Media-enthusiast with a Passion for Fashion

I’m Shelby, a Spring 2023 graduate from the University of Georgia. I received my BA in Journalism from Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication while also double minoring in French and Fashion Merchandising. The art of storytelling is a deep passion of mine, and I’ve learned–and continue to learn–in multiple storytelling mediums.

Before accepted into Grady, I knew I had a gift for writing and a deep love for fashion. In January 2021, I started my second semester of sophomore year as a Fashion Writer and Pop Culture Blog Columnist for Rouge Magazine, one of UGA’s on-campus fashion publications. When I wrote for Rouge Magazine, I experienced the feeling of being published for the first time—it was empowering.

My experience in Rouge allowed me to be accepted in Grady College’s Journalism program, a long-term goal of mine. Since being accepted into Grady, I’ve gained professional and media-related skills that define the journalist I am today and who I want to be in the future.

Within my first semester of Grady, I was published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, a remarkable accomplishment for a first semester journalism student with big dreams. Since then, telling stories has become the way I make my mark on the world. I’ve written stories on a variety of topics, including fashion, culture, beauty and poverty in Athens.

In one of my first Journalism classes, I chose to write about poverty, seeing that it’s an extremely pressing issue in Athens. This allowed me to gain experience in interviewing, fact-checking, meeting deadlines and writing a variety of different types of content.

My passion for telling stories allowed me to branch out and join Strike Magazine Athens, a fashion and culture publication aimed to uplift Gen Z voices through multiple outlets of creativity. My second semester of junior year, I started as a Fashion and Beauty Writer, gaining more experience in AP Style and broadening my knowledge of the fashion and beauty industries. As I learned more, I uncovered some of the dark truths in these industries, opening my eyes to even more ways I can make an impact through writing.

I grew within Strike, starting from a Writer to a Copy Editor, to the Blog Director, lastly the Writing Director. As the Writing Director, I oversaw all of Strike’s written content, including our semesterly magazine, blog and Instagram copy. I enforced magazine deadlines through detailed Excel spreadsheets while also fact-checking, ensuring all writing adheres to AP Style and maintained the Strike brand through page layouts and advertisements.

My time at University of Georgia gave me a foundation in journalistic writing while also expanding my skills in other storytelling methods as well. Through Grady College, I had the opportunity to add different design and social media skills including intermediacy in Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, Microsoft Office, search engine optimization (SEO) and social media/brand marketing techniques.

This summer I had the privilege to enhance my digital marketing skills, working for Turnberry in Miami, Florida. Turnberry is known for their luxurious developments and attractive shopping centers, and I experienced this magic working at their Aventura Mall.

As a Digital Marketing Intern, I used my writing and editing skills to contribute and enhance the mall’s blog and online webpages. I also created content for the mall’s Instagram and Tiktok accounts, which have over 222K and 54K followers, respectively. I also led my first marketing campaign targeting Gen Z consumers as they head back to campus.

As I enter the media industry, I grow more and more confident in my journalistic and marketing abilities. With every new skill I acquire, my deep willingness to learn also continues to grow. With each piece of published content, my anticipation and excitement toward my career dreams will only build. I can’t wait to see the type of storyteller I become.

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