“I’m not alone in my experiences”

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In honor of Black History Month, the University of Georgia Mentor Program is highlighting the support available to Black male students through a partnership with the Georgia African American Male Experience (GAAME) Scholars Program.

Jakhari Gordon (Class of 2025) is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Systems Engineering in UGA’s College of Engineering, far from his Virginia home. He considers himself a family-oriented person, but has learned to stand on his own two feet at UGA thanks to support from others who traveled the same path before him.

“UGA has a community around it and a very big alumni network; UGA is full of opportunity” said Gordon. He took advantage of those opportunities, becoming involved in the Georgia African American Male Experience (GAAME) Scholars Program and the UGA Mentor Program.

The GAAME Scholars Program provides holistic support to undergraduate African American male students who are seeking to enhance their UGA experience through activities that honor and affirm their identities. It was through GAAME that Gordon met Marques Dexter (MS ’09, PHD ’24), interim director of the program, who encouraged him to join the UGA Mentor Program.

“It’s been amazing to support students like Jakhari, particularly through the UGA Mentor Program,” said Dexter. “I know what it’s like being an out of state and far from home student, just like Jakhari. It was through connecting with others who looked like me–faculty, staff and alumni–that I was able to thrive at my institution. Having the privilege to instill the mindset that mentoring works, while emphasizing that I am where I am today because of mentorship, brings me full circle.”

Gordon found common ground with his mentor, Raymond Phillips (BS ’12, MBA ’18), and the two connected on many levels. In addition to being a senior technology and process improvement consultant in metro Atlanta, Raymond is a past president of the UGA Black Alumni Leadership Council.

“It was important that my mentor was a male African American like me. Growing up, I did not have much of a male influence,” Gordon said. “You think you’re the only person who has been through your situation, but I enjoyed talking with Raymond and seeing the differences and similarities between our times at UGA. The people ahead of us want to help us avoid  pitfalls. Everyone should look to connect with a mentor. That one person can change the course of what you’re doing or confirm the path you’re on.”

Dexter agrees, “My mentors saw more in me than I knew existed. The example my mentors set guides me now as I empower young men such as Jakhari to aim higher and dream bigger.”

Join the Mentor Program

Eugenia Harvey named inaugural Footsteps Award winner

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This story was originally published on UGA Today on Feb. 9, 2022.

The University of Georgia named Eugenia Harvey as the recipient of the inaugural Footsteps Award during the university’s annual Holmes-Hunter Lecture on Tuesday, Feb. 1.

The award recognizes a UGA graduate who follows in the pioneering footsteps of Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Hamilton Holmes and Mary Frances Early, UGA’s first enrolled Black students and first Black graduate, respectively, by making a significant positive impact in human rights, race relations or education in their community.

“When I received my acceptance letter from UGA, my mother reminded me that I was following in the footsteps of those who paid the price for me to attend my desired school,” said Harvey, who graduated with a Broadcast Journalism degree. “I bring those words up from deep within my heart today as I receive the inaugural Footsteps Award from this, my university. With gratitude and purpose, I walk forward, hoping to brighten the path for those yet to come.”

Harvey serves as the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for The WNET Group and is part of the organization’s senior leadership team. She plays a central role in the efforts to build a more inclusive, equitable and anti-racist organization. The WNET Group is the community-supported home of New York’s THIRTEEN – America’s flagship PBS station – WLIW21, operator of New Jersey’s statewide public television network NJ PBS, and Long Island’s only NPR station WLIW-FM.

In addition to her role as Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Harvey also oversees The WNET Group’s Community Engagement team, which has partnered with thought leaders from over 400 community organizations to convene solutions-oriented discussions around systemic racism in New York City and across the country.

Harvey is also an award-winning producer, and continues to serve as Executive Producer for The WNET Group’s Chasing the Dream: Poverty & Opportunity in America, providing critical programming on poverty, opportunity and justice in America; Peril & Promise: The Challenge of Climate Change, a reporting initiative reporting on the human stories of climate change and its potential solutions; and Exploring Hate: Antisemitism, Racism and Extremism, examining the roots and rise of hate in America and across the globe.

