John and Suzanne Lastinger give UGA students their daily bread

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By: Charles McNair

Each trip they make from their home in Valdosta to the University of Georgia campus, John Lastinger (BA ’84) and his wife, Suzanne, see hundreds of students. Some of those promising young people have hot meals thanks to the Lastingers. In 2024, the couple worked with UGA to establish the John and Suzanne Lastinger Family Scholarship Fund to subsidize meal plans for students. 

“The idea was to fund a scholarship that gives three square meals a day to Bulldogs in need,” John said. “Suzanne and I are simple folks from south Georgia, and that plan really resonated with us. We felt like we could make a difference.”   

Showing their love

The Lastingers’ scholarship is a material expression of their abiding love for UGA, a bond long in the making. 

John Lastinger makes a play against Texas in 1980.

John led the Dawgs to a major upset against the Texas Longhorns in the 1980 Cotton Bowl game.

In the early 1980s, John started at quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs under Coach Vince Dooley. He led the team to a Southeastern Conference championship in 1982 and an appearance in the 1983 Sugar Bowl against Penn State. Famously, John also scored the winning touchdown against a heavily favored Texas Longhorns team in the 1984 Cotton Bowl, one of the biggest upsets in Bulldog history.  

John and Suzanne’s daughter, Lindsay Sterry, carried on the family tradition, earning her BA in 2015 in Exercise & Sports Science. All that Bulldog love was in the room when the Lastingers met in 2024 with representatives from UGA. 

“We sat down and reviewed an impressive list of ways we could give back to Georgia,” John said. “It was almost like a menu – academic scholarships and post-graduate scholarships and so much more.” 

The Lastingers had been donors to the Terry College of Business, UGA sports programs, and the Redcoat Marching Band. Now, though, they saw a long-term opportunity to help that deeply spoke to them. John has supported the Boys & Girls Clubs of Valdosta for three decades. A goal of that organization is outreach to feed Valdostans in need. John’s sensitivity to hunger issues, along with his and Suzanne’s whole-hearted love for UGA, led to the new scholarship in their names. 

 “It’s just hard for me to imagine life without Athens and UGA,” John said. “It’s way more than just the football – it’s the university, the people I’ve met, the continuing relationships from college. 

“Suzanne and I consider that our giving helps students who will someday love UGA just as much as we do. That feels like the right thing to do.” 

A UGA career path

John and Suzanne grew up in Valdosta, where both their families go back generations. They met at a friend’s wedding party in 1986 and married in 1989. Soon, they were parents to Lindsay and Jake, their son. Suzanne majored in interior design at Converse College in Spartanburg, S.C., graduating in 1989 … “but I feel like I went to UGA, I’ve spent so much time there with John,” she laughed. 

John, Suzanne and their family cheer for the Dawgs.

John, Suzanne and their family cheer for the Dawgs.

John left football behind after graduation. (“Too many knee surgeries,” he explained.) In December 1984, he started at WGXA TV as a sportscaster in Macon. 

“I got a 2 p.m.-to-midnight reporting shift,” he said. “My Macon friends worked 8 to 5, so I never saw them. I knew pretty quickly I did not want to do this with my life.” 

 After a few unsettled years, John met a man on the golf course – he loves golf, and boasts a handicap of 6 – who worked with Robinson-Humphrey, a southeast regional brokerage firm. That round turned into a job in 1992 … and a career.  

Start giving back early

John has now worked 34 years as a financial advisor. Today, he is with Stifel, a St. Louis-based financial services giant with 135 years of service and 400-plus offices in the United States. The stability and UGA network connections have given John and Suzanne the means, and the perspective, to support the school they love. 

“My advice for anyone who loves UGA,” John said, “is to start giving early. Even when you think you can’t, you can start the process.” 

 He continues, “I know so many people like me who have the deepest love for UGA – and it’s for the people and what the school stands for, not just the buildings or the football stadium.  

 “If you feel that same way, you don’t have to wait. There’s a way to contribute, even if you feel you aren’t yet in perfect financial position. You’ll look back one day and say, Gosh, I could have given more along the way.” 

