This semester, we continued to expand our Professional Networking Luncheons, giving NMI students the opportunity to connect with professionals in highly sought-after industries over shared meals and meaningful conversation.
This semester’s guests included Sarah Giarratana, Creative Lead with Airbnb, Aniyah Norman, Associate Software Engineer with the Walt Disney Company, and Jennifer Strickland, Social Media Strategist with the USDA.
Guests participated in an informal Q&A with students, moderated by NMI faculty, sharing insights on industry trends, navigating the professional world, and relocating after graduation. Our guests also reflected on the skills they gained at the NMI or in other college coursework that got them to where they are today.
The NMI launched Professional Fridays in 2021 to provide students with opportunities to connect with industry professionals throughout the year. Professional Fridays include our in-state and out-of-state site visits and networking events like Small Talk 101, but the program is anchored by our Spring speaker series that is built into our EM and Certificate professional development courses.
We want to give a huge THANK YOU to our networking luncheon guests, but also to the NMI alumni, Advisory Council members, and industry friends who visited our EM and New Media Industries classes throughout the Spring semester:
👏 Dayne Young
👏 Kendall Lake
👏 Jack Forthman
👏 Crystal Ashbourne
👏 Griffin DeJoy
👏 Pouria Almassi
Thanks to these incredible folks, students gained valuable real-world perspectives, asked meaningful questions, and walked away with a clearer understanding of what their own paths after graduation could look like.
Are you interested in speaking to NMI classes next Spring? Email us at nmi@uga.edu.