Wishing our friends, alumni, faculty and students a happy holiday season!  Thanks for all you do to make our department great.  If you didn’t receive it already, we also thought you might enjoy reading a letter written by one of our proud alumna, Tucker Berta Sarkisian (ABJ ’00), who is currently the PR Director for SweetWater Brewing Company.  

Many students had the pleasure of hearing Ms. Sarkisian speak during AdPR week this fall.  Her enthusiasm for what she is doing now is contagious and a great reminder to current students, that their hard work at Grady College is so important to gaining a foundation they will use forever.  If Ms. Sarkisian inspires you to give a little back to AdPR, please click on the donate link on the top right of our blog.  We are most appreciative of any amount and will use it directly for student enrichment programs that contribute to the excellence of our program.   

Dear Fellow AdPR Alumni, 

After a recent visit to Athens, where I spent time lecturing to bright and engaged students during the AdPR Week celebration at Grady College, I have a renewed passion for investing in the future of our profession. I am writing to challenge you, as a valued member of our alumni body, to join me and do more to grow the Advertising and Public Relations program at our alma mater.   

I give to Grady College, through the Advertising and Public Relations Excellence Fund, out of loyalty to my alma mater, and with the knowledge that financial support from alumni has several important benefits.  Colleges that can show that a high percentage of their alumni are donors of any amount, have better chances for receiving grants and external foundation support. Large foundation support equals a better program, a higher ranked college, and a more competitive student body. This is in addition to the more obvious benefits of providing increased resources and opportunities for the students who have followed us.  

Before you go thinking I give because of my altruistic nature, let me explain: The better the AdPR program at Grady, the more valuable my degree. UGA positioned me for success in every career move I’ve made, from magazine editor to director of public relations. Grady professors did a phenomenal job of honing my creative skills. I still use tactics learned in advertising classes for brainstorming, crafting a witty tagline, and creating effective brand design. I use advice from public relations and newswriting professors about giving verbal and written statements to the press. Most importantly, because of my Grady AdPR education, I take on challenges with confidence that I was provided as solid a foundation for success as anyone in my field.   

So, what’s that worth?   More than the monthly gift I make, but Grady assures me that my dollars are contributing to the College’s growth and success by supporting student scholarships and opportunities, faculty development and research and state-of-the-art learning facilities.  I’m proud of that.  

I hope that by sharing my belief in the importance of annual giving, I’ll influence other Grady AdPR alumni to join me in contributing.  Give to the AdPR Excellence Fund  because you’re generous, because you want that AdPR degree on your resume to become even more impressive, or because you want all the free barbeque you can eat at the Grady Homecoming tailgate each year, a benefit of Second Century Club membership. Big or small, your gift to your home department cements your relationship with today’s and tomorrow’s students and maintains the excellence of our Department of Advertising and Public Relations. 

Thanks and Go Grady Dawgs,

Tucker Berta Sarkisian (ABJ ’00)

PR Director, SweetWater Brewing Company