Support UGA Students

Good days ahead — alumni couple supports UGA’s future

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By: Halleigh Woods 

While many view college as the best time of their lives, the Beachams believe the good days are far from over. For Matt (BBA ’09, MACC ’11) and Adrianne (BBA ’10, MACC ’11) Beacham, the University of Georgia and the Terry College of Business have always been more than just a school. The college has served as a launchpad for their careers, a strong network of support, a lasting community and the place where they began building their life together.  

The couple credits Terry with not only laying the foundation for their relationship and careers but also inspiring them to stay engaged and give back. Today, they regularly speak to classes, mentor students and seek out opportunities to hire fellow Bulldogs. Matt has served as chair of the Terry Young Alumni Board, and Adrianne makes an annual visit to Professor Tina Carpenter’s Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination class, where she presents a “Top Ten” list of career lessons alongside her company’s president. 

“It is understandable to think you need to be further along in your career before you start giving back, but there are so many ways to stay engaged,” Matt says. “There are so many meaningful opportunities for young alumni to stay connected and make an impact. Whether that’s through giving financially, mentoring, speaking to students or getting involved with a local alumni chapter.”  

Matt and Adrianne attend the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship in Atlanta.

Matt and Adrianne attend the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship in Atlanta.

The couple agrees that one of the simplest ways young alumni can start contributing is through recurring giving, like the Ten for Terry campaign “It is such an easy way to make a meaningful impact,” Adrianne says. “Ten dollars a month might not seem like much, but when we all participate, it adds up to real support for students and programs.” 

That spirit of collective impact reflects the Beachams’ broader passion for creating pathways for future students. “Donor dollars help build buildings, fund scholarships and provide access to programs that Terry otherwise could not offer,” Matt shares. “We want students to have even better opportunities than we had.” 

Adrianne experienced the power of those opportunities and the UGA alumni network firsthand when she landed an internship at Coca-Cola Enterprises following her undergraduate graduation. There, she met the CFO, Bill Douglas, who encouraged her to pursue a career in public accounting, going so far as to connect her with EY, where she spent the next five years.  

Matt also shared that every career opportunity he has pursued has included a UGA connection in some way. He began his career in public accounting as well, working at Frazier and Deeter in Atlanta, subsequently exploring entrepreneurial ventures in retail, accounting and the beverage industry. 

Eventually, both Matt and Adrianne were ready for a change, and the Classic City called them home again. 

Matt and Adrianne Beacham attend the UMass vs. UGA game in November 2024.

Matt and Adrianne Beacham attend the UMass vs. UGA game in November 2024.

“We were at the G-Day game when we ran into some of our former professors,” Adrianne recalls. “Margaret Christ and Tina Carpenter told me about a job opening at Stadion Money Management, where I’ve had the opportunity to work in various roles over the last nine years. Once again, that opportunity came directly through our alumni network.” 

Today, Matt is focused on growing his new beverage venture as co-founder of GoodDays Classic Cocktails, a ready-to-drink canned cocktail brand made with real spirits and fruit juice.  

Since getting the business started in early 2023, he’s been hands-on in every part of the business, from formula creation to distribution, and continues to lean on mentors like Bill Douglas, a connection they trace back to Adrianne’s Coca-Cola Enterprises internship. 

After benefiting from UGA’s strong network throughout every stage of their careers, giving back to the university that helped launch it all felt like a natural next step. Today, the Beachams are focused on paying it forward, giving back with their time, talent and treasure, helping current students tap into the same support and connections that shaped their own journeys. 

Matt’s advice to fellow alumni, whether just starting out or well established in your career: “Get involved, build relationships and grow your network, because you never know what resources or connections might be helpful as you progress in life.” 

The Beachams are proof that the UGA experience does not end at graduation. From Athens to Atlanta and back again, they are making good days happen for themselves and others, one Bulldog connection at a time. 

Begin your giving journey with UGA

Alumna mentor guides students to shared success

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An interview with Intel CTO Greg Lavender (BS ’83)

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This story was originally published on the Franklin College website on Nov. 20, 2024.

While on campus in November, UGA School of Computing students had the opportunity to network with distinguished alumnus Greg Lavender (BS ’83). Lavender’s Dr. Jeffrey W. Smith Undergraduate Scholarship recipient Hannah Le conducted a one-on-one interview with Lavender.

