From Aspiring Dreamer to Successful Achieve Atlanta Alum: Isiah’s Journey
College can seem impossible. For many, the journey through higher education is a transformative experience marked by triumphs, setbacks, and moments of profound growth. In today’s blog post, we embark on a voyage through the eyes of an Achieve Atlanta alum who navigated the turbulent seas of college and the transition into his career with courage, resilience, and an unwavering determination to succeed.
Meet Isiah Anderson, a passionate young professional whose journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Isiah has always had a thirst for knowledge and a passion for learning. Growing up in the fast-paced city of Atlanta with little to no postsecondary guidance could discourage even the brightest stars, but Isiah took this as a challenge.
When he graduated from Therrell High School in 2018 and stepped foot on Georgia State University’s Atlanta campus for the first time, both excitement and anxiety filled him. From the beginning, he knew he wanted to major in journalism, so he immediately focused on developing hands-on communications experience, like pitching stories and networking.
The bustling campus became his new home–a place where friendships were forged, ideas were exchanged, and dreams took flight. During his time in college, Isiah traveled abroad to Ireland through GSU’s School of Film, Media & Theatre, where he learned new skills (like directing a film) and obtained a well-rounded outlook on his craft. At the end of his experience, he created a short film to highlight Ireland’s landscape and film tips he learned during his trip. Toward the end of college, he also applied lessons from his coursework and experiences to launch his own podcast, IztheBiz.
Upon graduation in May 2022, Isiah aimed to secure a journalism or communications role within a year. Graduation marked the culmination of years of hard work, growth, and learning. Yet, as a first-generation college graduate, the next phase of adulthood intimidated him, and he felt uncertain about navigating the job market. After taking a break to reset after graduation, he focused on strengthening connections in his network and on LinkedIn.
He received numerous job rejection letters and began to take each one personally, doubting whether he would be able to start his career. He worried about translating his degree into a successful career and feared the unknown challenges ahead. Over time, though, he learned to view them as learning opportunities to strengthen his pursuit of future opportunities. In the end, his job search lasted more than a year, but he embraced this season as an opportunity for growth.
These experiences prepared him for the role he eventually landed as a television inventory specialist at Gray Television, where he strategically places ads, commercials, and breaks into designated programming using the WideOrbit platform.
As he reflects on his job search experience, he has this advice for graduating college students: “Continue networking and putting yourself out there—especially because you’re at the end of your college career. Even when you feel like nothing’s going right, or you want to give up, just remember that there is always a company looking for young, emerging talent. Put your best foot forward, and be willing to take some risks. Even if that means stepping outside of your comfort zone.”
Alongside his primary responsibilities, Isiah leads exposure trips at Gray Television for high school students participating in the Next Gen program (like he did at Therrell), acting as a trailblazer for his peers to follow. This opportunity to create unique student experiences, provide insights into media and broadcasting, and showcase the opportunities college and career can offer has become a full-circle moment for Isiah as a Next Gen alum.
Tips he often offers to his peers and Next Gen students include:
- Be as professional as possible;
- Have faith in yourself and your ability to do great things; and
- Believe in the things you want to achieve in life.
Georgia State served as a critical stepping stone for Isiah by allowing him to stay true to the things he loves—writing, speaking, being in front of crowds, and starting a family legacy as the first to graduate from college. By cultivating skills, a positive mindset, and resilience throughout his story, Isiah realized he could turn his dreams into reality.
As he continues down this path, Isiah hopes to someday launch his own film and television production company that would increase opportunities for underrepresented minorities in the media.
Authored by:
Kaniya Freeman
Kaniya is an Achieve Atlanta Ambassador at Oglethorpe University for the 2024-2025 school year and the Marketing & Communications Intern for Achieve Atlanta. She is majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing and minoring in African American Studies.
Authored by
Achieve Atlanta
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