The Moody Experience: A’nysha Fortenberry

A’nysha Fortenberry, a senior in the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations, grew up in Los Fresnos, a small farm town in south Texas.

Although her hometown population is only slightly larger than the undergraduate enrollment at the Moody College of Communication, she has thrived on the Forty Acres. Fortenberry describes Moody College as a “big creative family.”

“The atmosphere Moody has created has impacted me because it’s a really collaborative atmosphere,” said Fortenberry, who is poised to become the first in her family to receive a college degree when she graduates from Moody College in May. 

“My family is super proud,” she said. “It’s just a whole family affair to see me come to UT and make sure I got here -- and make sure I stay here.”

After graduation, she plans on pursuing a career in media as a communications strategist.

“Diversity in the industry is important to me because I feel like if people are not represented in the backend, you see it in the frontend,” Fortenberry said. “If there are no women of color in your team, there’s probably not going to be women of color in your ads. And I think the next generation deserves to see themselves on TV.”

She has already taken steps while at The University of Texas at Austin to make those ideals a reality. Fortenberry is a member of campus organizations such as the African-American Cultural Committee, the Fearless Leadership Institute, an academic, professional and personal development initiative for women of color and Diversity in Advertising and PR where she helped plan the first Diversifying the Industry Conference last year.