From Fauci to philanthropy: one Georgia family’s story of mentorship and generosity

/by

Left to Right: Suzanne, Shelly (AB ’19) and Steven Peskin’s family story is rich in mentorship, giving and Bulldog spirit.

Anthony Fauci is now a household name.

It happened quickly, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the country and government officials looked to experts like Dr. Fauci for guidance.

But for Suzanne Peskin’s family, Anthony Fauci was a household name long before we all became living room epidemiologists and socially distanced hermits. That is because Dr. Fauci, affectionately known in Suzanne Peskin’s family as “Tony,” is a family friend and former mentee of Suzanne’s father, Dr. Sheldon “Shelly” Wolff (BS ’52).

A Georgia Genesis

Drs. Herman Peskin (BS ’50) and Sheldon Wolff (BS ’52) met as students at UGA. Here, they pose for a photo at the wedding of Dr. Wolff’s daughter Suzanne to Dr. Peskin’s son Steven.

The Peskin family’s story is filled with examples of mentorship and philanthropy going back to Dr. Wolff’s undergraduate days in Athens. Originally from New Jersey, Dr. Wolff found himself in the South when UGA was the only school to offer him a full college scholarship. He came to Athens as a music major and eventually served as drum major of the Redcoat Band. During his time at UGA, Dr. Wolff changed plans, switching his major from art to science and setting his sights on medical school.

Dr. Wolff’s roommate was Phillip Peskin (BBA ’53). He and Philip joined Tau Epsilon Phi (TEP) fraternity and attended activities at the Hillel House, a Jewish student center near campus. Through TEP, Dr. Wolff also met Phillip’s older brother, Herman Peskin (BS ’50). Being far from home, Dr. Wolff enjoyed holidays meals during Jewish high holidays like Yom Kippur at the Peskin family home near Athens.

After college, Dr. Wolff and Phillip went their separate ways. Dr. Wolff attended medical school in Germany before transferring to Vanderbilt University to complete his degree. During his last year of medical school, he married Lila Leff before becoming an internal medicine resident in New York City.

Fauci and Friends

In 1960, Dr. Wolff joined the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in Bethesda, Maryland. He later became the clinical director, serving at NIAID for 17 years. He valued research and enjoyed seeing the results of it improve patients’ lives. During that time, Dr. Fauci arrived at NIAID as a clinical associate working under Dr. Wolff. A friendship began between the two men that would last the rest of Dr. Wolff’s life. Dr. Fauci would later say that Dr. Wolff “clearly stands out as the person who made the greatest impact on (his) career.”

Dr. Wolff left NIAID in 1977 to become a professor and chair of the department of medicine at the Tufts University School of Medicine and physician-in-chief at the New England Medical Center Hospital in Boston. Dr. Fauci would go on to enjoy a successful career in public health research, working under six presidents on a variety of disease outbreaks, including HIV/AIDS and now the novel coronavirus.

“Shelly set me on the road to becoming a physician-scientist,” Dr. Fauci said in a 2007 award acceptance speech. “Besides being a generous mentor, he became one of my closest friends and ultimately the best man at my wedding.”

Dr. Wolff and Dr. Fauci became so close that, after her father died, Suzanne Peskin would occasionally call Dr. Fauci for advice on medical decisions. Suzanne knew she could trust that Dr. Fauci’s advice would be nearly identical to what her father would have said. Today, Suzanne believes that her father’s pandemic advice would be as simple as, “listen to Tony Fauci.”

Two Become One

But there is even more to this Bulldog story.

Dr. Wolff was working in Boston in 1981 when Steven Peskin, Herman Peskin’s son, was interviewing for a residency position at the hospital where Dr. Wolff worked. This was far from Steven’s hometown of Augusta. In the spirit of what was done for him during his undergraduate years at UGA, Dr. Wolff invited Steven to a Yom Kippur dinner. That is how Steven met Dr. Wolff’s daughter, Suzanne, who was a senior at Boston University.

Steven ended up matching for an internal medicine program in Boston that year and started dating Suzanne in 1982. They married three years later.