“Eugenia brings diverse and underrepresented stories to light and diversifies the talent behind and in front of the camera,” said Yvette Daniels, president of the UGA Alumni Association board of directors. “Her impactful work promotes social justice and inspires audiences to improve the world. We are honored to call her a Bulldog and honored to name her the winner of the inaugural Footsteps Award.”

“Eugenia is such a great example of UGA alumni at their best: she went out into the world, she is excelling in her field and she is making a real difference,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of the UGA Alumni Association. “The work she has done and will continue to do makes her a perfect choice for this first Footsteps Award.”

Harvey will be honored in Atlanta at the spring reception of The 1961 Club, a UGA giving society named for the year of desegregation at UGA and composed of donors to the university’s Black Alumni Scholarship Fund. Nominations for the 2023 Footsteps Award will open in the fall.

Offbeat Media Group named fastest-growing UGA business

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Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia Alumni Association recognized the fastest-growing companies owned or led by UGA alumni during the thirteenth annual Bulldog 100 Celebration on Feb. 5 in the West End Zone of Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.

The 2022 fastest-growing business, Offbeat Media Group, boasts four UGA graduates at the helm: Shepherd Ogden (BBA ’18), CEO and co-founder, Bailey Grady (BBA ’19), COO and co-founder, Christopher Travers (BBA ’17), COO and co-founder and Kevin Planovsky (ABJ ’05), advisor.

Atlanta-based Offbeat Media Group is a leading digital influence and media company that owns, builds, and brokers the largest native social media network of publishers and virtual influencers. Now with over 1 billion followers, the concept was trailblazed by one of its co-founders when he was just a sophomore in high school. With investments from venture capitalists like Mark Cuban, this company’s clients sit at the intersection of lifestyle, culture and entertainment. Those clients include TikTok, McDonald’s, Twitch, Cameo, Netflix, Warner Music Group and more.

“We are the product of what young entrepreneurs can do here at UGA,” said Shepherd Ogden. “I expect we’ll see many more companies like ours started by students that are in school right now because of the resources being dedicated by the university. Our UGA mentors and programs like the New Media Institute and Innovation District have been incredibly helpful.”

Ogden continued, “If there’s something I can ask everyone to do, it’s to continue to help student entrepreneurs. That’s the reason we’re standing here today, because of the help we were given at UGA.”

Rounding out the Bulldog 100 top ten are:

    1. Rheos Nautical Eyewear, Charleston, South Carolina
    2. Roadie, Atlanta, Georgia
    3. Bitcoin Depot, Atlanta, Georgia
    4. BIOLYTE, Canton, Georgia
    5. YouthServ360 Inc. dba 7 Pillars Career Academy, Forest Park, Georgia
    6. Edwards & Hawkins LLC, Atlanta, Georgia
    7. Golden Isles Pharmacy, Brunswick, Georgia
    8. LeaseQuery, Atlanta, Georgia
    9. inBrain, Atlanta, Georgia

“The 2022 Bulldog 100 recognizes outstanding alumni achievements, broadens those business leaders’ networks and celebrates a spirit of innovation at UGA,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of the UGA Alumni Association. “These alumni are leading the way in business, building better communities, and are committed to their ideas, their innovations and their employees. We are proud to celebrate their successes.”

Bulldog 100 companies were ranked, regardless of size, by evaluating their three-year compounded annual growth rates. The Atlanta office of Warren Averett CPAs and Advisors—a Bulldog 100 partner since the program began in 2009—verifies the information submitted by each company and determines the ranked list. On average, companies in the 2022 Bulldog 100 grew by 44 percent each year from 2019-2021.

Nominations were accepted from February to July 2021. UGA received 367 nominations for the 2022 Bulldog 100. Each organization must have been in business since 2018, experienced revenues over $100,000 for the calendar year 2019, and be owned or operated by a former UGA student who owns at least half of the company or is the CEO, president or managing partner.

During the Feb. 5 event, the UGA Alumni Association presented the fifth annual Michael J. Bryan Award to 1973 UGA graduate Rodger Breda, CEO and founder of Breda Pest Management.

Bryan, the co-founder and managing partner of Vino Venue and Atlanta Wine School in Dunwoody, Georgia, passed away in 2017 after a long battle with cancer. The award recognizes a returning Bulldog 100 honoree whose business has not only sustained growth, but also demonstrates the entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to UGA that was Bryan’s hallmark.

