Name: Maddie Fiorante
Year: Senior
Degree/ Major: Public Relations, Communications Studies minor
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
What encouraged you to apply to Grady College?
I was always interested in journalism and communications. I was the nerd in high school who was the school newspaper editor (for two years). When I visited UGA I was so impressed with the AdPR program and all of Grady’s opportunities, I knew I had to be a part of it.
What activities are you involved in at Grady/ UGA?
I am a student-athlete for the UGA Division 1 Equestrian team, I ride in the horsemanship discipline. I was a Yarbrough Fellow last spring, and a Crisis Communications Coalition intern this year. I also attended the Cannes Lions study abroad in 2018.
What kinds of internships or work were you involved in last summer, and what were your responsibilities?
I interned at Nike on their North America Communications team. I assisted with strategies, tactics and messaging on the running and basketball categories. I wrote a lot of coverage reports, mostly on the Giannis shoe launch in Athens, Greece. I also helped develop the Joyride shoe launch as a part of the media relations team from start to finish in Los Angeles, California. Throughout the summer I worked with multiple agencies and cross-functional interns on top-secret projects.
What was a memorable experience from your summer internship?
Being a part of the Joyride launch was the highlight of my summer. Besides the immersive treadmill class, we also took our media on a Santa Monica beach run with Nike trainers and an Olympic track athlete. I loved the hustle of media relations and event run-of-show management, and of course the sunny LA beaches. The best part was coming home wearing a pair of Joyrides before the shoe was available to the public!
What part of your Grady experience (classes, professors, etc.) has been helpful in your internship or work experiences?
Tom Cullen’s PR Communications class absolutely helped me get my internship by understanding how to communicate my experiences and interests. The work I did in his class was extremely relevant to my internship, and I could not have been as impressive to my management team without editing and re-editing my assignments. Also, the Cannes Lions study abroad gave me a broad experience of what global PR strategies look like, and I was able to compare what I had seen to the work I was doing. By already having a high-level understanding and heightened skills in PR, I was able to jump right into the work and be efficient.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering pursuing an AdPR major?
Stay hustling. Push yourself to be successful in school and internships, because everyone is already smart and talented. You have to do more to be a competitive candidate for whatever you want, and there are tons of Grady opportunities to learn and strengthen your skills. It might seem like a grind sometimes, but it will be so beneficial when you figure out how to work well under pressure.
What are your future goals and interests?
I am currently looking for a post-graduation job in PR. I definitely want to be back working at the Swoosh someday!