Q: What’s your favorite memory from your time at the University of Georgia?
A: Oh, that’s a good question! I actually never went to a single football game while I was at UGA. I was always in the computer labs — very geeky, you know? My favorite memory would be a pretty funny one. I had this huge final exam in a computer science class, and it was during the winter semester. It was freezing cold, and I was studying late, wrapped up in my electric blanket, just sleeping away.

Then my phone rang — this buzzing sound that annoyed me, so I ignored it at first. Finally, I woke up and answered it. It was one of my friends calling to ask if I was going to make it to the exam. I looked at my watch, and it was already 8:15 a.m.! The exam had started at 8:00, and I had overslept by three hours! I panicked, threw some water on my face, got dressed, and rushed to campus. I couldn’t find a parking spot, so I parked in the faculty lot and ran into the exam room. I told the proctor I had a flat tire — he believed me — and then I took the exam. I finished in 35 minutes, scored a perfect 100, and passed the course. It was a moment of pure panic followed by relief. I still look back at it as one of my favorite memories because it was such an intense experience, and I never overslept for an exam again!

Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of and why?
A: I think I’m most proud of my time as a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. I supervised a lot of students over the years, and many of them have gone on to do amazing things in the tech industry. Some of them are now making more money than I ever will! But the real pride comes from seeing them succeed. I always say that while I’m proud of my own accomplishments, I’m even prouder of the accomplishments of my students.

Q: What advice would you give to current students?
A: My advice is simple: Don’t be afraid to take risks, but make sure they are calculated risks. A lot of people play it safe, but if you’re passionate about something, you have to commit to it fully — even if that means sacrificing other things for a while. Focus on becoming an expert in one area that truly excites you. In computer science, you get the chance to dive deep into certain technologies or fields. Who knows, maybe that focus will put you at the forefront of the next big thing. Just don’t waste time on easy problems — take on the hard ones. Those are the ones that push you to grow.

Q: You mentioned taking a big risk in your career. Can you elaborate?
A: Sure! One of the biggest risks I took was leaving a well-paying job to go back to school for my Ph.D. I had a great career going, and I was well-established, but I felt like I needed more advanced knowledge. I wanted to be the person who didn’t have to say much, but when I did speak, it was something important. People with Ph.D.s were the ones being respected in academic and professional circles, so I decided to go back to school. It wasn’t easy — I had three years of work experience under my belt, but I finished my master’s in just a year and then my Ph.D. after that. And I haven’t looked back since.

Q: You’ve been in the tech industry for a long time. How did you end up in Silicon Valley?
A: I never really planned it, but it happened. After I finished my Ph.D., I ended up in Silicon Valley because I sold the company I had started. That move felt like going to the “new Rome” — the center of innovation at the time, just like ancient Rome was for culture and knowledge. Silicon Valley was (and still is) a place where you have a front-row seat to the cutting edge of technology, and I wanted to be part of that. It was a wealth of opportunity, and being there opened doors I never imagined.

Q: You’re clearly passionate about technology and innovation. How do you keep yourself grounded and manage stress?
A: I’ve always been someone who needs an outlet to clear my head. Back when I was at UGA, I’d go hiking or just walk by the river. I wasn’t into football or the typical college stuff — I was always in the labs. But getting out in nature helped me reset and focus. Now, I travel a lot for work, and I still try to do the same thing. Whether I’m in Tokyo or Singapore, I take time to explore the local culture and clear my mind. It’s important to step away from work and recharge.

I get to meet interesting people from around the world. Plus, it helps me think creatively by experiencing new perspectives.

Q: You’ve lived in many places around the world. What’s your favorite travel destination?
A: Athens, Greece, holds a special place in my heart. I’m on the board of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, and for the past 30 years, I’ve been combining my love for technology and archaeology. I bring tech tools like drones and 3D mapping to archaeological sites to help preserve them. Greece is an amazing place to visit — great food, history, and culture. I’ve traveled to many Greek islands and explored places like Santorini, Mykonos, and Delos. I’m actually planning a trip next year to Turkey and Greece for an ancient history tour that includes stops in Troy and Ephesus.

