Tag: scholarship

Taylor Potter (AB ’21) wins Vincent Wasilewski Award from Broadcast Education Association

Posted on by Dayne Young

Learning how to write in a variety of styles has long been a priority for Taylor Potter (AB ’21). She knows it is her path to her dream career.

Potter graduated this year with undergraduate degrees in Entertainment and Media Studies from Grady College and Film Studies from Franklin College. She also completed the interdisciplinary writing certificate and is in Grady College’s Narrative Media Writing MFA graduate program.

The countless hours of writing and editing is the preparation needed for Potter to accomplish the dream of becoming a showrunner for her own television show at NBC.

She is also using her writing skills to pursue scholarships that can help allay the costs of graduate school.

Potter recently won the Vincent Wasilewski Award, which is a $4,000 scholarship, from the Broadcast Education Association (BEA).

“Like every other student, I want to graduate without student loan debt, so I’ve been working really hard to earn the money to pay for grad school either through traditional means like my internship with Focus Features or through scholarships like this one,” Potter said. “Winning a scholarship of this stature makes a remarkable difference in my educational career and allows me to focus more on my work than on my bills.”

The Wasilewski Award required applicants to display superior academic performance and outstanding work in electronic media.

Potter learned of the award when submitting to BEA’s Festival of Media Arts Competition earlier in 2021. Potter and her writing partner Ana Gonzalez won first place in that competition for best television pilot script.

“I’m really proud of Taylor, and it’s cool to see her hard work validated,” said Matthew Evans, EMST assistant professor. “Screenwriting isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. And Taylor gets that. She just wants to get better and better. She tackles difficult subject matter, and writes about complex female characters, too—which we need more of. I’m excited to see what Taylor writes at our Low-Residency MFA, and I look forward to following her career in Hollywood.”

Potter credits active involvement in student filmmaking for building her portfolio and network to boost her standing for potential national accolades. She has three pieces of advice for any aspiring filmmakers at UGA looking to carve a similar path.

  • “Make something. It can be a script, a book, a short film. It doesn’t matter. Make it and put all you have into it. You’ll become a better writer/director/producer/etc. and you might even garner some recognition from it later.”
  • “Get to know your professors and vice versa. I cannot tell you how many times I have asked for a letter of recommendation from the same six professors. You don’t have to be buddy-buddy with all of them, but it’s in your best interest to befriend a few and always have them in your corner.”
  • “Lastly, APPLY! Apply to that film festival, that screenplay competition, that scholarship. You can’t get a yes if you tell yourself no.”

Learn more about Potter and her path to filmmaking and graduate school with these previous features from Grady College: #ProfilesOfTenacity (2020) & Grady Intern Diaries (2019).

Sports media student Tylar Norman wins first award from Taylor Maggiore Fund

Posted on by Dayne Young

Tylar Norman, a senior graduating in May 2021, will receive the first $1,000 award from the Taylor Maggiore Fund at the University of Georgia. Available to students enrolled in the sports media undergraduate certificate program, the fund helps promote the advancement of women in the sports media industry.

Norman takes photos while covering Morgan County athletics.

A panel of alumni and faculty members selected Norman for her work with organizations on and off-campus and her passion for encouraging women in sports media, especially women of color.

“I hope to one day start my own mentorship organization for women in the sports media field,” she wrote in her application, “to ensure that we are all uplifting each other and increasing the inclusion of women in this field.”

The current president of UGA’s chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, Norman has worked as a communications intern with the Atlanta Dream and in media relations for the U.S. Olympic Trials.

“The Grady Sports Media program has been the steppingstone to the real-world experience that I’ve had,” Norman said.

After graduation, she plans to look for opportunities that lead to her goal of one day becoming a social media producer in the NBA.

Norman, a journalism major with minors in Spanish and sport management, has assisted in the production of Grady Newsource as a technical manager. She also runs her own freelance photography business.

