It is my pleasure to welcome you to the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. The Grady College is one of the oldest and most distinguished communication programs in the country. Its three departments- journalism, advertising, and public relations and telecommunications - are consistently ranked among the very best in the nation.

In its 18th year, the Georgia Journalism Academy is part of our outreach effort to help students like you further develop your journalism skills. It's also a way for us to showcase our facilities, faculty, staff, and students. At the end of the week, we hope you'll come away with new ideas for your own newspaper, magazine, or broadcast program and an increased understanding of the power of communication. We also hope that Grady College is your top choice when considering colleges.

Our focus on providing the highest possible quality of education drives the Grady College's success and the success of its alumni, some of whom you'll meet this week. You'll also get to know some of our distinguished faculty. Our faculty provide students with the best in professional training and also instill within them a sound understanding of the duties, responsibilities, and obligations they'll have as future journalists and communication professionals within a democracy.

During your stay, I hope you'll discover other aspects of the Grady College, such as the prestigious Peabody Awards, considered by many to be the Pulitzer Prize of broadcast journalism. The College also houses a number of internationally renowned centers and institutes including the James M. Cox Jr. Center for International Mass Communication Training and Research, the James M. Cox Jr. Institute for Newspaper Management, the New Media Institute, the Dowden Center for New Media Studies, and the Michael J. Faherty Broadcast Management Laboratory.

Best wishes for a fun, productive week!

John Soloski, Dean

Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication

You have three primary goals for the week: 1.) to produce a quality piece of journalism to include in your portfolio, 2.) to explore the wonderful resources of the Grady College and UGA and 3.) TO HAVE A BLAST! Remember, school is out for the summer and although this week is about learning, it's also about tapping into your own creativity and further developing your journalism skills.

This year we've made considerable changes to the format of the Academy. We've designed a program where YOU have active roles in producing a publication or broadcast program. The program requires teamwork, editorial decision-making, organizational skills and of course, the ability to MEET DEADLINES. Planning such an intensive program is hard work. The end results of this week will be what you make of it. As an Academy participant, you are part of a team of more than 60 people with a collective mission: to do good journalism, be safe and HAVE FUN!

Janet Jones Kendall, Director

Georgia Journalism Academy