Q: You mentioned that you were born in Panama and lived in Germany as a child. How has this international upbringing influenced your career?
A: I grew up in a military family, which meant I had the chance to live in different parts of the world. I was born in Panama, and we lived in West Germany for five years, so I was exposed to different cultures from a young age. That international experience has shaped how I view the world. It’s one of the reasons I love meeting new people from different countries and cultures. It gives you a broader perspective on life and work. Plus, I speak Spanish and German, which has helped me build connections globally.

Q: What’s the next big project you’re working on?
A: Right now, I’m managing a lot of the AI and generative AI work at Intel. We’re developing new chips and systems, and we’re also working on factory automation. I oversee a large team — around 15,000 people — so my time is spent managing research labs, where we have 700 people working on everything from semiconductor physics to software, AI, and graphics. I’m excited about the potential of generative AI, so I’m closely involved in shaping how we apply that technology to new areas.

Q: You’ve had a successful career in both academia and industry. What advice do you have for students aspiring to enter the tech field?
A: My advice is simple: stay curious and never stop learning. The tech industry evolves so quickly, and you need to be willing to take on new challenges and learn new things all the time. And remember, no matter how far you go in your career, always give back. Whether it’s mentoring students or helping others in the industry, the value of sharing knowledge and giving back to the community is immeasurable.

Q: You’ve stayed connected to the University of Georgia. Why did you create the Dr. Jeffrey W. Smith Undergraduate Scholarship?
A: Dr. Smith was my favorite professor at UGA. He inspired me a lot during my time there. He’s now retired, but I wanted to honor him by creating a scholarship in his name. It was a way to give back and show appreciation for the impact he had on my life. The funny thing is, I didn’t even realize how much of an impact I had on his life until I reconnected with his daughter years later. It was a full-circle moment, and I’m proud that I could do something to honor his legacy.

Q: What keeps you excited about your work today?
A: I’m still excited by the opportunity to solve difficult problems and push the boundaries of technology. Whether it’s working on AI, leading large teams, or creating new systems, I love being at the forefront of innovation. I’m also passionate about applying technology in areas like archaeology, which is one of my hobbies. I’ve been programming for fun — whether it’s automating my home or working on cool tech projects — and I’ll keep doing it as long as I can.

Bridal designer strengthens UGA historic clothing collection

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Cassandra Cannon: The Pajama Game

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This story, written by Heather Skyler, was originally published on UGA Today on May 23, 2024.

When Cassandra Cannon was a new mother, she and her friend, Anne Read Lattimore, decided to start a pajama company.

Both women were spending a lot of time at home with their babies, and they wanted something to wear that was more comfortable but also a little nicer looking than the oversized T-shirts and boxer shorts they often wore around the house.

“All of the pajamas we saw were either the traditional, button down, boxy menswear style or lingerie inspired. We wanted something more comfortable and put together,” says Cannon (BS ’08).

Inspiration hit one day when the two women noticed their infants’ clothes were incredibly soft. “We saw that our babies wore mostly Pima cotton, and we realized it is the softest thing ever and we should make pajamas out of this for adults,” says Cannon.

Two years later, after extensive research, Lake Pajamas launched in 2014. The founders’ idea was to make very soft pajamas with a classic American style and a nautical look. Today, the company is thriving, with its headquarters in Savannah and storefronts in Atlanta and Charleston, South Carolina.

Born and raised in Savannah, Cannon attended the University of Georgia where she majored in biology and psychology, with a tentative plan to go to medical school.

But then she had second thoughts.

Back in Savannah she tried a few other options: an anesthesia assistant graduate program and a year of art classes at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Then she did clerical work for her parents’ industrial contracting business.

In her mid-20s, she decided to apply for medical school and was accepted at Mercer University.

At the same time, she began talking to Anne Read about starting a business. Being a new parent made her realize med school wasn’t the best option now. So, she took a leap of faith in her entrepreneurial skills and started a business with Lattimore.

“We had a product, and we knew our audience, and we were making it for them.” — Cassandra Cannon (BS ’08), co-founder of Lake Pajamas

In the beginning, Cannon and Lattimore didn’t really know how to make clothing. “It’s crazy looking back how we made it all happen. We searched online for suppliers, drawing the designs on paper. We were scrappy that way,” says Cannon.

