Alumni Association events and other events involving UGA

Heading to ‘The Big Easy’ for the game? Check out these Bulldog recommendations!

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Our New Orleans Alumni Chapter leaders recommended a few things to do while you’re in the Big Easy for the Sugar Bowl. See below for their suggestions!
 

RESTAURANTS

MODERN

  • Coquette – 2018 James Beard “Best Chef-South” nominee, Mike Stolzfus, and Kristen Essig
  • Compere Lapin — 2018 James Beard “Best Chef-South” winner, Nina Compton
  • Saba – 2015 James Beard “Best Chef-South” winner, Alon Shaya
  • Willa Jean
  • La Petite Grocery

OLD SCHOOL

PO-BOYS

SEAFOOD

 

ACTIVITIES

MUSEUMS, TOURS, PARKS

SHOPPING, WATERING HOLES, MUSIC

 

BREWERIES

 

NIGHTLIFE

 

TRAVEL PACKAGE

Have tickets to the Sugar Bowl and need help with travel? Consider purchasing a Georgia Bulldogs Sports Travel package.

Whether you’re traveling to New Orleans to catch the Allstate Sugar Bowl in person or are planning to attend a game-watching party in your hometown, peek at our comprehensive list of events to help you cheer on the Dawgs from wherever you are on January 1.

What do you really know about bats?

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Duh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh BAT … WEEK! Not what you were expecting? Neither was I until the Odum School of Ecology launched their Bulldogs for Bats campaign. Since then, I’ve learned a lot about bats that has completely reshaped my opinion. Much like the beloved DC Comics superhero who saves Gotham, bats are saving local ecosystems in the night and are often misunderstood. From Australia to right here in Athens, Georgia, bats serve as natural pest control and are essential pollinators of many plants.

So what’s Bat Week, you ask? It’s an international, annual celebration designed to raise awareness about the need for bat conservation. And it starts today! Did you know bats face risk of disease, habitat loss, pesticide use and wind energy, just to name a few? Diminishing numbers of bats pose a threat not only to the functioning of healthy ecosystems, but also to human well-being. Insect-eating bats, including the 16 species found in Georgia, save the U.S. agricultural industry at least $3 billion a year in pest control costs and crop damage. Bats also help control mosquito populations and may reduce the risk of emerging diseases, such as West Nile Virus, in the Southeast. This week, we’re spreading awareness about the vital role bats play, and how you can help save them.

Bulldogs for Bats is a campaign that’s been running the entire month of October to raise support for bat conservation efforts. All funds donated will provide local bats with a safe, sustainable environment while enhancing student learning and research opportunities. While many of our graduate students have conducted fieldwork research abroad, building bat houses in the community will provide students more chances for experiential learning and hands-on research right in our backyard.

  • Sánchez releases a flying fox in Australia during her fieldwork.

  • Sánchez studied many similar bat colonies in Queensland, Australia.

  • Bats roosting in a tree in Australia.

  • Kristin Lear, a PHD student in forestry & natural resources, and Sánchez have hosted educational workshops about bats on campus.

  • Sánchez showcases the size of a flying fox bat in Australia.

  • A grey-headed flying fox from Sánchez’s research in Australia.

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So when you see some of these so-called “spooky” creatures on Halloween, think of the difference they’re making in our environment. And please consider saving the bats—what better time than during Bat Week?

Save The Bats

2019 Welcome to the City: A Recap

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This summer, UGA Alumni Chapters across the country hosted Welcome to the City events. During these annual gatherings, Bulldogs come together to welcome new alumni to their area. The Bulldog family is always growing, and our chapters did a great job of making sure Bulldogs Never Bark Alone, wherever they go.

“What was memorable about this year’s event was the number of new faces. Some Bulldogs have been in the city for a couple years, but had no clue there was an active chapter. Others were as new as three days in Chicago,” says Michael Lyons, Chicago Chapter president.

There are more than 80 alumni chapters worldwide, so there’s almost always an opportunity to connect with fellow alumni through them. Stephen Scates, Charleston Chapter president, says, “There is a huge Dawg presence here in the low country, and we are blessed to never have to bark alone while so far away from Athens.”

Check out our photo gallery of this year’s Welcome to the City events:

  • Emerald Coast Chapter

  • Southwest Florida Chapter

  • Little Rock Chapter

  • St. Louis Area Chapter

  • Boston Chapter

  • Charleston Chapter

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Interested in connecting with Bulldogs in your area? Find your local UGA Alumni Chapter today!

Interested in helping out UGA students, on your schedule? Sign up for the UGA Mentor Program.

