Intern Spotlight: Missy Harris

Public relations major and AdPR intern Missy Harris

Missy Harris is a senior public relations major pursuing a Spanish minor from Alpharetta, Georgia, and is one two student interns behind the scenes here in the Advertising and Public Relations department of Grady College. 

Who has been an impactful teacher during your time within Grady College?

Dr. Carolina Acosta-Alzuru, Dr. A for short, has been the most impactful teacher during my time within Grady College. This past semester I enrolled in Dr. A’s Telenovelas, Culture and Society class. I decided to take this class because it is a Grady elective and a Spanish class; therefore, I could mix both of my interests into one class. At first, I assumed this class would just be an easy class filled with telenovela clips, but I was very wrong.  Dr. A made this class so much more. With her passion and constant dedication to helping her students learn, Dr. A inspired me to dive headfirst into exploring telenovelas throughout the world. Dr. A always pushed me and my fellow classmates to never stop learning. Overall, Dr. A is the most compassionate and inspiring in my college career. 

What is your dream job after graduation?

Since my start in Grady College as a PR major, I’ve always wanted to work for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in the corporate foundation or PR department. With my passion to help children coupled with my communication skills, I think that working for CHOA would be a perfect fit for me. 

What's your favorite spot in Athens?

I love exploring the Normaltown area in Athens. There are always new restaurants and hidden treasures. 

Describe valuable lessons or skills that Grady College has helped develop for you.

Grady College has helped me developed my writing and communications skills. Before my classes in Grady, I was terrified to talk in front of crowds of people. However, through my PR classes, I overcame my fear of presenting. 

One valuable lesson that I’ve learned while a student in Grady College is to get to know those around you: other students, professor and administrators. Networking is a huge part of an industry but especially in PR. 

What has been your most memorable moment during your time as a student within Grady College?

Being a student within Grady College is the best. Grady opens so many doors to so many incredible opportunities. My most memorable moment during my time as a student has to be when I went on the PRSSA Atlanta Agency Tour in 2015.  This tour was exclusive to PRSSA members and was an awesome experience.  We spent the day visiting some of the top Atlanta agencies: Edelman, MSLGROUP and Jackson Spalding. At each agency, we met with some of the top professionals and toured the office space. 

What are your goals for your career after UGA?

After I graduate form UGA, I hope to find a career path in which I can use my knowledge and skills in writing and communication.

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

I would love to go to Paris and experience the city magic for myself.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years, I hope to have a career that makes me excited to wake up every morning. I’m driven by my passions, so I want a job that incorporates them into my everyday life. 

Additionally, in the next 10 years, I hope to be an active Grady Alumni. I want to give back to the college that gave so much to me. 

PRSSA Agency Tours offer students industry insights

The University of Georgia Public Relations Student Societyof America (PRSSA) Drewry Chapter offers its members the exclusive opportunity to visit major cities including Chicago, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. to visit top agencies.

Erin Shattles, Creative Consultants Director, and Maggie McNerney, PRSSA PR Director, enjoy the Chicago Agency Tour

“The Chicago Agency Tour opened my eyes to the various possibilities for my future in public relations,” said Maggie McNerney, a senior public relations and Spanish major.

Each agency tour presents students with chances to experience and explore the top agencies in major cities in the public relations and advertising industries. Some of the agencies included on the Chicago Fall 2016 Agency Tour were Publicis Media, Energy BBDO and Golin.

The next tour available to students through PRSSA is the Washington, D.C. tour from January 31, 2017 through February 4, 2017.  This tour is available to only 16 PRSSA members to network with PR professionals in agencies, government offices and nonprofits.

Information about the Atlanta Spring 2017 Agency Tour will be released in the upcoming months. Students seeking an opportunity in Atlanta are encouraged to watch out for more information soon.

To attend the exclusive agency tours, students are required to be members of PRSSA and to fill out an application for each individual tour. The spots for the tour are limited, so students must make sure to meet the application deadlines.  The Washington,D.C. Agency Tour application is Tuesday, December 13. All interested students should consider applying to this incredible opportunity.

Research from AdPR: What draws a sports fan to a particular team - An examination of the "Linsanity" phenomenon

What draws a sports fan to a particular team? In many cases, geography is certainly a factor – but new research indicates that for international consumers, ethnicity and/or nationality might also play a role.

A study in Sport Management Review examined the 2012 “Linsanity” phenomenon, in which New York Knicks player Jeremy Lin became an NBA sensation after coming off the bench to lead his team to seven consecutive victories and set an individual scoring record. Lin, an Asian-American of Taiwanese descent, garnered considerable attention in Taiwan as well as the U.S., leading researchers to wonder how many of those fans he might have attracted based on shared cultural traits.

The study focused on the process of self-categorization – the extent to which a sports fan self-identifies with a particular team or sports league as an extension of themselves. The researchers deployed an online survey to a sample of Taiwanese college undergraduates and graduate students, as the demographic group most likely to engage in sports-related consumption and discussion. They found that international consumers might first become aware of a player due to his ethnic and/or national identity, and then transfer that attachment to the team for which he or she plays. Ultimately, the self-categorization can extend to the sports league itself.

“These findings have clear implications for the ability of a sports league to expand successfully into new international markets,” says co-author Joe Phua, assistant professor of marketing and advertising at the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. “For example, teams might consider recruiting players with diverse socio-cultural backgrounds and leverage those associations via strategic marketing activities, such as hosting sporting events in the foreign countries that identify most closely with those athletes.” 

And whatever became of Jeremy Lin? It was a happy ending: On the strength of his record-setting performance, Lin earned a $25 million contract with the Houston Rockets. To view the full article, click here.

Kuan-Ju Chen, Joe Phua (2016). Self-categorization process in sport: An examination of the “Linsanity” phenomenon in Taiwan. Sport Management Review.