To view the complete list of 2022 Bulldog 100 businesses, visit alumni.uga.edu/b100.

Nominations for the 2023 Bulldog 100 are now open.

Black alumni-owned Bulldog businesses bring pride to UGA

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“Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.”

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous voice rang out these words, he might have been speaking directly to the stellar UGA Black alumni who appear on this year’s Bulldog 100 list. Their businesses are among the top 100 fastest-growing enterprises owned or operated by UGA graduates.

Entrepreneurs. Risk-takers. Leaders. Movers and shakers. Culture-shapers. These business owners each earned a place of pride—first as students of intelligence, character and commitment to UGA and its values… and now they’ve extended that commitment as professionals to their communities and the people they serve there. Together, these UGA alumni bear witness to the value of a degree from the birthplace of public higher education in America.

We’re tremendously proud of these business leaders and their successful leadership within their communities, industries and organizations.

The Barnes Law Office

Latasha Barnes (AB ’05, AB ’05)

Latasha Barnes hung out the shingle for her law firm in 2015 to serve metro Atlanta in criminal, family and personal injury law. She’s earned a reputation as an effective litigator and skilled negotiator in dozens of trials and thousands of criminal cases. In 2016, Barnes was named Top 40 under 40 in Criminal Defense by the National Trial Lawyers. For the past four years, she has been named a Rising Star on the Georgia Super Lawyers listing, a distinction only received by 2.5 percent of attorneys in the state. As a student, Barnes served as president of the UGA Chapter of the NAACP from 2003-2004.

 

The Brogdon Firm LLC

Gino Brogdon Jr. (JD ’11)

Gino Brogdon launched The Brogdon Firm in 2014, and it didn’t take long for his reputation to spread. Brogdon has earned selection as a Super Lawyer Rising Star each year since 2017, and he was recently featured as an Attorney to Watch in Atlanta Attorney and Law Magazine. His firm specializes in cases of catastrophic injury, personal injury and wrongful death. Brogdon is also making his mark as a legal innovator, co-founding FourthParty with his wife, Melissa. The web-based application gives lawyers remote access to legal information. In 2021, Google For Startups awarded FourthParty $100,000 as a high-potential legal-tech startup.

 

Edwards & Hawkins LLC

Cameron Hawkins (JD ’08)  

Cameron Hawkins became a partner with Donald Edwards at Edwards & Hawkins in 2019, bringing an outstanding track record in personal injury, commercial litigation and immigration law to a venerable five-decade-old firm. Recognized in 2017 as a University of Georgia School of Law Young Alumni of Excellence, Hawkins’s other accolades include a Thompson Reuters selection as a 2021 Super Lawyer, a 2021 Super Lawyers designation and selection to the national Top 40 Under 40 Black Lawyers. Hawkins holds a passion for community service, serving as a program director for the Fulton County Youth Leadership Academy, among other roles supporting the development of youth and young professionals. He’s a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

 

LeaseQuery

George Azih (BBA ’03) 

George Azih launched his software company, LeaseQuery, in 2011 with his roommate, Chris Ramsey (BS ’05), while still working as a full-time accountant. The promise of the startup, which uses innovated software to help accountants and financial professionals reduce lease accounting errors, lured him into full-time entrepreneurship in 2014. Azih hasn’t looked back. From 2018 to 2019, LeaseQuery’s client base doubled from 500 to more than 1,000, and it’s grown since to more than 2,000 clients in 93 countries. The dynamic expansion landed Azih as a finalist for the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® 2020 Southeast Award. In 2020 and 2021, LeaseQuery was named the No. 1 fastest-growing Bulldog 100 business, making it the first company to receive that title two years in a row. On Azih’s LinkedIn profile, he describes himself as “Founder & CEO of LeaseQuery. Proud father. UGA Bulldog.”

 

OSC Edge

Tiffany Bailey (AB ’02)  

Tiffany Bailey has parlayed an English degree from UGA into a notable entrepreneurial career. After a post-college position with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she founded OSC Edge in 2010. Her vision? Providing expert solutions in IT to government and businesses. As CEO and president, Bailey’s visionary management of day-to-day operations has led to contracts with IT clients and the Department of Defense. OSC Edge employs staff across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. Bailey is an alumna of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses Program, a member of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, and the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce.

