PRSSA members visit Atlanta agencies for annual tour

PRSSA members visited Edelman, Jackson Spalding
 and MSLGROUP as part of annual agency tour

On January 27, sixteen junior and senior UGA PRSSA members headed to Atlanta for the day to take part in our annual agency tour.  Led by PRSSA advisor, Kim Landrum, students visited Jackson Spalding, MSLGroup and Edelman to learn what the future of public relations looks like. 

Jackson Spalding
Hosts Christina Phillips and Rita Izaguirre welcomed students with a tour of the new Jackson Spalding office located at 1100 Peachtree Street NE in midtown. Students were able to engage with JS team members who handle digital strategy, design, photography and videography, content, account management, and human resources. 

MSLGroup
Grady grad, Kristen Heetland, welcomed students with real world case studies exploring client interaction and social reach. MSL team members also provided useful insight into their internship selection process, an Apprentice style experience geared towards finding the best talent.

Edelman
Hosts Tia Jackson, Lyschel Hicks and Grady grad, Alexandra Prather, welcomed students with a tour of of the Edelman office on Peachtree in Midtown. The 31st floor offered a spectacular view of Atlanta and set the stage for our visit. Students learned about Edelman’s six month internship program, the work culture and what they envision for the future of public relations. 

We are thankful to Jackson Spalding, MSLGroup and Edelman for their time, energy and continued dedication to our program.

Author: Kim Landrum 

Sports Promotion: Home run for new ADPR class

If the Sports Promotion and Publicity class is any indication, Grady College's new Sports Journalism initiative is sure to be a hit. Students gain firsthand knowledge of the various components of the sports communications world through a unique combination of experience, diversity, collaboration, and emersion.

Instructor and sports promotion specialist Bryan Harris brings his own years of experience of working with the Atlanta based PR firm, Jackson Spalding. In addition, students hear from guest speakers, such as sports journalist Welch Suggs, ESPN reporter Michelle Steele (joining via Skype) and others who share their expertise on topics such as athletic team promotion, corporate sports sponsorships, athlete management, media relations, contemporary sports writing and event planning.

To supplement the classroom experience, students keep up with current events through a subscription to the Sports Business Journal, as well as contribute to a blog in collaboration with Grady's sports writing class. Senior PR major Tina Theriault said, "The weekly assignments are not only a helpful way to stay engaged and be prepared for class discussion, but they are interesting! I've always been driven to work in the sports industry, so I am looking forward to the real-world insight the multitude of speakers will provide."

The classroom diversity of notable as well. While all of the students are Grady majors, not everyone showed an initial interest in sports promotion. Senior advertising and graphic design major Caroline Eddleman said, "I took this class because I needed another Grady elective, but I have been so impressed with how Mr. Harris goes out of his way each class to make connections between what we are discussing and my interests. He has really opened my eyes to the limitless options available to me."

Other guest professionals this semester include SI.com's Holly Anderson; UGA Sports Information Director Claude Felton; Atlanta Falcons's VP, Football Communications Reggie Roberts; The Coca-Cola Company's VP, Public Affairs and Communications Scott Williamson; Bloomberg News' Mike Buteau; CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell; Jackson Spalding's Cultivation Team and several others.

—Carly Nash

Pictured above: Spencer Hall of the blog Every Day Should be Saturday and Holly Anderson, blogger for SI.com lead the class with Bryan Harris

AdPR Recent Alum Spotlight: Katherine Strate

Katherine Strate graduated from Grady in 2009 with a degree in Public Relations. She currently resides in Atlanta.

What are you doing now and how did you get there?

I am working at Jackson Spalding, a marketing communications firm in Atlanta. I've worked at JS since I graduated, and got my foot in the door with the company through an internship. The summer after my junior year, I was an intern in our Athens office and got some great experience that helped me get an internship in Atlanta when I graduated. After six months, they offered me a full time position!

What is your favorite Grady memory?

I was very privileged to go on the very first PRSSA trip to Washington, D.C. my senior year. It was an incredible week of learning about our profession, bonding with friends in my major, and building a great network. I loved that Grady gave me the opportunity to travel like that with Dr. Jones, Dr. Middleton, and Dean Cully and all of my friends. It was an awesome week!

What advice do you have for current AdPR students?

Differentiate yourself in your resume. Many of the AdPR resumes that come across our desks look the same. Feel free to add some spot color to your resume, and make sure that you actually have experience that makes you stand out to potential employers. If you don't have an internship, volunteer somewhere and do work for free. Use your creativity and your ability to work independently to build your resume and your network.

Grady PR grads hired at Jackson Spalding

Congratulations to Grady PR alums Matt Scofield and Jonathan McGinty, two of Jackson Spalding's newest hires. Jackson Spalding is one of the largest independent public relations and marketing firms in the Southeast.

Scofield joins Jackson Spalding after serving as for five years as Senior Account Executive at Hope Beckham, an Atlanta-based PR agency. He will bring his knowledge and expertise to several Jackson Spalding accounts. Scofield graduated summa cum laude from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

After freelancing for the Jackson Spalding communications department in Athens, McGinty joins the team full-time. Previously, he worked for the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at UGA as well as the Georgia Museum of Art. He also served as Assistant News Editor for the Athens Daily News & Banner Herald. At Jackson Spalding, McGinty will work on accounts such as UGA's College of Public Health, the Stadion Classic at UGA and several golf product lines.