Steven later pursued an MBA on the advice of Dr. Wolff, who believed the degree would be useful as the field of medicine evolved. Steven eventually used that degree to transition to the corporate side of health care. He and Suzanne moved around the country, eventually settling in New Jersey. They have two children, Benjamin and Shelly, the latter named for Dr. Wolff.

The Bulldog Legacy Continues

Shelly Peskin (AB ’19), whose grandfathers met as students at UGA, keeps the family’s Bulldog legacy alive.

Shelly Peskin (AB ’19) is single-handedly carrying on her family’s Bulldog legacy, following in the steps of both of her grandfathers. According to her mother, Shelly decided to attend UGA during a trip to the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club during high school. During the trip, she toured UGA and visited the Hillel House. While there, she felt at home and connected to the place where her grandfathers had bonded as undergraduates.

When Suzanne and Steven attended UGA orientation with Shelly, they were inspired to join the Parents Leadership Council (PLC), a community of highly engaged parents who seek to foster a world-class learning experience for UGA students.

They viewed the PLC as an opportunity to plug in and give back to the university for all it has given their family. They wanted to feel as connected to UGA as they could, especially while their daughter began her journey in Athens. Suzanne and Steven served on the PLC from 2015 until Shelly graduated in 2019.

Everything came full circle for the family in 2017 when they endowed a need-based Georgia Commitment Scholarship in honor of Drs. Wolff and Herman Peskin. The opportunities given to their fathers fueled Steven and Suzanne’s spirit of generosity. Dr. Wolff’s music scholarship and Herman Peskin’s G.I. bill education allowed them to become successful doctors–and mentors for other successful professionals. The family wanted to help similar dreams come true for UGA students in the years to come. The first recipient of the scholarship started at UGA in fall 2018 and is now a rising third-year.

“(Our fathers) were able to achieve enormous success in their lives due to the generous scholarship opportunities that were made available to them,” Suzanne said. “They were both children of hard-working immigrants that came to America with nothing more than a strong work ethic and the desire to give their children the opportunity to be successful. That is our hope for the recipients of the Georgia Commitment Scholarship that is named in their memory.”

Dr. Wolff passed away due to complications from cancer in 1994. Suzanne is proud that her father’s legacy lives on in the people he mentored, trained, taught and treated during his life as a doctor and researcher.

“He left this world a better place,” Suzanne said. “Just far too early.”

 

You can also make a difference in the life of a student. Become a mentor.

Learn more about the Parents Leadership Council.

Alumni chapter rallies support for local food bank

/by

The Forsyth County Chapter recently hosted a virtual Dawg Day of Service in support of The Place of Forsyth, which provides financial assistance, clothing, food and more to those in need. UGA alumni helped to stock their food pantry in May with emergency supplies during the pandemic. Normally, Dawg Days of Service are in-person events, but instead of waiting until public gatherings can be held again, the chapter decided to re-organize the event using food drop-offs and online orders.

Hear more about the event from Katie Hildreth, UGA Forsyth County Alumni Chapter board member:

Leading up to its day of service in May, Forsyth County Chapter leaders posted regularly on social media to raise awareness for the initiative and emailed local alumni and friends. The work paid off, and on May 16 more than 450 items were donated with another 100 on the way from Amazon, all attributed to 40 Forsyth County alumni who answered the call.

The Place was specifically in need of 100 boxes of Hamburger Helper. Through the chapter’s food drive alone, The Place collected 120 boxes, putting it well ahead of its original goal.

Donated food and a chalk image of Hairy Dawg.

Food on its way to The Place of Forsyth.

May is usually when alumni chapters across the country hold Dawg Days of Service, events that rally alumni to give back to their community. Due to COVID-19, in-person Dawg Day of Service events were postponed. Kudos to Katie and the rest of the Forsyth County Chapter board for re-imagining a safe way to continue supporting the needs of an important nonprofit organization in the area. Learn more about getting involved with the Bulldog community on our COVID-19 resources page.

Since March, The Place of Forsyth has served more than 1,000 families with more than 3,000 bags of staple and kid-friendly foods, providing more than 23,000 meals total. Visit their website to learn more about The Place of Forsyth.

