Global Grady: Study Abroad Opportunities in Grady College
Photo from Aya Maruyama from the Cannes Lions Study Abroad
By Carter Chapman
In order to graduate, UGA students must complete an experiential learning requirement. Grady College provides students many opportunities over the summer to fulfill this obligation through domestic and international study programs. With locations, concentrations and lengths varying, there’s an option for every Grady student to enrich their classroom experience out in the world.
The Grady NYC Maymester takes students to New York to network with professionals and tour agencies. The program begins in the classroom, and is followed by a week in the Big Apple visiting various traditional and nontraditional firms such as Ketchum, Lucky and Cosmopolitan.
“During my time on the Grady NYC Maymester, I really enjoyed the opportunity to network and learn about agency environments in the city,” said Abby Clark, participant in the program. “I also loved getting to explore New York and be a tourist.”
Grady LA takes students to Los Angeles for eight weeks where they intern with an entertainment company such as 20th Century Fox or ABC Television. They also take an industry studies course to learn the ins and outs of the entertainment world and meet professionals working in LA. Participants also tour studios and film/TV production facilities.
Grady DC provides students an opportunity to experience the fast-paced public affairs environment of Washington. In the nation’s capital for eight weeks, students will gain valuable experience working in an internship of their choice. They will also take a class that teaches practical writing skills and introduces them to professionals in different fields throughout DC.
“The Grady DC program fulfilled my dreams of working and living in a premier city for politics, public relations and public affairs,” said Austin Gibbons, a 2019 Grady DC participant. “It also provided me with the opportunity to build deep and lasting connections with UGA alums who were working on the Hill, in PR agencies, with nonprofits and with advocacy organizations.”
Summer at the Circus is an eight week creative marketing program in Atlanta. It allows students to earn class credit while learning from industry professionals and UGA faculty about advertising creativity, including graphic design, video production and branding. Students create key projects such as a board game and portfolio to showcase their new skills.
Students have two opportunities to study in France at the Cannes Film Festival and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. At the film festival, students spend the Maymester taking two courses on the international film industry and critiquing awards shows and festival events. At the festival of creativity, students meet top professionals and explore the best campaigns that the advertising, marketing and creative fields have to offer. Students also take two classes on global advertising and campaign analysis, and they spend time exploring festival events like seminars, workshops, and networking sessions.
“Cannes Lions was one of the most exhilarating and influential weeks of my college experience,” said Aya Maruyama, a senior public relations major. “I find myself reliving it constantly with the friends I made on this abroad. We had virtually unlimited access to the top creatives, C-suite professionals and even celebrities working for the world’s leading companies, all on the beautiful southern coast of France.”
With Choose China, students spend three weeks in Shanghai, Beijing and Tokyo focusing on international advertising and public relations. They spend their time here networking with professionals and touring agencies such as Daniel J. Edelman China Group and the Shanghai Public Relations Association. Students also go on weekend trips focused on integrating participants into the regional culture.
Travel writing programs in both Prague and Dublin focuses on enhancing journalistic skills, such as interviewing locals in different countries, and reporting on different regions and even hostile environments. Both programs prepare students by teaching practical skills such as pitching and writing for different audiences from different cultures.
“The Grady Prague abroad was a great opportunity to engage in travel writing and Czech culture. It made me a better writer and a more thoughtful traveler. I also loved exploring the city of Prague, seeing so many wonderful new places, and making friends with other students I wouldn’t have otherwise met,” said Caitlin Phillips, a senior journalism major.
Applications for different programs are open now. If you are interested in any of these opportunities, visit the Grady website. Take advantage of the opportunities to enrich yourself both personally and professionally and spend summer abroad with Grady!
