Three Alumnae and a Dawg

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This story was written by Rosalyn Dunn.

When Molly Dunn (BS ’23) signed up for UGA’s Mentor Program, she figured it would be a good way to find out more about careers in her major and a get a head start on making professional contacts.

Looking through the lists of potential mentors, she felt drawn to Tonya Freeman (AB ’86). And it became clear from the first phone call that the choice was a good one.

“I have mentored for over 30 years—all age groups from elementary school to college to peers and friends and family,” Tonya said. She started as a mentor at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, partnering with Tilson Elementary School—which she attended—and went on to develop formal and informal programs for CDC employees. It only seemed natural to get involved with the UGA Mentor Program, where she has mentored multiple young women at UGA who are studying Statistics.

“These young ladies are breaking the glass ceiling in the field and have made their impact known,” she said. “It is the best feeling of giving back.”

For many UGA Mentorship pairs, the program lasts about 4 months. Tonya, however, told Molly that if she wanted to continue working together, they could.

And they did, meeting faithfully over Zoom calls once a month, even on vacation. They scheduled in-person meetings when possible, including an afternoon in Athens when Tonya brought her daughter, Tai, for a tour of UGA. Tonya also helped Molly make connections with the CDC’s surveillance unit for a summer internship.

“There is so much that’s uncertain, so many directions to go and a little fear about what’s coming after school,” Molly said. “Seeing someone as vibrant and confident as Tonya in a competitive field—especially as a woman in STEM—who went through the same program I did and is now leading a happy and successful life was inspiring and encouraging.”

That success is exactly what both the UGA Mentor Program and Tonya seek to achieve.

“In mentoring, I aim to celebrate, connect, educate, and support my mentees,” Tonya said. “It is so rewarding to see others excel.”

Molly’s senior year at UGA paralleled Tonya’s daughter Tai’s senior year of high school and brought about an ironic twist to the mentoring relationship.

“I finally got the chance to do something in return,” said Molly’s mother, Rosalyn Dunn (ABJ ’92), first by giving Tai some writing advice on her application essays, and later, after the fireworks email erupted in Tai’s inbox and announced her acceptance, by helping Tonya navigate tuition payments and sources for campus information.

“I also checked in to see how she was holding up, because it wasn’t that long ago that I knew the feeling of missing a daughter at home and worrying about how she was doing at school,” Rosalyn said.

The mentoring relationship also expanded to the younger generation, with Molly advising Tai on housing choices, dorm essentials and campus navigation tips.

In June, “three alumnae and a Dawg” met at The Battery in Atlanta to share a meal and celebrate Tai’s UGA acceptance and Molly’s graduation. A couple of months later, Tonya and Rosalyn met for a Braves game at Truist Park, where they texted their girls and reveled in an unexpected benefit to the UGA Mentor Program.

“It’s been an amazing relationship turned friendship,” Tonya said. “We are looking forward to more great times.”

SIGN UP TO BE A MENTOR

Honoring the past and present

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When brainstorming the perfect gift for a loved one, not many people may think of naming a scholarship in that person’s honor. Bob Miller (AB ’64), however, has made a tradition of commemorating life’s big moments by giving back.  

When his wife’s father passed, Bob decided to give to the University of Georgia to begin that legacy. “Mary Helen was the apple of her father’s eye, so I wanted to make sure she could remember him in a way that was meaningful to us both,” Bob explained. It was this reasoning that led Bob to establish the Charles M. Hicks Scholarship Fund–named after Mary Helen’s beloved father–during the holiday season of 1981 as a gift to her. The Charles M. Hicks Scholarship fund supports students in the Morehead Honors College, a program that had a profound impact on Bob during his own time at UGA. 

Established in 1960, the Honors College–known as the Honors Program before 2021–counted Bob Miller as a student in its very first cohort. The experience was transformational for him; by participating in smaller classes and fostering deeper connections among students and faculty, the Honors College ignited a lifelong love of learning in Bob.  