#AlwaysADawg

2019 UGA Football Schedule

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It’s time, once again, to tee it up Between The Hedges! Kirby Smart (BBA ’98) is ready to lead the Dawgs into his fourth year as head coach, and all signs point to a banner year. Jake Fromm, D’Andre Swift, JR Reed, and Andrew Thomas—all among the nation’s best at their positions—are just a few of the starters returning this year, and a bevy of highly-touted talents round out the rest of this star-studded roster.

This year’s schedule is full of intrigue, with several preseason top-10 match-ups on the books—most notably the Dawgs’ return trip in its home-and-home series with college football blueblood Notre Dame. Here’s the full 2019 UGA football schedule:

 

August 31: @ Vanderbilt – Nashville, Tennessee

September 7: Murray State

September 14: Arkansas State

September 21: Notre Dame

September 28: Bye Week

October 5: @ Tennessee – Knoxville, Tennessee

October 12: South Carolina

October 19: Kentucky

October 26: Bye Week

November 2: @ Florida – Jacksonville, Florida

November 9: Missouri

November 16: @ Auburn – Auburn, Alabama

November 23: Texas A&M

November 30: @ Georgia Tech – Atlanta, Georgia

 

Can’t make it to a game in person? No worries–don your red and black and head to your local alumni chapter game-watching party. Because no Bulldog should ever bark alone!

Oh, and be sure to update your info to make sure you stay informed about all of the UGA happenings in your neck of the woods.

Other Football Season Events

Don’t miss Peabody’s ‘Stories of the Year’

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What are the Peabody Awards?

The Peabody Awards are a true gem in the University of Georgia’s crown. For those who don’t know what the Peabody Awards are, let me get you up to speed:

The National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee in the 1930s to establish a prestigious award similar to the Pulitzer Prize for excellence in broadcasting. Lambdin Kay, manager of WSB Radio in Atlanta, asked John Drewry, dean of the Grady School of Journalism, to sponsor the award, upon the recommendation of Lessie Smithgall, a graduate who worked at the station.

The committee named the award posthumously for George Foster Peabody, a Georgia native and successful investment banker whose philanthropic interests included the university. The first awards were issued in 1941. The Peabody Awards now include a wide range of broadcasting—from TV and blogs to cable to streaming network programs and websites. As the platforms for storytelling multiply, the Peabody Awards will continue to evolve, highlighting Stories That Matter across media.

So now you know and can share that with your friends and family when you’re enjoying programs like

Or when you’re adding any of Zach Armstrong’s watch list recommendations from this past May.

Peabody Awards App for iOS

The Peabody Awards App for iOS is available. It was developed in collaboration with the New Media Institute in UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. In addition to feature articles and videos from the Peabody Digital Network, users can explore recent winners and pick favorite programs to watch now or later.

Download the App

 

“Peabody Presents: Stories of the Year” on FX

If you weren’t able to attend the 78th Annual Peabody Awards Ceremony in New York City (don’t worry, I didn’t make the invite list, either), you can still get a closer look at recent winners and how they are address pressing social issues and share Stories That Matter.

That’s because Peabody and FX have partnered to create a documentary-style TV special, Peabody Presents: Stories of the Year, which will air at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 7.

It will showcase award-winning programming that features diverse narratives tackling important issues. The program will intertwine conversations about race, the LGBTQ experience, the impact of the #MeToo movement and journalistic integrity with footage from this year’s awards ceremony that was held in May.

Hasan Minhaj, a two-time Peabody Award-winner, will moderate an intimate discussion among fellow storytellers representing programs released in 2018 to receive a Peabody Award:

  • Steven Canals, co-creator, executive producer and writer of the FX series Pose;
  • Paula Lavigne, ESPN investigative reporter for “Spartan Silence: Crisis at Michigan State”;
  • Terence Nance, filmmaker and creator of Random Acts of Flyness on HBO; and
  • Tracy Heather Strain, director/writer of the PBS/WNET documentary Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart.

We hope you’ll tune in and join us in celebrating UGA’s role in this important awards program.

UGA Young Alumni Night at SweetWater: A timeline

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There was excitement in the air. A sea of red and black. Loud voices Calling the Dawgs.

No, it wasn’t a fall Saturday in Athens. It was a hot summer evening in Atlanta. I was at my (ashamedly) very first UGA Young Alumni event. Three years post-graduation and I finally made it!

Here’s my night in review: 

5:05 p.m. Hit the road to Atlanta from Athens where I sing karaoke all the way down 316.

6:30 p.m. Take a power nap because I can’t hang like a college kid any more.

7:00 p.m. Put on my best red and black outfit.

7:30 p.m. Meet up with friends and fellow Dawgs — some of whom I hadn’t seen since English 1001.

8:30 p.m. Request my Uber to SweetWater.

8:31 p.m. Take an Uber selfie.

