Ralitsa Vassileva didn’t plan on becoming a journalist. Following in the footsteps of her family members, she planned to become a teacher. 

But life doesn’t always go according to plan. Prof. Vassileva witnessed the fall of communism in Bulgaria, contributed to the formation of Bulgaria’s free press and spent over 20 years with CNN International. Now, she shares those experiences with journalism students as an instructor at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. 

Both journalism and teaching require clear communication. In this episode of The Lead, Prof. Vassileva talks about her career, discusses how to become a better communicator for diverse audiences and shares how her passion for communication led her to the complex topic of sustainability. 

With her talent for storytelling and her dedication to the next generation of journalists, Prof. Vassileva brings a lot to Grady and to this episode. 

Check it out:

Caroline Odom is a junior majoring in journalism at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. She is also majoring in risk management and insurance with a certificate in personal and organizational leadership at UGA’s Terry College of Business.