is publishing stories learned through international study abroad trips such as this piece from Munich’s Documentation Centre. Continue to check their site for the latest stories. Here is a look at social media from Global Grady 2019.