Bob Miller takes a break while hiking in Dartmoor, England.

“It just blew my mind,” Bob said. “I couldn’t get over how much more I enjoyed going to class after joining the program. It was a fascinating learning experience,” he continued. “The Honors Program made me a student; I wouldn’t have created a scholarship today if it weren’t for my experience in the Honors Program.”  

Bob’s university experience was one he wanted to share with future generations of students, regardless of their circumstances. Establishing several need-based scholarships in Mary Helen’s name was the logical next step in Bob’s giving journey with the university. “I loved the idea of not letting a good student fall between the cracks because they lack the financial means to attend or didn’t want to borrow and be stuck in debt,” Bob explained.  

“We shouldn’t fail to fulfill the potential of students who would eventually become an asset to this state,” he said. “It’s important for us to try to keep the very best of human capital in Georgia by offering as many students as we can the opportunity to attend the state’s flagship university.” 

Building a better future

The Charles M. Hicks Scholarship fund has helped many students make the most of their time at UGA by supporting scholarships through the Morehead Honors College. Still, Bob would like to see more growth in the fund as well as in two need-based Georgia Commitment Scholarships Bob created and named after his wife, Mary Helen, in August 2023 to celebrate the couple’s 60th anniversary.  

“In my lifetime, I want to see the Hicks scholarship valued at $1 million and for there to be four Mary Helen Miller scholarships–one for each year she was at the university,” Bob explained. Supporting these scholarships has become a point of pride for Bob, an appropriate way for him to celebrate the past but also allow future generations of students to have the same transformative experiences at the university that he did. 

One of the recipients of the Charles M. Hicks Scholarship, Nicole Moreno ’25, reflected on her own life-changing immersive learning experience that she was only able to embark on with the assistance of that scholarship.  

Nicole Moreno ’25 was able to embark on her own travels thanks to the Hicks scholarship.

“When I first started looking into a year abroad, I was almost discouraged by the cost of it all,” Nicole said. “My experience studying abroad is one I will never forget, and I am so eternally grateful to the Honors College and its donors for putting their faith in me to venture out, grow, explore, and change the world.”  

From the Bob Millers to the Nicole Morenos, the Morehead Honors College at UGA offers many students learning opportunities that can help shape their future and ignite their passions. When students like Bob and Nicole become alumni, those experiences can inspire them to give back so that current and future students are able to access similar opportunities, continuing a cycle of cascading impact for generations to come.   

Support Honors Students

UGA alumna opens doors to the arts

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Susan Sherman (ABJ ’82) surrounds herself with beautiful things. She is an art collector, co-founder of the experiential retail startup MERCH and a former classically trained dancer, but one of her favorite ways to experience art is simply by wearing it. 

Susan has loved fashion since her days as a dancer, when she would spend the time before performances exploring the production behind her costumes. She described her entry into fashion as a consumer first–she loved shopping and style, and she often flipped her new clothes inside out after buying them so she could examine their seams and stitching. 

“I was always looking at how things were made,” she said.  

She is the chair and co-founder of the Saint Louis Fashion Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit which seeks to bring back St. Louis’s fashion industry, once second only to New York’s Garment District. The group, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, uplifts young designers and emerging brands and promotes fashion education and outreach in the city. 

The late Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley (seated at left) with Susan Sherman and members of the inaugural class of the Saint Louis Fashion Fund’s Incubator Program, in 2017.

“We have a city that has fashion in its DNA,” Susan said. “It’s all about increasing job opportunities, economic development, recruiting fashion brands to come back and rebuilding the ecosystem we had around the turn of the century.” 

Susan’s role in the Saint Louis Fashion Fund has positioned her to be one of St. Louis’ leading voices in the industry and given her opportunities to connect students and up-and-coming designers with resources they need to succeed.  