UGA grad in NYC saves the (birth)day for young bulldog in ATL

/by

Frances (BS ’06) and Thomas (AB ’08) Beusse met Jacob Moats (AB ’01) at the NYC Dawgs’ Auburn game-watching party at American Whiskey last November. When former UGA Alumni Association board member Barbara Woods (BFA ’81) introduced the trio, they quickly bonded over their mutual love of Georgia football. At the end of the game (which UGA won 21-14), they went their separate ways; the Beusses back to Georgia and Jacob to his home just across the East River in Queens.

Jacob Moats (left) and Frances Beusse (center) were introduced during a game-watching party in NYC by Barbara Woods (right).

A few months later, the COVID-19 outbreak brought a whiplash of change to everyone’s lives–especially for those living in the Big Apple, a hot spot during the pandemic. In Atlanta, it was also carrying a great toll. Amid the upheaval, it was a particularly disappointing situation for the Beusses’ son, Quinton, who found himself sheltering at home and facing the prospect of a fifth birthday without a key ingredient: friends and grandparents.

But like many other kids his age, Quinton loves superheroes and, of course, the Georgia Bulldogs. That got Frances and Thomas thinking about creative ways to make sure the day was still special for Quinton.

Frances saw on Instagram that Jacob and a few friends did superhero cosplay for conventions and photo shoots, so she messaged him to ask if she could hire him to record a superhero video for Quinton’s birthday.

Jacob was happy to help a fellow Bulldog and didn’t shy away from a chance to get into character. He not only refused to accept payment for his participation, he even enlisted his friends to help.

“It was just something small that we could do to help out,” Jacob says. “With all that’s going on right now, we need to help each other, especially if it’s something easy to do.”

Jacob and his friends donned their superhero gear and recorded several videos from their homes. When compiled together, the videos of Batman, Robin, The Flash, Batgirl, Wonder Woman and Spiderman assigned Quinton ‘missions’ to complete in his backyard. Those missions ranged from “leaping buildings” (ie: a cardboard Gotham City created by Frances), to battling villains by shooting at their photos with silly string—the Beusses’ fence taking the bulk of the pain. Quinton executed each activity decked out in his own Batman costume—complete with padded muscles and a cape—and enjoyed every minute of his mission to save Gotham from the likes of Joker, Catwoman and Two-Face.

“Jacob was beyond generous to help me when, in all honesty, the only thing he knew about me was that I was a Bulldog,” Frances says. “I was so thankful that he gave his time and energy to lift my son’s spirits. It just shows what the Bulldog community does for one another.”

Despite facing limits on social gatherings to halt the spread of COVID-19, Bulldogs around the world are, like Jacob and the Beusses, finding inventive ways to connect and care for one another. In our book, that’s a one-two punch … KA-POW!

Do you know a Georgia Bulldog helping others during the COVID-19 outbreak? We’d love to hear their story!

Artists in quarantine: Q&A with Ryan Sichelstiel

/by

Ryan Sichelstiel (AB ’15) is a senior hybrid graphic designer based in New York City. He has experience with both print and digital media and has worked with clients ranging from Walmart and T-Mobile to the University of Georgia. Ryan recently celebrated his one-year anniversary working for Celtra, a creative technology company. However, COVID-19 has seen all of us adjusting to a “new normal,” and for Ryan, that includes working remotely from his hometown of Perry, Georgia. We caught up with Ryan to better understand an artist’s experience in quarantine.  

How have you adjusted to moving back home? 

After graduation, I worked in the Disney College Program for six months and then moved to New York. I’ve been up there since. It’s definitely different to be back, but the thing that’s been somewhat reassuring is that everyone else is going through this, too. It’s not like you’re missing out on things, but it feels weird to know that life is on pause indefinitely.  

Where are you on the quarantine spectrum?  

I’m ready for things to get back to normal. I’m a raging extrovert, so I miss people, my walks to work, and my local coffee shop. It’s been a bit of an adjustment, but I’m trying to enjoy being home.  

How are your ‘creative juices’ handling the pandemic? 

They have been flowing. For me, walking around in New York, you get inspiration everywhere. Here, it’s difficult because you’re sitting in the house for 66 days — not that I’m counting. A joke became a tradition in that I find memes and videos and save them. I then create a diary of the previous day using those videos; I post, like, 15-20 every day. That’s a fun thing to push my creativity a little bit and think, “Well, how does this video fit into the scenario where Grandma told me to put some more sunscreen on?” 

