Boundless Adventures

Emory alumna Christine Crais 18C enjoyed a truly Barbie moment this summer. She works as a creative executive for filmmaker Greta Gerwig and served as a co-producer for Warner Bros. Entertainment’s blockbuster "Barbie," which broke box office records in its opening week and rolled on to ever-increasing heights in the weeks to follow.

Crais is the daughter of two Emory faculty members, professor of history Clifton Crais and professor of women’s, gender and sexuality studies Pamela Scully. The young alumna has drawn upon her diverse interests — she majored in Italian studies and classical civilizations — to work in show business.

She shared three photos of herself from this whirlwind summer, one that features her posing in front of a Barbie display in Leicester Square, another of her riding with Greta Gerwig on the way to the London premiere and a final one that gives us a peek at her work behind the scenes of the movie.

Photos courtesy of Christine Crais

Seven undergraduate students participated in Emory’s Pathways Center eight-week pilot internship in the media and entertainment industry this summer in Los Angeles.  

The cohort program was the brainchild of Scott Garner 92C, adjunct assistant professor of psychology and film and media at Oxford and Emory Colleges, who spent 25 years in the entertainment industry. 

Along with Michele Schreiber, associate professor and chair of Emory’s film and media department, Garner helped students find internships in their preferred content areas, such as development, creative and market research. The Pathways Center provided communal housing and cost-of-living stipends to supplement each intern’s pay. 

Garner served as an on-the-ground faculty member who assigned readings and organized weekly lectures on the cohort theme of diversity and inclusion in media. Lecturers included high-level executives from companies such as Disney and several Emory alumni now working in entertainment. 

In addition to their intern work at L.A.-based companies, the students got to go on a number of field trips, including excursions to Disney and Warner Bros.’s backlot studios. 

“[At the Warner Bros. lot], we learned a lot about the background of film and how this is one of the oldest facilities in Hollywood,” says Jayden Davis 25B 26C, who interned with Blumhouse as a TV post-production intern over the eight-week period. 

“The most fulfilling aspect of the overall experience would have to be the valuable connections and lessons I gained from industry professionals,” Davis says. “Hearing that my path to success might not be as linear as I initially expected really put to rest many of the concerns I had about going in the entertainment industry.” 

Derek Newton 22Ox 24C, who had been a student of Garner’s at Oxford College, served as both an intern and TA for the cohort. “I hope to be an editorial or production assistant to start, but at this phase in my career, as long as I’m working in a creative and healthy environment, I’ll be a happy guy,” he says. 

Maylee O’Brien 23Ox 25C spent the summer immersed in TV market research with Screen Engine. While she enjoyed her work and could see it as a career, O’Brien is now planning to look for an internship in development or project management while also finding on-campus creative outlets to replace being president of the Oxford College Film Club. 

“I feel like I’ve found the right industry, and the summer helped me consider what might be the right niche,” O’Brien says. “I’d never been to Los Angeles before, so this is work I could never have imagined without the Pathways program. 

Photos courtesy of the Emory Pathways Center

After graduating from Oxford College this past spring, rising junior Tianyi Zhang 25C traveled to Tibet on vacation. He took these gorgeous photographs that showcase the natural wonders of the remote, mountainous region.

“There has always been a relentless yearning to travel to Tibet,” Zhang writes. “This wouldn’t be a mere getaway, but respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life — an exploration of a culture steeped in spirituality and traditions, amidst nature’s stunning handiwork.”

Experiencing the cultural and religious fabric of Tibet, deeply imbued with Tibetan Buddhism, was an illuminating journey. He found the calm and devout lifestyle of the Tibetan people to be not just a way of life, but an enduring testament to their unwavering faith.

“My exploration of the numerous temples and sacred sites, including Drepung Monastery, Baiju Temple and the illustrious Potala Palace provided a unique opportunity to witness this spirituality firsthand,” Zhang writes.

Photos by Tianyi Zhang

The Emory Eagles men’s swimming and diving team was invited to the White House as part of the first-ever College Athlete Day, a celebration of excellence across collegiate sports in all NCAA divisions. The team won a NCAA Division III championship for the second year in a row in 2023 (and the third time in team history).

