Morgan Hardy, though a newcomer to journalism as she still paves her path at UGA, is already making progress as a journalist and at only 24 she has shown that the new generation of journalist are coming in hot.

“We’re not just talking, we’re real people” Hardy says as she explains the different ways that not only she, but her fellow peers are adding character into journalism. “I get a lot of inspiration from new reporters- a lot of new news reporters my age are changing the game.”

Journalism has always been a dream career of Hardys and though she started off in different majors, she still made her way back to the art of communication. Although Hardy may have been born in an era where AI and other new technologies are slowly taking over, she hasn’t let that hold her back and she states that in the future we’ll “go back to the beginning and start over”

“What they saw first hand was very hard to swallow,” Hardy has already impacted her community with her empathy, reaching out to the grieving community of Apalachee High School, where journalism gets emotional. “Having the ability to focus even when interviewing about serious topics is one of the toughest parts.”

“That’s when you lean on your friends and other journalist you’re working with.” The relationship not only with other forms of journalism but also the different creators who may just be right next to you are there to provide you some sort of guidance to produce work that brings communities together. If journalism is a form of communication than the effort that goes into that conversation must be applied “kinda making them feel very important , not just having a camera staring them down.”

Hardy depicts journalism as many different subjects, but the fear or anxiety of switching from one type to another is real. “You won’t know until you try” said Hardy.

There is no true way to stay prepared, every experience is different, but as long as one is willing to apply themselves to the cause anything is possible.

Hardy states that “all forms of journalism are very similar” These contributions, whether big or small, come together to create a positive impact on journalism as a whole. “It helped me a lot learning about journalism as a whole and why it means so much to each other to make one big piece.”

Born to an immigrant family I was taught to to work hard and keep my head in the books. with little room for mistake. I went from gifted classes once a week to the #1 public school in Georgia, and since then academic accomplishments have not only been an expectation but a part of day to day life. Because of this my free time was filled with STEM clubs and technology camps instead of things I felt interesting.