Thanks to the university’s generous donors, the UGA Alumni Association is able to proudly provide financial assistance to the following students and faculty
Each recipient displays UGA’s excellence in the classroom and out in the world. For more information about UGA Alumni Association scholarships and fellowships, please email Hilary Hilgers, hhilgers@uga.edu.
Katelin Brock
Undergraduate Endowed Scholar
Katelin Brock is a first year physics and astronomy major (graduating in 2021), from Jefferson, Georgia. She is extremely interested in her field of study, and has always dreamed of working with NASA, but I would settle for about anything within the realm of physics! She would love to find a way to promote scientific literacy across the nation- even further if possible – she recently started working with a few folks in Physics Education Research in the department as well!
Shawnna Davis
Black Alumni Scholar
Shawnna Davis graduates in the Fall of 2021 and majors in Computer Science. She was born in Maryland but grew up here in Georgia. Her goal, after graduation, is to enter the cybersecurity field, for it is a career path that is constantly growing and shaping the technology we use every day, by helping others protect their data. Shawnna also hopes to help encourage other women to consider computer science related jobs, for they are currently seen as male-dominated professions. She is also involved in UGA’s 7Cups organization, which works to help break the stigma around mental health and offer encouragement to those who are struggling.
Khadar Haroun
Black Alumni Scholar
Khadar Haroun ’18 is a chemistry major from Atlanta. Since he was 11, Khadar has been interested in the field of medicine and has spent countless hours in the hospital, preparing for medical school. He is primarily focused on the field of neuroscience in the field of medicine, helping with research on the correlation between walking speed and brain activity in Emory University’s Neurology Department.
Orobosa Idehen
Black Alumni Scholar
Orobosa Idehen ’20 is a Biology major/French minor who has decided to focus on the neuroscience and plans to one day practice in the medical field. Orobosa plans to use her time in Athens to both broaden her knowledge and share it with younger students in the Athens-Clarke County schools.
Ashton Peter Jones-Doherty
Oxford Study Abroad Scholar
As a Political Science major and Geography minor, after graduation from the University of Georgia, Ashton hopes to enter law school and specialize in International or Constitutional Law. Ashton is currently a member of several organizations at UGA including: the Georgia Political Review (GPR) as a staff writer, business director, and outreach director, the Geography Undergraduate Student Organization (GUSTO) serving as group’s treasurer, and UGA’s branch of the American Society of Law, Medicine, and Ethics (AMSLME). When Ashton is not studying or working with student organizations, he is working on personal writing and having fun with friends. He is from Fayetteville, Georgia.
Maura O’Kane
Endowed Scholar
Maura O’Kane ’18 grew up in Traverse City, Michigan but spent several years in Savannah, Georgia before attending the University of Georgia. Maura is majoring in health promotion and plans on entering into an accelerated nursing degree program after she graduates from UGA before earning her master’s degree and working as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Her other academic interests include psychology and literature, and she enjoys playing soccer and volunteering with her sorority in her spare time.
Rebecca Perdomo
Graduate Endowed Scholar
Rebecca Perdomo ’19 is in the MA/PhD sociology program at UGA. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Central Florida with a double major in philosophy and sociology. Her current area of interest is in sociology of education. Her research aims to understand the sources of racial and gender disparities in the U.S. education system and the outcomes they produce for society at large.
AlSherraé Ray
Endowed Scholar
AlSherraé Ray ’20 is excited to be a part of the Dawg family. She is a Theatre major and dedicated actress. Past credits include “Othello,” “Dreamgirls,” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” In the near future, AlSherraé plans to donate financial support and time to help the Fine Arts department at her high school.
Lindsey Smith
Black Alumni Scholar
Lindsey Smith, from Lithia Springs, Georgia, will graduate in 2021 and is majoring in Biological Sciences. After graduating from UGA, with her degree in Biological Sciences, she intends to enter medical school and then become a Pediatrician. Here at UGA she is involved in UGA MANRRS, Pamoja Dance Company, Georgia Daze, and African Student Union. Lindsey is passionate about high school outreach programs and community service, and she hopes to continue these passions during her time at UGA.
Tamiya Vilma
Black Alumni Scholar
Tamiya is a first year, graduating in May 2021, studying Risk Management and Insurance through the Terry College of Business. She is also intended to study Law, for she hopes to pursue a career in Corporate Law or Tort Law. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, but currently lives in Senoia, Georgia. On campus she is the Treasurer of A Revolution In Sister Empowerment (ARISE), a weekend host for GA Daze, a member of the Caribbean Student Association, and a federal work study student for Peach State LSAMP in the Office of Institutional Diversity. She also enjoys writing poetry in her spare time!
Wangechi (Sarah) Warui
Study Abroad Fellowship
Wangechi Warui has lived in Kennesaw, GA most of her life, but is originally from Nairobi, Kenya. She is a third year student at UGA studying International Affairs and Journalism. She is Managing Editor for Infusion Magazine and Outgoing Volunteer Manager for AIESEC UGA. Upon graduation, Wangechi plans to become a Double Dawg and get her master’s degree in International Affairs. Her life’s goal is to become a future political or international correspondent. She hopes to use this platform and experience to uplift the stories of mis– or underrepresented groups around the world.
Lena Wayson
Endowed Scholar
Lena Wayson ’19 graduated from Oconee County High School in 2015 and despite earning many credit hours through dual enrollment at UGA, she is ecstatic to finally call herself a full-time Dawg. She is majoring in biology and psychology, hoping to satisfy both pre-med and pre-law requirements in order to combine her interests in psychiatry with criminal justice. A dedicated dancer, Lena spends her free time at DanceFX Athens, instructing young people and taking classes in various dance techniques.
Affinity Partner