 

YouthServ360 Inc.

Christina Guillen (AB ’04, AB ’04)
Hilary Carruthers (AB ’04, BSW ’04, MSW ’06, DRPH ’21)
Jazmin Briggs (AB ’05)

Christina Guillen graduated from UGA and went immediately into the classroom at age 20 with Teach For America. That influential experience led her back to Clayton County, Georgia where she was determined to transform local education. In 2008, she created YouthServ360 to help young people experience travel and community service, the gifts that transformed her own life. Students in YouthServ360 programs have now performed 100,000 community service hours, taken 40 college tours and attended 200 life skills workshops. With colleagues and fellow UGA alumnae, Hilary Carruthers and Jazmin Briggs, Guillen and YouthServ360 also launched 7 Pillars Career Academy, the first charter school in Georgia to allow students to set their own pace in curriculum and place of engagement.

 

Written by Charles McNair

Checking in with Alumni Board Member Kevin Abernethy

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There’s a group of committed UGA alumni who dedicate their time, energy, and financial resources to bringing Bulldogs together year-round, worldwide, and lifelong. The UGA Alumni Board of Directors represents UGA’s diverse and passionate alumni family and strives to provide feedback, guidance and leadership as the university seeks to ensure that its graduates Never Bark Alone. Throughout the year, we’ll get to know these spirited graduates who hail from various backgrounds and are involved in all corners of campus.

Name:

  • Kevin Abernethy

I live in:

  • Macon, Georgia

Degree:

  • 1999 – Political Science (UGA)

My current job:

  • Chief of the Civil Division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia

Kevin was named a 2013 Fulton County Daily Report 40 Under 40 Legal Star on the Rise.

I joined the alumni board in:

  • 2020

Ways I support UGA:

My first job after graduation:

  • Legislative assistant in the Georgia General Assembly

In 2019, Kevin was sworn in as an assistant U.S. attorney alongside his mother and former U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler.

If I had $1 million, I would support the ­_____ fund on campus.

The UGA class that I enjoyed the most was:

A story that stands out as a UGA student:

  • In 1997, then UGA President Michael Adams and then Assistant to the President Victor Wilson (BSW ’82, MED ’87) asked me to speak during President Adams’ inauguration as the student representative. Georgia Gov. Zell Miller (AB ’57, MA ’58) and University System of Georgia Chancellor Stephen Portch were platform speakers with me.
  • Over a thousand people from all over the country attended. President Adams and Victor ensured my parents could be present. Speaking at that event remains one of the highest honors of my life. I will always be grateful to UGA, President Adams and Victor for giving me the privilege.

As a student, Kevin was invited to speak at the 1998 inauguration ceremony for UGA President Michael F. Adams. He’s seen here on the day with the late Georgia Governor and U.S. Senator Zell Miller (AB ’57, MA ’58) (left) and Victor K. Wilson (BSW ’82, MED ’87), who is now UGA’s vice president for student affairs.

My family includes:

  • Mother, Marcia Abernethy
  • Brother, Patrick Abernethy (BBA ’01)
  • Sister-in-law, Erin Abernethy (AB ’03)
  • Nephews William, Henry and Locke Abernethy
  • Sister, Anne Abernethy (DVM ’12)

Kevin and his brother Patrick (BBA ’01), sister-in-law Erin (AB ’03), mother Marcia, and nephews.

A special connection I have to UGA is:

  • My great uncle, John T. Jones (BS ’39), played football at UGA for Wally Butts. He missed being on the 1942 National Championship team by one year.

As a student, I was involved in:

The Red & Black ran an article in 1997 following the Student Government Association election in which Kevin was elected president and his friend Ryan Oliver was elected as vice president.

On a Friday night in college, you would have found me:

A fellow UGA grad who inspires me:

Do you remember someone as a student who has since “made it big?”

  • Yes—Kirby Smart!

The most significant change to the physical campus since I was a student:

  • The Miller Learning Center

My favorite tradition at UGA:

  • Spending time on North Campus
  • Visiting Jackson Street Cemetery
  • Getting together with friends and spending time downtown

Kevin and his nephews, Wills and Henry Abernethy.

