Danelle Faust (BBA ’95) vividly recalls the smell of the grass in Sanford Stadium. The blistering Georgia sun dried the tears on her face as the stadium sang along to The Star-Spangled Banner. A Georgette and member of the Redcoat Band, Danelle stood on the sidelines next to her best friends as they cheered on the Dawgs. Like many students before and after her, her first football game remains a core memory when reflecting back on her time at UGA. Her time as a student was so formative that Danelle has stayed involved with the university as an alumna.
Finding connection
When Danelle moved from Atlanta to Chicago in 1996, she felt untethered from her Georgia roots. Her twin sister, Danette (BBA ’94), joined the Terry College of Business Alumni Board and encouraged Danelle to do the same to reconnect with campus. Thus, a nearly decade-long relationship with the Terry Alumni Board began.
“It was a good way to get back involved and a catalyst for being back on campus,” Danelle says. “We were able to do a lot of good, and it was so fulfilling to give back and help transform what the Terry College of Business is today.”
From the Terry Alumni Board to the university-wide UGA Alumni Association Board of Directors (of which Danelle has been a part since 2022), she has had the opportunity to improve campus life for both Terry students and students across campus. “It’s been eye-opening to see all that the university does for our student population,” she says.
The breadth of services that the university provides to its students is what opened Danelle’s eyes to the power of giving. “College is a massive expense,” Danelle says. “Being able to help support students get an education – that is our future.”
A new initiative breaks barriers
Unbeknownst to Danelle, members of her friend group, including her twin sister, had become involved with a new UGA philanthropy group called Georgia Women Give. Danelle spotted her friend in the original Georgia Women Give group photo in Georgia Magazine.
Her twin sister, Danette, had also hosted an event for Georgia Women Give in New York. “I was aware of the group anecdotally, but it wasn’t until Stephanie Powell (BSED ’94, MED ’97) called me to talk to me about participating in it, that I really thought about it,” she says. Once again, Danelle’s memories of being a student herself were brought to the forefront of her mind.
When Danelle and her sister, the youngest two of four siblings, were students at UGA, they participated in work-study programs and took out loans to pay for school. This experience was foundational to Danelle’s giving. “The ability to give back to students so they don’t have to worry about paying for school really speaks to me,” she says.
Georgia Women Give is a nationwide group of women committed to philanthropy, community, and of course, the University of Georgia. Its mission to bring women together through philanthropy was one that Danelle cared about deeply, as someone who values female leadership and the unique perspectives women can offer. “Bringing women into spaces that are traditionally male-dominated, whether it be STEM or finance, has always been very important to me,” Danelle explains. “The idea of a group of women coming together and trying to make a difference at our university, as well as providing leadership and perspective through philanthropy, was a very compelling proposition to me.”
“I knew I wanted to be a part of this pioneering effort to have a women-led philanthropy organization at the University of Georgia,” Danelle says.
As the 100th Georgia Women Give donor, Danelle was not alone in finding the mission of the group appealing. As of this writing, there are nearly 112 Georgia Women Give donors who have committed over $2.8 million to scholarships, study abroad support and campus priorities.
For Danelle, giving back to the university isn’t just about monetary donations, but also about having a tangible connection back to the place that had a profound impact on her life.
Whether it’s joining a board, mentoring, getting involved with the local alumni chapter, or donating monetarily, cultivating that bond with the university is something Danelle thinks all alumni can benefit from. And, she emphasizes, it’s not only alumni who benefit from involvement with the larger university community.
“Students are so thirsty for whatever advice or wisdom we can give them,” she says. “They are our future, you know, so it’s our responsibility to help them be the best that they can be.”
Speaking of the future, what does Danelle see for the future of Georgia Women Give? More, more, more: more women involved, more funds supported, and ultimately, more students who will benefit from its members’ generosity.
About, Behind and Between the Hedges