Uber Selfie
8:55 p.m. Arrive at SweetWater and stop by the registration table to check in. I pat myself on the back for registering early since tickets at the door were more expensive ;)

UGA Young Alumni Night at SweetWater

9:00 p.m. (okay, it was more like 8:56 p.m.) Grab my first beer. Cheers!

9:15 p.m. Catch up with a college friend who recently accepted a new job at Cox Enterprises.

9:30 p.m. Tour SweetWater’s newly renovated taproom and learn that there’s 24 (!) beers on tap. Time to try another!

9:45 p.m. The bartender pours my second local brew.

10:00 p.m. The band starts playing Backstreet Boys so I obviously hit the dance floor.

Atlanta Wedding Band

10:15 p.m. Indulge in some barbecue from SweetWater’s new in-house catering kitchen. It was delicious!

10:30 p.m. Lead a group in Calling the Dawgs! My bark still needs some work before football season begins.

10:45 p.m. Pose with friends and UGA props at the photobooth — no, I’m not sharing those photos.

11:00 p.m. I have another beer … or two.

12:00 p.m. Close down the joint and request another Uber because #responsible.

The Young Alumni Leadership Council meets regularly in Atlanta and hosts events and programs  like this throughout the year. Learn more about getting involved. 

And, be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s UGA Alumni Night at SweetWater. Not only is it an awesome night of reminiscing, drinks and dancing, but a portion of my ticket supported UGA scholarships so I also felt good about giving back to my favorite university.

View Photo Gallery

Congratulations, 2019 40 Under 40!

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40 Under 40 Logo

We’re proud to announce the 40 Under 40 Class of 2019 today! This program, in its ninth year, celebrates the achievements of successful UGA graduates under the age of 40–a set of alumni who are leading the pack in their industries and communities. These young leaders will be recognized during the ninth annual 40 Under 40 Awards Luncheon Sept. 13 in the Tate Student Center on campus. If you’re interested, please join us for this special event.

Each Honoree Stands Out

The 2019 class includes a few names you might recognize:

  • Allison R. Schmitt, a gold medal-winning Olympic swimmer
  • Malcolm Mitchell, Super Bowl champion and children’s author
  • Will Carr, a correspondent for ABC News on a national level

But even if you don’t know the names of everyone on the list, you’ll still be impressed at the caliber of these graduates working in everything from law and politics, to health care, nonprofit and food and beverage. For example, Tim Fleming is Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s chief of staff and Catherine Marti is a cardiologist at Piedmont Heart Institute focused on heart failure and transplant cardiology.

“We are excited to unveil this year’s class of 40 Under 40 and welcome them back home to Athens for the awards luncheon in September,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of alumni relations. “I am always amazed by the excellence of our young alumni. These outstanding individuals exemplify leadership in their industries and communities.”

The Competition

Talk about a competitive selection process: nominations for 40 Under 40 were open from February to April, and more than 400 alumni were nominated for this year’s class. Honorees, of course, must have attended UGA and they have to uphold the Pillars of the Arch: wisdom, justice and moderation. Additional criteria are available on the 40 Under 40 webpage.

“The achievements of our nominated alumni each year make it hard to narrow down the list to just 40 honorees, and this year was no exception,” said Johnson. “We are proud of all of these outstanding young graduates. Their drive and focus inspires the UGA community.”

Ok, Ok, Show Me the List!

This year’s 40 Under 40 honorees, including their city, title and employer, are listed below in alphabetical order:

The Event

As we said earlier, if you’re interested in attending the 2019 40 Under 40 Awards Luncheon in Athens on Friday, September 13, please register today! *If you’re an honoree, please use the registration link provided to you by the Alumni Relations team.

UGA in Washington reception reunites alumni, friends

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UGA alumni at DC event

Hundreds of alumni were in attendance at the UGA in Washington reception on June 19.

The University of Georgia brought a little bit of Athens to D.C. during its annual UGA in Washington reception on June 19 at Union Station.

The event was an occasion for UGA alumni and friends in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to connect with one another as well as with UGA President Jere W. Morehead, UGA Vice President for Government Relations Toby Carr, and special guest UGA head football coach Kirby Smart.

More than 140 UGA alumni work on Capitol Hill. Among those in attendance at the reception were Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue (DVM ’71) and Congressmen Buddy Carter (BSPH ’80), Rick Allen and Jody Hice.

In attendance at the UGA in Washington event were, from left, UGA Vice President for Government Relations Toby Carr, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter and UGA President Jere W. Morehead.

“UGA in Washington is always a wonderful opportunity to meet with our remarkable D.C. alumni,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of alumni relations. “We are proud to have such a significant presence in the capital with over 5,000 alumni living in the area and our Washington Semester Program students living and learning in Delta Hall.”