How has the pandemic affected your flow of work? 

Some clients have pulled back, but it’s still been pedal to the metal. A lot of retail clients have taken advantage of this time to offer sales since people are online shopping all the time. We’ve been working with them to recreate ads specifically for the pandemic and changing their messaging. For example, the creative features a lot more loungewear now.

What is one of your favorite projects that you’ve created? 

As a student, I worked at the UGA Visitors Center and our boss, Eric Johnson, always said, “Awaken the possibility in others.” He allowed me to paint one of the bulldog statues in the Visitors Center with my own design. I also painted a mural on the back wall of the space. It was a cool experience because, as a college student, you’re trying to figure out what you want to do and to have someone let you paint something like that is the coolest thing. He instilled confidence in me and gave me the opportunity to prove my worth.

What do you hope students, alumni, and faculty are reminded of when they view your Athens- and UGA-centric paintings? 

Everyone’s [perspective on] Athens is different. I hope what people see when they look at my work is that they don’t see that specific artwork. They see Athens and try to envision: what do I think of when I think of Athens?  

Do you think it’s artists’ responsibility in quarantine to create works that reflect what we’re going through during this pandemic?  

I don’t want to say it’s a responsibility. It’s a weird time, and no one’s been through anything like this. With creatives, everything we do is expected to be “chef’s kiss” — brilliant. What’s nice about this period is that you’re on your own. You’re kind of locked up and it’s nice to be able to reflect for more self-fulfillment. I have more room in Perry, so I have my old paint supplies, sketchbooks, and pens and can just create for my own mental health; to chill out, relax, explore, and create. It’s nothing that’s been paid for or needs to be done by tonight.  

Since you’re a self-proclaimed Disney aficionado, which Disney movies do you suggest people watch during the quarantine?  

Good Dinosaur, Onward, and Peter Pan.  

 

If you’re an artist in quarantine, consider sharing your story with the UGA Libraries.  

Write a letter to an incoming student in your old residence hall

/by

Some of the fondest memories for UGA alumni come from living in the residence halls, and in just a few short months, the Class of 2024 will begin its journey on campus.

What if you could write a letter to the incoming residents of your old residence hall? What advice or memories would you share with them? University Housing is collecting and distributing letters written by students and alumni to deliver to residents’ mailboxes for them to open when they arrive in August. You can even see a letter counter for each dorm!

“The Class of 2024 will arrive on campus with many doubts about what the year will look like,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson (BSFCS ’00, MED ’16), executive director of alumni relations. “These letters show incoming students all they have to look forward to, and that there’s a Bulldog network around the world to support them. My first-year roommate and I are best friends to this day because of the bond we formed in Brumby Hall. We can’t wait to write letters to new students.”

To write a letter, use the online form and share a short message–250 words–with an incoming resident. University Housing will print, package and deliver it for you. Here’s an example letter:

Dear resident,
Welcome to your new home! My name is Taylor and I graduated from UGA in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. During my first year at UGA, I lived in Mary Lyndon and had the best time. Some of my favorite memories included staying up late with friends to watch American Idol in the basement and Snellebrating after finishing a really difficult exam. I hope that this year brings you lots of fun memories in Mary Lyndon, it is such a special place to live. My one piece of advice for you is to not underestimate the amount of time it takes to walk to the bus stop – I spent many a morning sprinting to make it to the stop in front of Soule Hall. Also, don’t worry if it takes you a while to find your ‘people;’ I found mine later than expected, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Wishing you the absolute best year at UGA!
Go Dawgs! Taylor, Class of 2007

Long after they are sent, letters are read, appreciated and kept by recipients. These letters will leave a lasting memory for incoming students that shows that Bulldogs Never Bark Alone — especially during uncertain times.

“The residence halls have always been and will continue to be a place where memories are made, friendships are built, and communities are formed,” said Jessica Keever (BS ’18), University Housing public relations specialist. “By submitting a letter, past residents provide a physical reminder of how strong the Bulldog community is both inside and outside the halls. We’re excited to facilitate this initiative and hope all past residents will submit a letter to welcome the next generation of Bulldogs.”