Favorite band:

  • REM

On gameday, you’ll find me:

  • Tailgating adjacent to the Tate Student Center

Kevin enjoys a game in Sanford Stadium with his nephew.

When I visit Athens, I grab a bite at:

  • The Last Resort Grill

My most disliked athletic rival:

  • Florida

My No. 1 tip to a graduating Bulldog:

  • Work hard and don’t be deterred by adversity.

No. 1 tip to a fellow Georgia grad who has lost touch with our alma mater:

  • Consider getting involved with your local UGA Alumni Chapter.

Kevin’s support across campus—including his commitment to supporting the Division of Student Affairs— embodies the spirit of UGA. We appreciate his unwavering dedication to his alma mater.

 

10 tips for getting your house ready for the spring market

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With spring just around the corner, the real estate experts from Bulldog 100 have generously offered some advice if you’re looking to put your house up for sale after the long winter season. From inspections to pricing, here are 10 tips for successfully springing into the housing market.

1. Get a pre-inspection done

Check the attic and crawl space for any issues with water intrusion or rodent activity. If you don’t want to do this yourself, we have home inspector partners who can do a quick four-point inspection of your home just to check for major issues like this.

— Joe Cozart (BSED ’03, MED ’06, PHD ’11 ), Cozart Realty

In this process, they will point out many of the same items a potential buyer’s inspector would discover that might possibly scare off an otherwise great buyer.

— Bob Allen (BBA ’81), Greater Athens Properties


2. Take care of any repairs

Take care of the minor repairs before going to market. If you know something needs to be fixed, get it done before any buyers enter your home. If repairs aren’t addressed in the initial offers, they will still come up during the inspection.

— Scott Talley (AB ’04), 5Market Realty

If you want top dollar, make sure your home does not look like a renovation project to a homebuyer. Check your home for rotten wood on the exterior.

— Blake Underwood (BBA ’04), Athens Real Estate Group

Have a handyman do a lap around the outside of the home to replace any rotten boards. This includes rotten soffit, facia or window trim.

— Joe Cozart


3. Have a purposeful design

Make sure every room in your home has a purpose. Turn a bonus room into a playroom or office space. Defining a use for all parts of your home can help buyers see more value.

— Scott Talley


4. Clean and declutter

Move your boxes to the garage or a pod in the yard. Empty those closets and storage areas to the bare minimum items needed to live a normal, comfortable lifestyle. You probably have not opened some boxes in years, so eliminate them so your space looks larger and inviting.

— Bob Allen

Declutter your home and then get the smaller spaces well-organized. Closets, bathrooms and laundry rooms show much better and appear larger when they are efficiently organized.

— Scott Talley

Deep clean the entire house so that it smells fresh and tidy as potentially buyers tour the property… Too much clutter makes the home feel smaller than it really is.

— Blake Underwood


5. Paint … and repaint

If you need some cosmetic upgrades inside or outside, please consider making the changes needed. If the paint is showing signs of wear and tear, have it painted; maybe it is just the trim outside or old wallpaper that dates the home on the inside. You do not have to completely renovate your home. You just need to make it show as move-in ready for most consumers.

— Bob Allen

Get a fresh coat of paint.  This could be inside or out, especially if it has been more than seven years.

— Joe Cozart

Spend the extra time and money to make sure your home is SHOW READY. Pressure wash, fresh pine straw, declutter closets / garage, clean gutters and please paint that wild color in the dining room to a more neutral color.

— Bonneau Ansley (BBA ’99), Ansley Real Estate


6. Make sure there’s curb appeal

Give your home an exterior face lift. Take a look at your home from the street and examine what could be done to brighten up the front of your house. Landscaping, flowers, mulch, pressure washing or just painting the front door can go a long way.

— Scott Talley

Be sure to dress up the landscaping with fresh pine straw or mulch, trim the shrubs and keep the grass cut.

— Blake Underwood

Curb appeal is very important. The home needs to look its best from the road. If you have to hire a landscaper to get the front of the home looking its best, now is the time to invest in the yard.

— Bob Allen


7. Figure out the best timing

I like to list on a Wednesday night and call for highest and best offers by Sunday evening.

— Bonneau Ansley


8. Price accordingly

Make sure you price the home correctly — use an appraisal or a pricing evaluation.