Cannon provides the creative vision for Lake Pajamas, and Lattimore handles the business side, though during the first four years they each did a little bit of everything, working together from home with their kids running around them. Now they have an office in Savannah with close to 70 employees.

One key to the company’s success is being savvy on social media. “Instagram was fairly new when we started, and it allowed us to connect to an audience inexpensively,” Cannon says. Lake Pajamas has worked with a few influencers, and the company’s pajamas have been seen on celebrities including Jennifer Garner and Jenna Bush Hager.

Lake Pajamas has expanded its clothing line to include dresses, pajamas, men’s robes, and clothes for kids. Cannon, who is married to UGA alumnus Pierce Cannon (BSFCS ’06), now has four kids under 10, and she said they wear the pajamas as do some of their friends.

Cannon says filling a specific niche was also a big part of the company’s success. “We had a product, and we knew our audience, and we were making it for them. It grew organically by word of mouth in a way we didn’t expect.”

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Grady’s UGA-alum Writer in Residence has a star-studded resume

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Nick Chiles (MFA ’22) has written more books than any other faculty member in the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, so it is no surprise he is their Writer in Residence. Chiles has written over 20 books chronicling Black culture in America, including multiple celebrity memoirs.

He landed at Grady as the Grady Writing Lab coach. At the same time, he joined the MFA Narrative Nonfiction program in the hopes of gaining a full-time faculty role. While going through the program, Chiles continued to teach a writing course.

“I was kind of split in half,” he said. “Half of me was in the building as a student. Half of me was in the building as a faculty member.”

The MFA program has a heavy focus on reading and writing, Chiles shared. Mentors are the key to student success. Graduate students spend a lot of time with their mentor to get feedback and help on projects.

“[Mentors] make the program,” Chiles said.

He took what he learned during the MFA to inform his own classes. He graduated in 2022 and went straight into his new position.

Even as a full-time faculty member, Chiles continues writing. He is currently working on memoirs for Martin Lawrence and Colin Kaepernick. The process of working with these notable figures requires spending a lot of time with them so Chiles can delve into their lives and background.

“Dredging all that stuff up, I think, is unexpectedly painful and emotional for a lot of them in ways that they weren’t expecting,” he said. “And so, there’s a lot of tears, often when I’m going through their family history. I mean, everybody has some pain in their background, in their story.”

Chiles spends months with the celebrities he writes about.

He is also working on a book to chronicle the history of Black comedy in America. He spent the summer doing research, starting as far back as the 1840s with minstrel performers.

“It’s pretty much the history of comedy in the US, because Black people were so integral in forming the idea of what American comedy would look like,” Chiles said.

Chiles won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992 as part of an investigative reporting team for New York Newsday. He teaches multiple writing classes at Grady, including feature and memoir writing. Before coming to UGA, Chiles earned his BA at Yale University. He spent time teaching at both Princeton and Columbia.

Throughout his career, Chiles was a reporter for New York Newsday, the Dallas Morning News and the Star-Ledger of New Jersey. He also wrote for the magazines Essence and Ebony, The Atlantic and The Christian Science Monitor.

Learn How You Can Become a UGA Mentor

Service builds a vision for driving change

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This story, written by Alan Flurry, was originally published on the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences website on June 25, 2024. 

UGA Trustee Becky Winkler (AB ’98) believes everyone has a narrative. You just need to keep it pointed in the right direction.

“My dad was a Jamaican immigrant and he taught me the secret to the meaning of life is it’s all made up,” Winkler said. “Raised by an immigrant, I was taught to question things that other people consider normal.”

That cogent advice has led Winkler to chart her own circuitous path that, in retrospect, appears rather direct, if not deliberate. After graduating from UGA with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, she earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from DePaul University. While still attending graduate school, she coached mid-level managers at Advocate Healthcare, now the third-largest non-profit healthcare system in the U.S. After completing her Ph.D. in 2004, Winkler began coaching C-suite leaders.

“Not that I really knew what I was doing back then, I was 26 years old,” she said. “But it’s been 20 years that I’ve been coaching C-suite individuals. And I love it because I get to extend my dad’s wisdom to help other people – what is the narrative in your head that’s serving you? What is the narrative in your head that’s not serving you? Do you even realize you have a narrative? And that you can change it?”