Please submit letters via the Key Notes Submission Form until Wednesday, July 15. Visit University Housing for more information and contact housing@uga.edu with any questions.

Send a Key Note

Finding humor in the little things during shelter-in-place

/by

By Ericka Davis (AB ’93), president of the UGA Black Alumni Leadership Council

This pandemic took us all by surprise.

One minute, I was celebrating the naming of the Mary Frances Early College of Education and returning from a great weekend at the Alumni Leadership Assembly. It seems like the next minute, I was back on campus in a mask moving my daughter out of her dorm two months early.

These are unprecedented times and they can easily be overwhelming. The good news is that there is a light at the end of this tunnel and it burns in our hearts as bright as Sanford Stadium at the start of the fourth quarter. The light inspires us to persevere, never lose hope, stay strong and be encouraged. I have found that light shining in the most unexpected places like Zoom meet-ups, FaceTime conversations and GroupMe chats. I have found that light within the Bulldog Nation where, even in a pandemic, we Never Bark Alone.

I have especially found it in daily adventures with my favorite Bulldog as we shelter-in-place together. I’m hoping that wherever you are as you read this and watch our vlog (below), you’re finding that light as well and that you never lose sight of it.

Act of kindness unites the College of Veterinary Medicine

/by

Being treated to lunch can brighten anyone’s day, and when a complete stranger is behind such a gesture it’s even more powerful. Thanks to the generosity of a few special donors, the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) provided 500 meals to feed busy essential faculty and staff while on the job.

When CVM implemented social distancing practices, that meant fewer employees at many of the facilities which require people to function. Simultaneously, local veterinary clinics slowed their practices and referred their patients to UGA’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital instead. These factors increased the workload on faculty and staff significantly. It became impossible for these essential workers to take time for lunch off-campus.

When CVM’s Development and Alumni Relations team learned of this hardship, they quickly assembled with Dean Nolan’s fervent support to align donors’ desire to help with the need to support the front line. Thoughtful donors of the College of Veterinary Medicine rose to the challenge and provided the funds for 500 hot meals for the essential workers across many locations: the Athens CVM Diagnostic Lab, the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, the Tifton campus Diagnostic Lab, and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

This gesture not only guaranteed these critical faculty and staff a good meal on the job, it also lifted their spirits and showed that generosity is a defining trait of a Bulldog. “Thank you to our donors for taking care of us,” said Dr. Joseph Bartges, professor of medicine and nutrition at the CVM’s Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery. “Go Dawgs!”

1234567
UGA Vet Med essential workers getting lunch
UGA Vet Med essential workers getting lunch
UGA Vet Med essential workers getting lunch
UGA Vet Med essential workers getting lunch
UGA Vet Med essential workers getting lunch
UGA Vet Med essential workers getting lunch
UGA Vet Med essential workers getting lunch

“Providing a warm meal to our faculty and staff, though a small gesture, has meant the world to everyone involved,” said Mallory Moye, of CVM’s Development and Alumni Relations team. “We’ve truly come together, across both campuses, in this time of need to give back to those serving on our front line and to show our appreciation. In the process, we’ve also supported local restaurant businesses impacted by the pandemic.”

If you are interested in supporting the College of Veterinary Medicine during this time through scholarships, equipment, research opportunities, and other essential needs, you may do so by giving to the College of Veterinary Medicine Support Fund.

Give Today

 

NYC alumni raise funds for Bulldog game-watching venue

/by

Robbie York (ABJ ’05) has made his home in electrifying New York City where he and three partners run American Whiskey Bar and Restaurant in lower Manhattan. During college football season, American Whiskey is a magnet for the 6,100 UGA graduates living in the New York City area. This Bulldog haven proudly displays a red and black banner year-round – a comforting symbol for those far from Athens.

American Whiskey

When American Whiskey was forced to close its doors in March due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, NYC Dawgs sprang into action to protect their home away from home.

The NYC Alumni Chapter leadership board immediately made personal donations to help cover the staff’s salaries and expenses. It was important to the chapter leaders to support the personnel who do so much to match Sanford Stadium’s game-day energy each Saturday in the fall.