The celebration at the White House took place on the south lawn against the backdrop of the nation’s capital, adding a layer of surreal feeling for attendees. Vice President Kamala Harris, NCAA President Charlie Baker and Texas women’s volleyball player Logan Egglestone each offered remarks.

“The best way to put it is that getting this invite was a blur,” says Lawrence Redmond 23C. “We got the initial invite from Coach [Jon] Howell to gauge interest and received the full details about a week later. When we got the official letterhead email from the White House, I was starstruck.”

Will O’Daffer 23B originally heard about the invitation from a teammate — and thought it was a joke. “Once I got past that, I was just really excited,” he says. “Receiving that type of recognition gave me a tremendous sense of gratitude to the people who got me there along the way.”

“I just can’t thank the Emory faculty, staff and coaches enough for their support and for making this happen. This is something that almost no one gets to experience,” Redmond says. “I can’t thank everyone enough for all their support throughout my four years and I’m still humbled by my experiences.”

For the athletes who graduated with the Class of 2023, this trip afforded them one last hurrah with those they’ve spent years swimming beside. For those returning to Emory in the fall, it’s certain to serve as motivation to get back into the pool.

“For myself, this is just one of many enriching opportunities I’ve gotten from this team,” says O’Daffer. “I felt a lot of gratitude this last week, having this experience and realizing this is such a cool way to end things. When people ask me if I’m glad that I went to Emory, I say it’s the best decision I ever made. This is the experience that everyone will want to hear about, but there are so many more that were also extremely meaningful to me and so many people I met along the way that I am deeply grateful for,” he adds.

Photos by Eugene Soh

Emory College student Eva Roytburg 24C worked for two months traveling throughout Israel and writing articles for the Jerusalem Post as an intern. She racked up a ton of cultural experiences — and published bylines.

“I ended up being on Page 1 four times — in total, I had 16 articles published,” Roytburg says. “I wrote about concerts, families in the Arab sector of Nazareth who experienced a terrible wave of murders, Orthodox protests against a new train, the experiences of Russian immigrants to Israel, the anniversary of Israel’s biggest market and so much more. I was very lucky to have mentors guiding me who pushed me to publish.”

Her biggest stories involved the civic protests against the passing of the “reasonableness bill” that put historic new limits on Israel’s Supreme Court to check the balance of power within the nation’s government. She covered the demonstrations that started out small – some 500 to 600 people, she estimates – and followed the protestors during their march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as their numbers grew into the tens of thousands. 

Roytburg’s articles on the protests made Page 1 of the paper twice, including once at the top of the page as the “leadall story,” she says. “It was an incredible experience!” 

Photos courtesy of Eva Roytburg

Frank Gaertner, senior associate director of academic advising for Emory College, traveled to India and South Korea this summer to meet with Emory students and alumni. He writes:

“My team and I oversee academic advising for all international students in Emory College. I have the best job. I spent two weeks in Mumbai and Seoul, where colleagues and I presented our Passport to Emory program to welcome incoming undergraduate and graduate students to Emory.”

“During my free time, I had meals with current students, alumni and parents to see their home cities through their eyes. These are my favorite two weeks of the year. I caught up with alumni whom I hadn’t seen in years, learned about some upcoming alumni marriages and spent some time with Korean men who will be taking a leave of absence to complete their mandatory military service over the next two years.”

“I’m already missing the delicious food, the beautiful nighttime skylines, mangoes and, most of all, the warmth and generosity of the friends with whom I met. Thanks again to everyone for your hospitality and kindness. See you again next year!”

Photos courtesy of Frank Gaertner

Sophie Kalmin 26C, a rising sophomore, spent her summer in Austin, Texas, as an intern at the Texas State Capitol.

“I worked for a state representative last month and now I’m finishing out the semester working for a state senator. I can’t wait to come back to Atlanta in the fall and hear all about what amazing things other Emory students are up to.”

Photo courtesy of Sophie Kalmin