Winkler’s narrative was influenced early by her parents and later by her exposure to a wide array of UGA experiences as an undergraduate. She earned a minor in Mandarin Chinese, a certificate in women’s studies, and spent time in the geology-anthropology summer field study program. Winkler says she would have added Classics to her psychology degree and fit right in with many double-majors in Franklin today.

Becky Winkler at the 2024 Tony Awards (PHOTO: Franklin College of Arts and Sciences)

“My first quarter, there was so much freedom and I could take whatever. Dr. Haas was my advisor, so I was just taking what I loved,” she said. “I signed up for astronomy, music, and then Chinese. And I was like, ‘what am I supposed to do with this?’ And he said, ‘sing Chinese to the stars, of course!’ and I was like ‘Oh, I’m going to like this place!'”

“I went as far as I could with these degrees, at the time,” Winkler added. “There was no major in Chinese, and the women’s studies program was only accredited as a certificate. It shows how UGA continues to evolve in the programs it offers.”

Winkler returned to UGA in 2024 to deliver the psychology department’s convocation address and serve as a judge for the Three-Minute Thesis competition.

Her company, Department 732c, named in homage to Winkler’s grandmother, Florence, a secretary for more than 20 years in an iconic retail corporation, reflects her own aspirations and resilience. Her experience, direct approach and humanistic outlook combine to guide clients, from the executives of corporate America to start-ups and nonprofits. The sense that Winkler’s skills, intuition and training created the conditions for her own dream job quickly becomes unmistakable.

“You can’t coach somebody unless they want to do it. One of the only things that coaching and therapy have in common is that importance of chemistry. I’m quite upfront about it – if you don’t think that you’ll have a good time working with me, I’m more than happy to refer them to someone else,” she said. “And by the way, if you’re too busy, then you’re not going to do the work and it’s going to be a waste of your time and your organization’s money.”

It’s a level of honesty and clarity that executives across the corporate world respond to, listen to, and learn from.

And when the chemistry is there and the client is willing, how does she know the process is working?

“It’s quantitative and qualitative and you pick your north star of where you want to be. I’m a big believer in measuring outcomes so generally, it’s a six-month engagement, sometimes people extend for different reasons,” she said.

Winkler has worked with one client for two years.

“On the day that we were finishing, I said ‘look at this great progress,’ because we measured that day against what we focused on at the start. I give people an online tool to say, here are the three factors that relate to their goals. How would you rate them now, and what’s your advice to this person, where have you seen him grow and change the most, what should they still focus on going forward? And from that you see the change scores, and that’s how you know it’s working.”

Winkler’s enthusiasm for the stages of improvement, increased competence and performance, stem from a simple but strident outlook. “I actually took a quote attributed to C.S. Lewis that comes back again and again in our work: ‘Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different.’ I love it because the work can be so incremental and you can get frustrated by the whole ‘levels of competence’ paradigm. But I love seeing people succeed, getting to know them and sharing these intimate experiences of personal growth.”

That love of shared success has become a driving force in Winkler’s activism and philanthropy. A veteran of the non-profit sector, she served on the Atlanta Beltline committee and on the board of EMBRACE (founded in 2018 to repurpose used medical equipment to people around the world).

“I’ve always been very active, but my time as KIPP board chair in Charlotte (Knowledge is Power Program), which focuses on kids in underserved communities who need better public schools, basically, really galvanized my vision to help see kids to and through college, career, and higher expectations,” she said.

“The Outsiders” producers and company (PHOTO: Getty Images)

Winkler’s philanthropic involvement with UGA began through Dorothé Otemann, director of development for the honors program, which is now known as the Morehead Honors College.

“I call her my umbilical cord to the university because she taught me how I can use my resources to drive change,” said Winkler, who created a scholarship at UGA in honor of her father, another at DePaul to honor her mother, and sponsored a room in the honors college named for Otemann. She’s currently on track to complete an endowed chair in the Institute of Women’s Studies in 2027.

In addition to her philanthropic efforts in higher education, Winkler’s support for the arts extends to investing in the Broadway play “The Outsiders,” winner of the 2024 Tony Award for Best New Musical.