— Bonneau Ansley

Be sure to price your property at market value. If you price your home correctly, you will see maximum exposure and possibly multiple offers. On the other hand, if you price it too high, the home could sit on the market and ultimately cost you more money.

— Scott Talley


9. Check over your buyer

Make sure you choose a buyer who is pre-qualified to purchase your home.

— Bonneau Ansley


10. Talk to a realtor

Hire an agent that you are comfortable with and is an expert in your market.

— Bonneau Ansley

Call your favorite realtor — or several — to walk through and give opinions on things to do to help the sale and suggested pricing. Realtors do this every day and know the local market better than any website like Zillow.

— Bob Allen

 

The annual Bulldog 100 Celebration takes place on February 5. There, the UGA Alumni Association will reveal the No. 1 fasting-growing business for 2022.

Family ties lead to lesson in giving

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Parents’ philanthropy inspires new generation of Bulldogs

Jeff and Allison Mitchell live on a steady diet of maroon and orange in the college town of Blacksburg, Virginia, where both Jeff and Allison are Virginia Tech alumni, regularly attending football games to cheer on the Hokies. Despite this familiar connection with Virginia Tech, their daughter Elizabeth Grace (ABJ ’21) elected to forge her own path at the University of Georgia.

Elizabeth Grace’s time in Athens offered her an education needed to succeed beyond graduation and it provided valuable lessons around the importance of giving and service. So, while Jeff and Allison may have earned their degrees elsewhere, they’re now building a legacy of giving alongside their daughter at UGA.

New Colors, Same Focus

When Elizabeth Grace arrived on campus, Jeff and Allison instantly joined the Bulldog family, swapping out their Hokies’ attire for red and black. They regularly visited the Classic City during Elizabeth Grace’s four years in Athens, engaging, giving and serving, primarily through service on UGA’s Parents Leadership Council, to demonstrate what a legacy of giving looks like.

“We wanted Elizabeth Grace to understand that supporting her university is something she needed to take the long-term view on,” Jeff said. “Don’t put it off and think ‘I’ll start giving later;’ get started now.”

Giving back is as natural for Jeff and Allison as breathing; they provide ample philanthropic support to a host of institutions and organizations, including their alma mater. They lead by example to ensure those lessons of generous giving are passed on to Elizabeth Grace.

Creating a New Legacy

As graduation neared, Jeff and Allison wanted to honor their daughter’s time at UGA and illustrate why giving is important. The Mitchells decided to recognize her with a legacy gift — a philanthropic gift made in honor of her time at UGA — establishing the Elizabeth Grace Mitchell Student Support Fund.

They sought her involvement, working with her to identify what she wanted the fund to address on campus. Elizabeth Grace recommended that the fund provide financial support to students in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication who are majoring in her field of study, entertainment and media studies (EMST).

“The Mitchell family’s support of student projects will help us fuel EMST film projects – the very heart of the department’s experiential learning efforts,” said Charles Davis (MA ’92) the dean of the Grady College. “This sort of support takes on increasing importance the more hands-on work we do as a college, so we deeply appreciate the fund and what it signifies.”

photo of the Mitchell family with Grady College Dean Charles Davis

Jeff and Allison Mitchell (far left and right) with their daughter, Elizabeth Grace Mitchell (AB ’21) and Grady College Dean Charles Davis (MA ’92) in December 2021.

The fund also gives the opportunity for Elizabeth Grace to engage philanthropically with UGA right after graduation. She’ll contribute directly to it, allowing her to start her own journey of giving while building a legacy that endures long after she’s graduated.

More Opportunities with PLC

In addition to the legacy gift, the Mitchells joined the Parents Leadership Council (PLC) during Elizabeth Grace’s freshman year. Ultimately, this decision launched the couple’s philanthropic journey at UGA.

The PLC offered the chance for their family to build a meaningful connection with the university, including a social network that Jeff and Allison could trust would support Elizabeth Grace during her time in Athens. The service-oriented group provides funding through parents’ annual gifts to various student programs and initiatives on campus.

In the last decade, the group has awarded more than $3.8 million to undergraduate student organizations and is the top supporter of the President’s Venture Fund. The response to these types of needs, as well as the opportunity to help prioritize what needs should be addressed, resonated with Jeff and Allison. It allowed them to proactively help determine how their contributions improved campus—something they offered their daughter when setting up the Elizabeth Grace Mitchell Student Support Fund.