Since Delta Hall’s opening in 2015, more than 250 UGA students have taken classes, participated in internships and immersed themselves in D.C.’s vibrant culture. More than 150 of those students have remained in the area after graduation and have stayed involved with the university through the D.C. Dawgs alumni chapter.

The D.C. alumni chapter is one of the most active in the country and hosts dozens of professional development and cultural events every year, in addition to game watching parties during football season. All UGA supporters are invited to participate in events and programs hosted by local alumni chapters.

Find Your Alumni Chapter

Five punny reasons you don’t want to miss UGA Young Alumni Night at SweetWater

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We know you don’t really need an excuse to go to SweetWater … it kind of sells itself. But indulge us anyway. Here are five reasons missing this annual event would be un-beer-able:    

  1. Don’t worry, beer hoppy. What better way to spend a summer Friday than surrounded by fellow Bulldogs? Reminisce about sunny afternoons on north campus, be grateful you’re not spending your evening cramming in the MLC and count down the days until football season returns ( … it’ll be 64 from Young Alumni Night).

    UGA Young Alumni Night at SweetWater
  2. New taproom? Ale yeah! Did you know that SweetWater recently renovated and reopened its much-anticipated taproom? The new space allows for 24 different beers to be available on tap. Yeah, you read that right. 
  3. Hip hops. A local Atlanta band will be performing some of your favorite songs all night long. Pretend you’re back in Athens at the 40 Watt, Georgia Theatre or Hendershots.

    UGA Young Alumni Night at SweetWater
  4. Pitcher perfect. Take a selfie, pose with friends and make the perfect boomerang glass clink. Your Instagram feed will thank you.

    UGA Young Alumni Night at SweetWater
  5. You’re supporting students – thank brew very much! A portion of your ticket price will help fund UGA student scholarships.  

Bonus reason: FOOD.  

Let’s be honest – you don’t have anything planned for next Friday anyway. Grab a friend (or five), request an Uber/Lyft/Bird/Lime and we’ll see you there. Cheers! 

 June 28
9 p.m. to midnight 

REGISTER NOW

UGA Mentor Program – LeBria Casher

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Photo of student typing on computer with mentor.

Mentors and mentees communicate via email, text messages, phone calls and in-person meetings.

The UGA Mentor Program is the first comprehensive mentorship initiative at the University of Georgia. It will launch publicly on Wednesday, June 12. Alumni, including staff and faculty, are invited to create a profile at mentor.uga.edu if they are interested in mentoring a student. When students return to campus in August, they will begin pairing with alumni so that mentoring can begin this fall.

Become a Mentor

LeBria Casher

A successful pilot of the program was executed this spring with over 115 mentor pairs, including LeBria Casher, a rising senior majoring in English and comparative literature. LeBria’s mentor was Allison Ausband (ABJ ’83), who graduated with a journalism degree, serves on the UGA Board of Trustees and is the senior vice president of in-flight service at Delta Air Lines. LeBria shared a little about her experience piloting the new UGA Mentor Program…

What made you want to be a mentee?

When I heard about the UGA Mentor Program, I knew without a doubt what a wonderful opportunity it was and that I should apply immediately. Various organizations at UGA have shown me what it’s like to be a student mentor or mentee, but the UGA Mentor Program offered me a chance to connect with an alumnus on a personal level. I was able to choose a mentor that would share my major, interests, or experience at UGA. Also, I wanted to have a mentor who would support my goals and help me develop them.

What was your biggest fear?

I was scared that I would have a mentor who didn’t care, but I was quickly put at ease. My mentor, Allison, genuinely supported my ambitions and talked me through my goals. Also, I’ve seen and heard how the alumni who participate in the UGA Mentor Program want to see students succeed.

What has been the biggest surprise?

The biggest surprise was the flexibility of the UGA Mentor Program. It wasn’t time-consuming. It didn’t interfere with my class schedule, work, or any other obligations. I got to establish how frequently I wanted to communicate with my mentor, and we communicated monthly via email, telephone, and in-person.

Why has this been so meaningful for you?

I enjoyed having someone in my corner who wants the best for me. Despite the official mentoring relationship ending, I feel comfortable contacting my mentor and knowing she is still willing to offer me advice.

Describe the UGA Mentor Program in three words.

Investment. Significant. Worthwhile.

What would you tell someone considering UGA Mentor Program?

Don’t hesitate to apply! It really is a great program because there’s a mentor and commitment that’s right for everybody. Having a mentor is a great chance to look at someone else’s journey from UGA to where they are now — especially if it aligns with your interests. Mentors are a valuable source of information, and you get out of the mentoring relationship what you put into it. You never know what good will come from the relationship. Everyone should take the time to look at the website, the FAQs, and contact the UGA Mentor Program team if they are unsure of anything.

 

Interested in learning more about the UGA Mentor Program?

Become a UGA Mentor