What do TEDxUGA, radio contests, and Snelling all have in common? Claire Bertram, a third year student from Peachtree City, Georgia. Read on to learn more about Claire and what she does on campus!
Claire hails from Peachtree City, which she calls “the land of golf carts,” and is in her third year at the University of Georgia. Once she graduates from UGA with her Entertainment and Media Studies major, a New Media certificate, and a theater minor, she plans to work in TV production. “My dream is to work for NBC Universal,” Claire said. “I produced a short film last year, and I really like producing. I like telling people what to do!”
Currently on campus, Claire is the Student Council President for TEDxUGA and the Undergraduate Program Assistant for the New Media Institute. She’s also the art director for a short film called The American Myth, which has been a new and exciting role for her. “We’ve been on set for twelve hours at a time,” laughed Claire. “It’s pretty nuts.” She is also a Young Life leader at Oconee County Middle School.
Although she does have other obligations, TEDxUGA is definitely what takes up most of Claire’s time. TEDxUGA is our university’s independently organized TED event. For those unfamiliar with the term, a “TED talk” is a brief talk that urges audiences to adopt an idea worth spreading. TED technically stands for technology, entertainment, and design, but a TED talk can really be about any big idea. As president of the Student Council, Claire helps to oversee everything that happens with the fall Student Idea Showcase and the spring TEDxUGA official event. She took over as president her sophomore year because the program director wanted someone who would be around for a few years, and eager freshman Claire fit the bill perfectly.
Naturally, when I asked her if she had a favorite TED talk, she had trouble picking one. “I think I’ve reached the point where every time I see a new TED talk I think, this is my new favorite TED talk!” That being said, there are still a couple that stick out to her: The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown and Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are by Amy Cuddy. Claire loves the Amy Cuddy talk because it says not to fake it until you make it, but to “fake it until you are it, fake it until you become what you’re faking, because that’s what I’ve kind of done my entire college career.” This message is probably true for most of us.
Claire’s favorite UGA memories involve “Snellebrating” with her freshman hall. “We would pile into my RA’s car, like 8 of us in her Honda Civic, and just blast songs like Party in the USA.” Post-midnight breakfast food is a staple of UGA’s freshman experience, and Claire was no exception. When it’s time to work, she like to study either in the cubicles on the third floor of the MLC or at Two Story Coffeehouse.
When asked for a fun fact, Claire was instantly ready. “My friends always tell me that I’m really lucky because I randomly win radio contests and email contests,” she said. “I’ve won tickets to Music Midtown, I’ve won skydiving, tickets to see Late Night with Seth Myers, and signed posters. My theory is that nobody thinks they’re going to win those contests, so no one tries…and it works in my favor.”
Want to see Claire in action, or more importantly, hear ten amazing students share their ideas worth spreading onstage? The TEDxUGA Student Idea Showcase is coming up on Wednesday, November 9th at 7pm in Tate Theater.