Forever Connected to the Bulldog Family

For Jeff and Allison, establishing the legacy gift for Elizabeth Grace is the culmination of a series of relationships, experiences and opportunities that ultimately will connect them to UGA for the rest of their lives.

“Everybody knows the University of Georgia, but to have your daughter attend from out-of-state and understand the brand and the legacy here, it’s just special,” Jeff said. “We’ve met many, many passionate UGA alumni, and their joy and passion are infectious. You spend any time here, and you just get it. So, we’re happy to celebrate Elizabeth Grace and support the University of Georgia.”

Jeff and Allison hope their philanthropy will inspire other Bulldog parents to establish their own legacies in honor of their students’ UGA experiences. Doing so enables the next generation to strengthen UGA by creating new avenues to success for future Bulldogs.

Want to know more? Consider being a part of parent philanthropy at UGA and establishing your own legacy gift to benefit future generations of Bulldogs! Learn more about UGA’s Parent Fund and Parent Leadership Council.

Learn More About the Parent Fund Learn More About the PLC

Written by Johnathan McGinty (ABJ ’00)

The Jerry Tanner Show – Jerry Watches the National Championship

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Relive the before, during and after of the greatest football game ever played with your good friend Jerry, who—like you—spent his entire paycheck on championship merch.

Athens will be rocking on Saturday, Jan. 15, as Bulldog Nation celebrates the 2021 NATIONAL CHAMPION Georgia Bulldogs! Find out more about the parade and celebration on alumni.uga.edu/football.

Jerry Tanner is everyone you’ve ever met at a UGA tailgate, everyone who’s ever talked about Georgia football by your cubicle, and every message board poster who claims to have a cousin who cut Vince Dooley’s grass. He’s a UGA alumnus, he’s a college football fanatic with a Twitter addiction, and he’s definitely a real person and not a character played by Clarke Schwabe.

Full-circle moments: The UGA Mentor Program at its finest

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[Image above (L-R) – Christina Carrere (BS ’11) and Kelly Strachan (AB ’21) on a balcony overlooking the West Wing of the White House, Spring 2021.]

In a perfect world, participation in the University of Georgia Mentor Program begins as a student in Athens and continues for a lifetime—once a Dawg, always a Dawg—once a UGA Mentee, forever a UGA Mentor. That’s what’s shaping up for Kelly Strachan (AB ’21).

Finding her footing as a first-gen student

The first in her family to attend college, Kelly Strachan realized how overwhelming navigating life at UGA could be when she moved into Creswell Hall her freshman year. Finding mentorship within the UGA alumni base helped her grow confidence and find direction. Kelly took the initiative to find three different mentors during her time at UGA. She first connected with Brian Dill (AB ’94, MBA ’19). Kelly credits Brian, VP of External Affairs for Tanner Health Systems, with helping her find her passion for health administration and policy. Later, Marylen Rimando (PHD ’19), who represents strong women in the field as a health scientist with bioinformatics firm IHRC, Inc., became Kelly’s mentor. Kelly has stayed in touch with both her earlier mentors, but it was her mentorship with Senior Medicare Program Examiner with the White House Office of Management and Budget, Health Division, Christina Carrere (BS ’11), that has proven to be truly life-changing.

From SPIA to the White House

Kelly was a student in UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs when she first reached out to Christina through the UGA Mentor Program. Christina says a part of her heart will always be in Athens, but since her work largely keeps her confined to Washington, DC, she looked for more consistent and meaningful ways to stay engaged with UGA and its students. The UGA Mentor Program fit the bill. What started as a general informational interview with Kelly, quickly grew into deeper discussions about graduate school, career paths, personal challenges each have faced, diversity in the workplace, resulting in a connection that has long outlasted the formal mentor-mentee cycle in the UGA mentor program (typically 16 weeks).

“Kelly and I initiated our mentor-mentee relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was important given my work in health policy and her interest in the field. The timeliness of the pandemic gave us opportunities to discuss the different roles individuals play in responding to something of this magnitude as well as the good, bad and ugly of how policy is formed and shaped using real-world examples in real time,” said Christina.

