Our students always have the best answers to "what did you do this summer?"

Each year our summer Yarbrough-Grady Fellow in the Office of Communications, coordinates and produces the Intern Views series, profiling students and their internship experience.

This summer Shannon Lorusso, a fourth-year journalism major, talked with students interning in a variety of roles across the country.  

Dr. Ruthann Lariscy, admired for her kindness, prolific research and dedication to students, died July 12, 2024. 

Lariscy served as a professor of public relations at Grady College for more than three decades before retiring in 2014.  She taught public relations principles, public relations research and graduate seminars in public opinion and public relations. She studied political advertising, campaign management, public relations standards and health messaging.

Prior to joining the faculty, Lariscy worked for a political consulting firm and taught at Auburn University.

Nearly 70 middle and high school students from around the country explored Grady College majors firsthand during the Summer Media Academy in June. 

Broadcast journalism students produced a newscast and multimedia journalism participants wrote articles for a news website. Participants in the advertising and public relations session crafted a mock campaign for Athens Area Humane Society. Entertainment and media studies participants wrote scripts and made short films.

Instructors included Joe Dennis (MA '07, PhD '16); Isabella Martinez (AB '23), Kimberlee Smith (MA '23); and Denetra Walker, assistant professor of journalism at Grady College. EMST major Luka Briglevich and journalism graduate students Averi Caldwell (AB '23), Karmen Morrison and Sam Tupper assisted.

We are proud to have five outstanding alumnae on the UGA Alumni Association's 40 under 40 list, celebrating young alumni leading the pack in their industries and communities.

Angelique Jackson (ABJ '12), Senior Entertainment Writer, Variety

Kristina Stafford Kelly (ABJ '08), Vice President of Communications, UP Entertainment

Audrey Lewis (ABJ '09), Attorney, Gregory, Doyle, Calhoun & Rogers, LLC

Loree Anne Paradise (ABJ '11), Chief of Staff, Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Georgia

Juanita Traughber (ABJ '08), Director of Marketing and Communications, University School of Nashville