After the NYC alumni board made an initial donation, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to continue supporting the staff as it became more uncertain when the restaurant would open its doors again. All the donations received via the GoFundMe campaign went directly to the staff.

“It amazes me to see the community we’ve built in New York City, and that our alumni feel so connected to our New York chapter that they want to donate,” said Shelby Clayton, president of the NYC Dawgs. “That’s a testament to UGA as an institution, a place where we have common ground to rally together to support those who have supported us.”

As of May 1, more than 320 donors have contributed to the GoFundMe campaign  and raised over $41,000, with the first $10,000 matched by Dawgs 365, a Georgia fan sports group. Even former Georgia football standouts like Aaron Murray (BS ’12), Arthur Lynch (AB ’13) and Tavarres King (BSED ’12), rallied for the cause.

“Donations have been from all over. We have raised a little over $51,000 for our staff,” York says. “The NYC Dawgs were first to ‘answer the bell’ and since then we have received support from Dawgs_365 on Instagram, UgaSports.com, and regular game-watching party attendees. We are overwhelmed and humbled by the response as a whole.”

Robbie York

Robbie York (center) was recognized in September in Athens as a 2019 UGA 40 Under 40 honoree.

The NYC Dawgs and American Whiskey also teamed up to host a virtual G-Day tailgate on April 18. More than $800 was raised that day through a variety of games alumni and fans played on Zoom.

G-Day Zoom

The NYC Dawgs hosted a virtual D-Day event on April 18.

If there’s anything this story reveals, it’s that Bulldogs Never Bark Alone. No matter where how far they may travel from Athens, the UGA alumni family supports each other. And during these uncertain times, Bulldogs know that’s all we need: each other.

Do you know a Georgia Bulldog helping others or their alma mater during the COVID-19 outbreak? We’d love to hear their story!

Your chance to ask the UGA experts

/by

If there’s one thing COVID-19 has left us all with, it’s questions. What’s next for our education systems? Can the course of the disease be predicted? Why is it so challenging to communicate relevant science topics to society? How are vaccines developed for infectious diseases?

It’s hard to know what the impact of COVID-19 will be or how long it will change the way we live, but there’s no one better to ask than UGA experts from diverse academic disciplines. In a series of interactive online sessions called the Ask Me Anything series, UGA faculty members will discuss the effects of this global pandemic in their area of expertise.

SERIES SPEAKER LINE-UP

John Drake

JOHN DRAKE

Distinguished Research Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Director at the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases

Thursday, May 7
3:30 PM EST

Can the course of the epidemic be predicted?

Drake will provide an update about the current patterns and potential trajectory of COVID-19 in Georgia and the U.S. Results of computer models that have been developed at the University of Georgia by he and other members of the Coronavirus Working Group will be shared and further explained, with ample opportunities for questions and discussion. Drake will provide a demonstration of the COVID-19 Portal, a repository of data and maps related to the pandemic that is shared with decision-makers and researchers at institutions around the world. As new data become available, Drake and his colleagues continue to refine our understanding of how human interventions can impact the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

VIEW RECORDING

Glen Nowak UGA AMA

GLEN NOWAK

Director of Center for Health & Risk Communication

Tuesday, May 12
3:30 PM EST

Public Health, New Media, and COVID-19: Why is Communicating so Hard?

Information and advice about COVID-19 are being put out daily by public health agencies, elected officials, and news media. The good news, it’s possible to find information and advice quickly on many COVID-19 topics. The bad news, information and advice are often challenging and conflicting. This session will focus on what makes COVID-19 communication, advice, and messaging so difficult, including tips for understanding and using it.

View Recording

Ted Ross Ask Me Anything UGA

TED ROSS

Director of the Center for Vaccines and Immunology and Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and Professor of Infectious Diseases

Thursday, May 14
3:30 PM EST

Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Development

Ross leads a team of researchers at UGA who are working on vaccines to combat the coronavirus. He has spent a large part of his career studying viruses and developing vaccines and treatments.

View Recording

Shepherd

MARSHALL SHEPHERD

Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor
Director, Atmospheric Sciences Program

Tuesday, May 19
3:30 PM EST

Zombies, Sports, and Soft Drinks: Implications for communicating complex science topics

Shepherd will use the lens of contemporary events to describe challenges with communicating complex science topics that affect society such as climate change or COVID-19. He will explore biases that shape public perspectives on science and present ways to move forward.

