Kendall Trammell has taken experiential learning to the limit with six internships and a study abroad trip to Spain. Throw in two bachelor’s degrees and a few honors and awards, and it turns into a remarkable undergraduate journey.
Hometown:
Newnan, Ga.
High School:
East Coweta High School
Degree objective:
Bachelor of Arts in journalism (digital/broadcast journalism); Bachelor of Arts in political science; Spanish minor
Expected graduation:
May 2016
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
—2016 New York Times Student Journalism Institute: Selected as one of 26 students to cover news in New York City under the supervision of reporters and editors from The New York Times.
—Conducted mobile video research through the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities.
—2015 McGill Fellow for Journalistic Courage.
—2015 Cox-Society of American Business Editors and Writers Fellow.
—2015 Online News Association Student Newsroom: Selected as one of 20 students to produce content for the organization’s website before and during the conference in Los Angeles.
—Studied abroad in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain, through UGA en España and the Honors International Scholars Program.
—2015 Cox-Poynter media leader.
—2015 vice president of UGA’s Online News Association/Society of Professional Journalists.
—Interned with Voice of America-English TV to Africa through the Honors in Washington Program.
—Additional internships with CNN, 11Alive, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, HomeTown News Inc., rollingout.com.
—Produced and reported for Grady Newsource.
—Worked for The Red & Black as site migration committee member, senior reporter, news editor, associate news editor and student government beat reporter.
Current Employment:
—Student worker at the Terry College of Business Diversity Relations Office
—CNN.com homepage intern
Family Ties to UGA:
I’m the first from my family to attend UGA. But my younger sister Brianna will tell you that she was the first one in our family to cheer on the Bulldogs. I learned from her.
I chose to attend UGA because…
…it was hard to ignore how affordable attending UGA would be, so my mom and I planned our first college visit. Later on that evening, I went home really feeling as if UGA had so many opportunities for me to succeed here. There was no need to see any other schools after that, so I only applied to UGA. Looking back on it now, I really don’t think any other school could replace the excitement I felt when I saw the fireworks appear on my computer screen after being accepted.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
… all things that involve winning free UGA swag at athletic events. I’ve won everything from free pizza to T-shirts to a new flat screen TV. It’s as easy as cheering on the Bulldogs.
When I have free time, I like…
… to embrace my inner workout junkie and go to the gym. I can always watch an episode of “Criminal Minds” no matter how many times I’ve seen it. I also have a list of podcasts I like to listen to on a regular basis.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
… take an impromptu 24-hour trip to New York City during my internship in Washington. I got off work and bought a bus ticket to the Big Apple. I saw my first Broadway musical, “Les Misérables,” and walked through Manhattan for six hours before taking a cab back to the hotel. I slept for four hours, only to wake up and roam more of the city before my bus ride back to Washington.
My favorite place to study is…
… my parents’ house. My dad is an excellent cook. Sometimes, I’ll sit by the fireplace to study, and he’ll bring me a few study snacks. Shrimp scampi, anyone?
My favorite professor is…
… a number of professors. I can’t pick one. In Grady, Dodie Cantrell, David Hazinski and Keith Herndon each played a role in preparing me for the journalism industry. Chris Shumway provided me the beginning skills of video shooting and editing. Bart Wojdynski was a great mentor who supported me through my mobile video research. SPIA professors Brittany Bramlett, Audrey Haynes and Charles Bullock will be the professors I credit for enriching my interests in urban politics, the media’s role in government and Southern politics. In the Spanish department, Inma Garnes and Anita Picas encouraged me not to be self-conscious of my Spanish. All of these professors have challenged me to grow as an individual.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
… Beyoncé. No explanation needed.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
… take modern dance classes. I found my love for dance when I auditioned for my first high school musical. I was picked as dance captain for the musicals thereafter. I never had the time to learn more about the different styles of dance, but I’ve always been drawn to modern dance. YouTube wasn’t a bad teacher to get me this far though.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to…
… travel to Vietnam with my mom, who was born there and hasn’t been back since she and her family left during the Vietnam War. My mom made sure my sister and I didn’t neglect our Vietnamese culture when we were growing up. I still have yet to master the language but hopefully that could be a part of the trip along with meeting some of our relatives who still live there.
After graduation, I plan to…
… board a plane to New York City to work in the New York Times Student Journalism Institute as a reporter. When I return in June, I will start my first full-time job at Cox Media Group’s Rare.us, a national news and entertainment site, as a shareable content specialist in Atlanta and Washington. On an average workday, I will produce creative content that is specifically created for social media and mobile platforms.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
… studying abroad in Spain and meeting an incredible group of people. From having picnics in the park in Madrid to studying for finals on the beaches of Barcelona, I learned so much not only about the Spanish culture but myself as well. This was my first time traveling abroad and a dream of mine to travel to Spain. I challenged myself to try new foods, talk to people who spoke better Spanish than me and rely less on my cellphone and more on my eyes, ears and feet to guide me through my experience.