{"229971":{"#nid":"229971","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Making Memories Is Just Part of Job for Writer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EImagine that you\u2019re on the field at Yankee Stadium.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe smell of freshly mown grass surrounds you. You hear the smack of baseballs hitting well-worn leather gloves, fielded by the likes of Tech alumnus Mark Teixeira during warm-up. Welcome to one of Stacy Braukman\u2019s most memorable moments working for the Office of Development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe were there to interview Teixeira for the Campaign Georgia Tech launch video in 2010 \u2014 I still have the press pass,\u201d said Braukman, Campaign writer and editor. \u201cAt one point, I was standing less than five feet away from baseball superstar Mariano Rivera. The whole experience was mind-blowing.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough every day isn\u2019t filled with opportunities to meet baseball greats, Braukman does enjoy the part of her job that allows her to get to know people from across campus and beyond. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSince I\u2019m the primary writer for all things Campaign Georgia Tech, I get to work with everyone \u2014 from development staff to students to donors,\u201d she said. \u201cThe job is very much hands-on and collaborative and gives me an incredible perspective on Tech.\u201d \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecently \u003Cem\u003EThe Whistle\u003C\/em\u003E had an opportunity to learn more about Braukman and her time at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat did you want to be as a child?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EI always wanted to be a veterinarian, but I have a terrible cat allergy. I don\u2019t think I gave it a lot of thought again until middle school, at which point I knew I wanted to be a drummer in an all-girl band. The Go-Go\u2019s were very influential during my adolescence.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat made you decide to work at Tech?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAfter I earned a PhD in history, I knew I did not want to pursue a career in teaching but wanted to remain involved in academia and history. I worked for a few years at the Atlanta History Center, and that\u2019s when I knew I needed something different. There was no plan in mind \u2014 the timing of finding my job at Tech was serendipitous. I was offered my job in 2007.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is the greatest challenge associated with your job?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBeing able to convey people\u2019s stories in compelling, inspirational ways. There are an infinite number of stories out there of people whose lives have been transformed by philanthropy, and of people who are committed to helping make Tech a better place. My challenge is to capture the essence of what makes those people tick \u2014 to really do justice to their stories.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat professional accomplishment are you most proud of? \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWriting my own book and getting it published. In 2012, \u003Cem\u003ECommunists and Perverts under the Palms: The Johns Committee in Florida\u003C\/em\u003E came out to warm reviews and received the Rembert W. Patrick Award from the Florida Historical Society for the best scholarly book on a Florida history topic. The book was based on my dissertation from the 1990s and was a long time in the making. I will be giving a talk and signing books at the Decatur Book Festival on Sept. 1, which I am over the moon about. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat piece of technology could you not live without professionally and personally?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMy LG flip phone. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is your favorite spot on campus?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMy favorite spot is the place where Sideways the dog is buried. I love that Tech has set aside a beautiful little patch of ground for her, and a headstone, in the shadow of Tech Tower.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhere is your favorite place to have lunch, and what do you order?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMy favorite lunch spot is the Highlander in Midtown. I order the patty melt (with a veggie burger instead of hamburger) with fries. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s the best advice you\u2019ve ever received?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003ETake yourself seriously. If you don\u2019t, no one else will. That was from my graduate advisor, and she was right. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIf you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EAbraham Lincoln. I became mildly obsessed with him sometime in elementary school, and that hasn\u2019t really dissipated over the years. The juxtaposition of his humble beginnings, quiet awkwardness, and staggering greatness (plus, it doesn\u2019t hurt to be on the right side of history) is irresistibly intriguing to me. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat do you like to do in your spare time?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI enjoy reading, walking my dogs, and watching sports. I\u2019m trying to become a \u003Cbr \/\u003Ebetter cook. The jury\u2019s still out on that one.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EImagine that you\u2019re on the field at Yankee Stadium.\u0026nbsp;Welcome to one of Stacy Braukman\u2019s most memorable moments working for the Office of Development.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Imagine that you\u2019re on the field at Yankee Stadium."}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2013-08-19 15:31:47","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:14:42","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-08-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2013-08-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"229471":{"id":"229471","type":"image","title":"Stacy Braukman","body":null,"created":"1449243582","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:39:42","changed":"1475894901","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:48:21","alt":"Stacy Braukman","file":{"fid":"197493","name":"stacy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stacy_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stacy_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3724156,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/stacy_0.jpg?itok=esoB2sqb"}}},"media_ids":["229471"],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14992","name":"Office of Development"},{"id":"171287","name":"Stacy Braukman"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amelia.pavlik@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Pavlik\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}