The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Grady College have announced a new fellowship program that will unlock additional learning opportunities for UGA students and add the AJC’s journalistic expertise into the curriculum.

The collaboration has multiple components including:

-a new fellowship at the AJC where UGA students collaborate with the AJC’s investigative team on upcoming projects.

-real-time verification network where Grady students help spot emerging online disinformation and funnel findings with AJC reporters in real time.

-the launch of “Midtown Meetup” in-person event series at the AJC’s Midtown offices featuring insights and conversations between UGA professors and staff and AJC reporters.

A $1 million gift was made to the new Celestia “Lessie” Bailey Smithgall Experiential Learning Fund in honor of Tom Johnson(ABJ '63),former editor of The Red & Black. The gift was divided equally between Grady College and The Red & Black Publishing Company, the nonprofit independent UGA student-led news organization. Smithgall is a 1933 Grady College graduate. 

The contributions to the Smithgall Student Experiential Learning Fund were made to champion the publishing company’s legacy and sustaining mission, and to support the advancement of excellence in journalism education for Grady College students. The gift to Grady College will go toward funding programs such as The Oglethorpe Echo, Grady Newsource, study away and student equipment and production needs.

We are thrilled to have three alumni on the University of Georgia 40 Under 40 list. They are:

- Renee Fuller (ABJ '10), Vice President of Marketing, Univeler OLLY

- Laura Warren (ABJ '11), Community Development Regional Manager, Meta

- Patrick Klibanoff (ABJ '14), Senior Product Manager, Disney Streaming

We look forward to celebrating with them on Friday, Sept. 11. 

Can you believe it has been 50 years since your UGA days? A lot has changed on campus but the core of being a Georgia Bulldog hasn’t. As we reflect on the golden anniversary of the Class of ’76, we would love to hear your memories and see your photos of your time at the “J-School” and UGA.  We’ll feature them on social media as we close out the last half of 2026. Please take some to share at the link below. 

NABJ Atlanta alumni reception

Aug. 11

Fall semester first day

Aug. 17

40 under 40 

Sept. 11

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