“It’s exciting, trying to figure how to use your time, treasure, and power to drive the change you know is needed in the world,” she said.

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Blake Witmer is following in her father’s footsteps

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This story, written by Heather Skyler, was originally published on UGA Today on June 14, 2024. 

Two UGA Orientation leaders from the same family, 29 years apart.

Every year, approximately 8,000 students and 12,000 family members come to the University of Georgia for Orientation. The job of introducing these groups to campus is a coveted position, and over 100 students apply to be orientation leaders every year. Only 20 are selected.

This summer, rising junior Blake Witmer ’26 earned one of those spots, stepping into the same role her father, Craig Witmer (BSED ’96), had in 1995.

Craig Witmer (second from right) with three of his fellow 1995 orientation leaders. (PHOTO: Chamberlain Smith/UGA)

The new orientation leaders are each assigned a number, and each number has an adjective attached, from “Wild 1” to “Timeless 20.”

“When my dad was here, there were only 10 leaders and there were no adjectives,” Blake explained. “They just sat them down and told them their number. Now it’s a big deal. They even have number reveal day.”

Blake Witmer and her father, Craig Witmer, make a six with their hands beside Herty Fountain. Each of them were number “Saucy Six” as orientation leaders. (PHOTO: Chamberlain Smith/UGA)

Blake was thrilled to discover that she would be “Saucy 6,” the same number her father had. When she found out, she called her dad, who was excited about the connection. Last summer’s number six, Cole Broomberg, was there with her when she made the call.

“Your number from last year becomes your mentor,” she explained. “Cole texts me every day to check in. He’s my number dad. I call him Papa.”

Blake grew up in Grayson. Both of her parents and her older sister attended UGA, and all three of them are teachers. When it came time for Blake to apply to college, she was determined to go somewhere else and “break the cycle.”

Orientation leader Blake Witmer greets freshman students and parents at orientation check in at Tate Grand Hall. (PHOTO: Chamberlain Smith/UGA)

She was considering a small, prestigious college in upstate New York, but after attending the UGA game against Coastal Carolina with her sister, Hayden, who lived on campus at the time, Blake had a change of heart.

“I liked how big campus was. I thought I wanted to go to a smaller school because my high school was big, but once I was here visiting, I liked that aspect. On a tour of UGA, my guide said, ‘You can make a big school small, but you can’t make a small school big.’ I really liked that.”

Craig Witmer (Bottom row, second from left) with the 1995 orientation leaders. (PHOTO: Chamberlain Smith/UGA)

After receiving early admission and the Zell Miller Scholarship, Blake committed to UGA, and she’s been deeply involved in campus life ever since she arrived. During her first year, she joined a student government First-Year Program.

“It really tuned in my love for mentorship. Specifically for the first-year experience, which I think is such a unique time in a college career,” she said, adding that the program helped her learn how to get students excited and involved during their first year of college, which was perfect training for being an OL.

Despite changing her mind about coming to UGA and despite her love of mentoring, she plans to break the family cycle of becoming a teacher. As a public relations major in UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, she likes the idea of possibly going into publishing. Currently, she works for a local fashion and culture magazine called Strike, writing articles and acting as blog director.

Portrait of Craig Witmer, former orientation leader, and daughter Blake Witmer, current orientation leader, in front of the Arch. (PHOTO: Chamberlain Smith/UGA)

But right now, most of her time involves introducing students to UGA. New student orientation began May 30 and there are 17 first-year sessions before school begins in August. Each group attends two days of orientation, which starts with a silly song and dance number performed by all 20 orientation leaders. Then small groups tour campus, learn about UGA’s social media accounts from the Division of Marketing and Communications, play games, and eat dinner in the dining hall before watching the OLs perform skits. Finally, they spend the evening at Ramsey signing up for student organizations and choosing from activities like a silent disco or board games.

Craig Witmer said a lot has changed about the job since his time at UGA, but he thinks there are more commonalities than differences. “The biggest similarity is the ability to share a love of UGA with so many people,” he said.

Blake said her favorite part of the job is getting to meet the students. “It’s such a fulfilling experience. I can see why people stay in higher ed. There’s nothing like it. Getting to be a part of that for the whole summer is going to be great.”

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