PR Students Tell All

By Lydia Coffman

With public relations earning a spot on UGA’S list of high demand majors, it raises the question: Why public relations? This week, we interviewed two Grady students to learn more about why they chose to pursue a degree in public relations. Grady students Allison Whitt and Katie McRae share their experiences in one of UGA’s most sought-after majors.

Allison Whitt chose PR for its versatility and opportunities in sports.

ALLISON WHITT

Allison Whitt is a second year public relations major with a communications studies minor. She also plans to pursue the sports media certificate through Grady. For Whitt, public relations at Grady was an easy decision. She selected public relations because it was the “best choice” for her to be successful in the future. Moreover, she chose public relations for its versatility. “For public relations you have countless options and that is what I most enjoy about it,” Whitt said. After graduation, she hopes to start her career in the public relations sports field. “However, if I were to change my mind ten years from now I could easily work for a company at a public relations firm and do something completely different,” she said. In addition to its adaptability, Allison loves studying public relations because it teaches her to never settle in life. “I know I will never settle in my life because of the countless opportunities this major will give me in the future,” Whitt said. Her years in Grady will no doubt serve her well in the sports field.

KATIE MCRAE 

Katie McRae chose PR in hopes to work in healthcare media.

Katie McRae was admitted to Grady in the Public Relations Spring 2025 cohort and is excited to begin pursuing her degree in public relations. McRae is also minoring in public health. “Coming into the University of Georgia, I had no idea what my academic and career interests were,” McRae said. “After taking the Grady Career Explorations class and some other exploratory courses, I felt confident that public relations was the best fit for me.” Once she graduates, McRae is interested in working in digital media for a medical or pharmaceutical corporation. “Grady has already provided me with some wonderful opportunities and I am looking forward to continuing to fully utilize all the resources made available to me,” she said. “I am super excited to begin taking upper level public relations courses next semester with my cohort and for the next four semesters in Grady.” The next four semesters will be filled with enriching experiences as she begins her core classes at Grady.

With Grady’s 96% job placement rate for 2022, we are confident that our students will ultimately have a satisfying and successful career. McRae and Whitt’s testimonies are great examples of how students can move through the program and on their way to their career goals in the workplace. Grady College is a renowned school to earn a degree in public relations from, and will set students up for success.