Several months into their connection, Christina wrote a letter of recommendation for Kelly to Christina’s graduate school alma mater (John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where Kelly is now a graduate student and a graduate teaching assistant). Later, Kelly spotted a posting on Christina’s LinkedIn page about an internship on Christina’s team at the White House. Kelly applied and got the position all on her own. It just so happened that Christina was on a leave of absence throughout the application and interview process. Back in time for Kelly’s first day, Christina counts taking Kelly on her first tour of the White House complex and grabbing a picture with her outside the West Wing (see photo above) as a cherished memory.

Christina says, “Seeing a relationship that started as a virtual connection grow into all of this is a testament to the power of the UGA Mentor Program and its ability to connect students and alumni across the world in meaningful ways.”

Paying it forward

Even while still a student at UGA, Kelly wanted to make certain that every student experienced how giving and supportive the UGA community can be. “One of my proudest roles was being an ambassador for the Mentor Program,” Kelly says. Ambassadors of the UGA Mentor Program work with other students and UGA Career Center staff to foster a culture of mentorship at UGA by developing programming, partnerships and marketing strategies that bring heightened awareness to the UGA Mentor Program.

Recently, Kelly heard from previous mentor Marylen about her current mentee, a UGA student who wants to follow a path similar to Kelly’s. Kelly was all too happy to connect with her and plans to stay in touch. Kelly described it as a full-circle moment. “I truly hope every student at UGA, who may be feeling a little lost or overwhelmed like I was, finds the support they deserve.”

January is National Mentor Month, and January 17 is International Day of Mentoring. To learn how you can become involved with the UGA Mentor Program, visit mentor.uga.edu.

Three days in the frozen tundra (AKA what to do in Indianapolis)

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As the clock ran down in the Orange Bowl and the Bulldogs heading to the Natty became a reality, thousands across the country began booking plane tickets and rental cars, purchasing game tickets, finding accommodations, and answering the question: “What does a Southerner wear to a January football game in the Midwest, when the temperatures are in the teens?” *don’t worry, I’m clueless as well.

As we are just a few days away from the big game, traveling fans may find themselves wondering how to spend a day (or three) in Indy. As a UGA staff member making the trek to assist with communications and hosting alumni on site, I found myself wondering what Indianapolis holds for fans during the frigid days and hours before the big game.

So, I gathered a few ideas from those in the know, Dawg fans. If you visit any of them, take a pic and tag us in social using #AlwaysADawg.

INDIANAPOLIS ALUMNI CHAPTER

Indianapolis Alumni Chapter President Liz Smith (AB ’82) suggested a few places to eat:

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution knows that Indianapolis is “more than fast cars.” Here are a few highlights from its story:

VISIT INDY

The official welcome wagon for the city of Indianapolis, VisitIndy.com features hordes of ideas to curate a fun weekend in this Midwest town. Here are a few highlights I spotted on both their “things to do” list and their “where to eat” list:

HOMEFIELD APPARAL

Indianapolis-based Homefield Apparal offers licensed college apparel (including UGA). Their team posted a series of Tweets highlighting things to do and see in town. A few highlights for each of their categories are below; the full list is far more extensive:

INDIANAPOLIS HOST COMMITTEE

The group responsible for hosting the CFP National Championship has curated resources for travelers visiting the city for the big game.

DOWNTOWN INDY

This nonprofit organization focuses on developing and promoting downtown Indianapolis. Here’s its events calendar and lists of what to explore while in the area.

A FEW ADDITIONS

  • The Indiana Pacers host the Utah Jazz on Saturday night at 7 p.m. if you’re looking to makae it a two-sport kind of weekend.
  • Did you know there is a Georgia Street in Indy? The three, pedestrian-friendly blocks of this street connects the Indiana Convention Center with Bankers Life Fieldhouse and features food and beverage stations, concert stages, street performers and more.
  • Don’t forget there are several official events hosted by the CFP National Championship and you can find those on our football landing page.

I hope these resources help you enjoy a fun weekend in Indianapolis (capped off with a win for the Dawgs on Monday). Whether or not you’re heading to the game, be sure to tag @UGAAlumni on social so we can share photos and videos from Bulldogs around the world. Sic ‘em!

CALLING ALL DAWGS