VIEW RECORDING

STEPHANIE JONES + HILARY HUGHES

Stephanie Jones is a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor. Hilary Hughes is an Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator.

Thursday, May 21
3:30 PM EST

Teaching and Learning in a time of the COVID-19 Crisis: Imagining What’s Next

As schools have settled into the new normal of managing the crisis as best they can, and some have already started various forms of summer schooling, our attention has turned to what might be possible next. In other words, while this crisis has brought education systems to a screeching halt, it has also become more clear to a lot of people that there are many forms of positive and powerful “education” that have been excluded from schools because of their narrow focus on test preparation and high-stakes testing. This is a moment when we can reimagine what kind of schooling we collectively want for our children and youth.

VIEW RECORDING

Michelle vanDellen

Michelle vanDellen

Associate Professor of Social Psychology in the Department of Psychology at the University of Georgia.

Tuesday, May 26
3:30 PM EST 

PsyCorona: A Multinational Research Project Investigating Psychological Reactions to COVID-19.

The spread of COVID-19 is an international phenomena with far reaching implications for physical and economic health. PsyCorona is a multi-national project investigating how psychological factors relate to the spread of the virus. Working with teams of data scientists, vanDellen is connecting psychological factors to big data sets containing information about virus spread and policy implementation. Participants in the study come from 22+ countries and have been tracked weekly since mid-March. VanDellen will overview the study, describe some of the research projects in place that are using the data set, and answer questions about how psychological factors may relate to the spread of COVID-19.

VIEW RECORDING

CHARLES S. BULLOCK III

University Professor, Richard B. Russell Professor of Political Science and Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor

Thursday, May 28
3:30 PM EST

Bullock is an expert in southern politics, legislative politics and elections and electoral systems. His seminar will discuss how the global pandemic is impacting our political landscape. He is known as a reliable and dependable source to publications like The Atlanta-Journal Constitution and The New York Times.

VIEW RECORDING

 

REGISTER NOW

All sessions are free of charge and are open to anyone who would like to participate. Simply register for a session and you will be sent a Zoom link on the day of the event.

Registration closes at 5:00 PM EST the day before each session takes place.

Questions? Contact alumni@uga.edu

UGA grad connects people in the age of social distancing

/by

It’s no secret that the coronavirus has made dating more complicated. Typical date spots are shut down and those in quarantine alone are prevented from meeting potential romantic interests in person.

But that didn’t stop roommates Rance Nix (ABJ ’14) and Thi Q. Lam from spreading love to thousands of people throughout New York City on their Love is Blind spinoff called Love is Quarantine.

While hunkered down in quarantine, the two binge-watched Love is Blind, just before the governor of New York City issued “stay-at-home” orders. This inspired Nix’s roommate, Lam, to recreate the show to connect people and help them adapt to the new COVID-19 dating realties.

“I’m committed to doing my part by staying home, practicing social distancing, and giving back where I am able to do so,” said Nix. “Love is Quarantine has been an awesome opportunity to spread love and get people’s minds off of the pandemic and chaos in the world.”

On March 17, they began setting up friends and mutual friends on blind telephone dates. Participants put their names and numbers in a Google Sheet. From there, Nix texted couples directly and asked them to pick up the phone and have a conversation…and then the dates began!

The show exists entirely on Instagram. After each date, participants record faceless videos that recount their experience.

The social-media based show quickly caught the attention of thousands- including the media. Since the launch, they have aired 9 episodes with over 50 dating contestants. Their Instagram has grown to 18.8k followers and outlets including the New York Times, Forbes and the Washington Post have covered Nix and Lam’s project.

Given their booming popularity, the pair has sold Love is Quarantine merchandise and donated the proceeds to Feeding America.

Full of Georgia spirit and a smile that never wavers, Nix can brighten just about anyone’s day. As an undergraduate on campus, you could find him creating hype songs for game days, on the sidelines cheering at sporting events or campaigning for student government.

Do you know a Georgia Bulldog helping others or their alma mater during the COVID-19 outbreak? We’d love to hear their story!