Taylor Maggiore (AB ’19) addresses the undergraduate commencement ceremony at the University of Georgia on December 13, 2019. Maggiore has created the Taylor Maggiore Scholarship in the Grady Sports Media undergraduate certificate program. (Photo: Dorothy Kozlowski (ABJ ’10)/UGA Marketing & Communications)

“Through all the experiences she has sought and excelled at during her college years, Tylar already is making her mark in sports media,” said Vicki Michaelis, John Huland Carmical Chair in Sports Journalism & Society. “I have no doubt she is and will be a role model for others who want to work in this industry. We’re thrilled for Tylar, and we’re so grateful to Taylor for paying it forward in this way.”

Taylor Maggiore, who graduated in December 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a sports media certificate, began work last January as a stage manager for ESPN in Bristol, Conn. She established the fund within months of graduating to help students “with living accommodations during an internship, books, business casual and professional wardrobe, interview, equipment, or anything else that is needed.”

To read more about the Taylor Maggiore Fund, check out this story.

Tyler Wilkins awarded first Krensavage-Knight Scholarship

Posted on by Dayne Young

Tyler Wilkins, a fourth-year journalism and political science double major, is the first recipient of the Krensavage-Knight scholarship.

The annual scholarship goes to a senior journalism student and is provided by Michael Krensavage (ABJ ’89, MBA ’90) and his wife, Mary Krensavage. The scholarship is named for David Knight who was Michael Krensavage’s beloved journalism and English teacher at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, South Carolina.

David Knight, Michael Krensavage’s beloved high school teacher fostered his love for journalism.

“I’m grateful to the Krensavage family for their contribution toward my education,” Wilkins said. “Like Michael Krensavage, I also had a teacher in high school inspire me to study journalism and help foster my love for communication and writing.”

Michael Krensavage says Knight’s influence encouraged him to pursue a journalism education at Grady College. He also credits Conrad Fink, a long-time journalism professor at Grady College, for his education and development. In addition to this scholarship, the Krensavage family has donated to the Conrad Fink Scholars Fund.

“We like to help others receive the wonderful education that David Knight and the University of Georgia provided me,” said Mike Krensavage.

Wilkins is from Danielsville, Georgia and expects to graduate in December 2020.

“I hope to produce local journalism in a major city,” said Wilkins. “My dream job would be working as a metro reporter for a major newspaper, like AJC or the Boston Globe, covering city government and the impact of government institutions on communities.”

Michael Krensavage

Wilkins is currently an editorial intern with UGA’s Office of Research Communications where he helps interview faculty members and write stories about the university research. He’s also worked as a reporter for Lake Oconee News and The Red & Black. Wilkins was selected for a summer 2020 internship at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

As part of the scholarship application, Wilkins had to interview a working journalist he admires. He chose Michael Prochaska, editor of the Oconee Enterprise.

“Prochaska gives me hope in small-town journalism, something that is dear to me and vital to any community,” Wilkins said. “He’s a great journalist, who really cares about the community he covers. Through our interview, I learned why it’s so important to connect with people you interview.”

The winner of the Krensavage-Knight scholarship is chosen by grade point average, resume and the written profile of a working journalist.

Grady College student receives Allen Rosenshine Minority Education Fund from BBDO Worldwide

Posted on by admin

Grady College student Lia Jordan recently received the Allen Rosenshine Minority Education Fund from BBDO Worldwide.

This fund was started as an initiative to increase diversity in the advertising industry. Applications are open to minorities, women, and persons protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act who wish to pursue a career in advertising. The scholarship is given to one intern at five of BBDO’s offices across the United States.

Jordan was awarded the fund for the Atlanta location where she will serve as an Account Management Intern for 10 weeks this summer. Though she will have a host of responsibilities, Jordan will be spending most of her time this summer serving clients like AT&T and Direct TV.

“I am extremely excited to be awarded this fellowship,” Jordan says. “I love the people I work with, many of them are UGA grads, and am looking forward to all of the projects I will be partaking in this summer.”

Jordan is originally from Champaign, Illinois. She is a Journalism and Communications major, and she is also pursuing a minor in Spanish. Jordan is expected to graduate in May 2018 and hopes to continue her work after graduation at an agency working with account management.

BBDO Worldwide is an advertising agency serving in 81 countries across the world.