#MeetTheClass: George Hamilton III, '27 M.S.

Where are you from and what program are you pursuing? 

I am from Los Angeles, California, and I am pursuing an M.S. Degree. Specifically, I am from the Harbor City/Carson area, which is about 20-25 minutes from Downtown Los Angeles.

What inspired you to attend Columbia Journalism School? 

It actually wasn’t a “what,” but more so “who” at first. My godmother, other close family members, coworkers, and friends actually wanted me to attend Columbia Journalism School. Back in March when I was accepted to Columbia, they were the last school to send me a decision letter. I understood that CJS is the best graduate journalism program in the country, so I was patient about the wait, but anxious as well. Honestly, when I logged into the admissions portal to see I was accepted, I was shocked, not because I didn’t see myself as a good journalist, but because I was working in an entirely new field two years removed from graduating with my B.A. in Journalism. However, the inspiration was pretty simple – many prominent journalists and other communications professionals, both past and present, have walked through Pulitzer Hall. I wanted to be among the next group to walk through these halls, and I also had plenty of classmates and a former professor from Howard attend CJS, so the decision was easy. Columbia also provided me with the most scholarship money among the four schools, so I decided to pay the enrollment fee to attend CJS on my birthday, April 4.

After the J-School what would you like to do? 

After graduating from Howard University two years ago, I have been interning and working in sports public relations/communications, so I would be lying to myself if I did not say that I would want to return to that side of the industry. However, my first love was journalism, back when I was a kid, watching ESPN on TV and seeing Stuart Scott on SportCenter before bed. No matter how much the business has changed over the last five to ten years, I love telling sports stories because it is one of the few pastimes that can bring people together. Whether it is the athletes and their lives when they are not playing, the business of sports, or lifelong fans who have seen every high and low while rooting for their team, I want to be one of the prominent journalists covering those stories. I have honestly gotten used to being away from home, so I believe I can tell these stories from just about anywhere in the country for any publication.

What is your favorite activity/location in NYC so far? 

I am a sports fanatic, so I have already gone to a New York Liberty game. I am supposed to go to a New York City Football Club game on Friday (September 4th), and I want to go to a Yankees game before the season is over, in addition to other sporting events when the NFL and NBA seasons begin. Besides sports, I like going to parks to play soccer, walk around, or just people-watch while listening to music or a podcast. The main parks I have gone to since arriving at Columbia are Riverside Park, Morningside Park, The Battery, and Brooklyn Bridge Park, although I want to explore more parks throughout the five boroughs during my time at Columbia.