Susan has extended her support to UGA students, sponsoring a series of spring break trips for students in the Lamar Dodd School of Art to St. Louis, Dallas and New York. There, they met with people in the fashion, art, and design industries–touring art galleries, studios and museums, visiting Diane von Furstenberg’s atelier and exploring fashion and design incubator programs.  

Susan Sherman with legendary fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg at the Saint Louis Fashion Fund’s 2022 “Speaking of Fashion” talk at Washington University in St. Louis.

Susan not only funds these trips but also actively participates in them to experience the arts alongside UGA students. She and her husband, David, ride along on the bus with students and offer their expertise and insights, getting to know them and arranging access to institutions and people throughout the trip. 

Susan said she loves being around students, especially those interested in fashion and the arts, because she’s energized by their creativity and innovation.  

“There are so many different ways to produce and make and create,” she said. “I learn more from young people than my peers. They’re the ones who really have their ears to the ground of the industry and understand how it’s changing.”  

Susan and a friend pose for a graduation photo in 1982 in front of the Kappa Alpha Theta house on Milledge Ave.

Susan began her career as a public relations associate for the Atlanta Ballet and worked in broadcast journalism in Atlanta, Paris, and St. Louis before fully immersing herself in the world of fashion. As a UGA student studying broadcast journalism, Susan held the highly selective Georgia Lawmakers internship reporting on the state legislature with her classmate Deborah Roberts (ABJ ’82), a current anchor on ABC News.  

Connecting with undergraduate students through sponsoring experiential learning opportunities is just one of the ways that Susan has remained involved with UGA since graduation. She served on the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees, gives to UGA, attends football games and is on a committee for the renovation of her sorority’s house, Kappa Alpha Theta. 

Above all, Susan hopes her personal efforts and active philanthropy can introduce more students to the diverse range of career paths and opportunities available to them in the arts.   

“When you get to be my age, you have a lot of connections and you’re just trying to open doors and opportunities for young people,” she said. “I’ve always liked the underdawgs. D-A-W-G-S, mind you.”

GIVE TO THE LAMAR DODD SCHOOL OF ART

Away Game Guide: Orange Bowl

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Headed to Miami to cheer on the Dawgs as they face off with Florida State in the Orange Bowl? Check out this travel guide for all the best places to stay, eat and sightsee for your weekend in the sunshine state. 

This guide includes recommendations from Akil Kalathil (BS ’14), a Miami-based UGA alumnus. 

Where to stay 

Just one mile from Hard Rock Stadium, the Stadium Hotel is perfect for fans looking to be in the center of the action. The hotel offers event shuttles and has plenty of opportunities for family fun, including a large outdoor pool, mini-golf, a basketball court and an on-site sports bar and grill. 

Hard Rock Stadium is a little outside of Miami’s city center, so the nearest beaches are in the North Beach and Sunny Isles areas. Travelers on a budget can get the resort experience at the Ramada Plaza Marco Polo Beach Resort, a family-friendly resort with direct access to Sunny Isles Beach. The newly renovated Waterside Hotel, another beachside option, is decorated in a colorful retro-chic style. Lounge in their sunny pool courtyard or grab a drink at their daily free happy hour. 

Lounge poolside in the sunny courtyard of the Waterfront Hotel. (Photo: Waterfront Hotel)

Where to eat 

Miami Gardens, the neighborhood around Hard Rock Stadium, is known for having an excellent Caribbean soul food scene. Experience the local flavors at a no-fuss diner like Arline’s Restaurant & Seafood or have a more upscale experience at Yarumba, which becomes lively on weekend nights with live music and Latin DJs. 

The Licking, another casual Caribbean comfort food spot, is beloved by music industry celebrities including DJ Khaled, Flo Rida, Diddy and Nas–even Kylie Jenner has been spotted there! 

The Licking’s flavorful, seafood-forward menu has made it popular with Hollywood A-listers. (Photo: The Licking)

For a quick carry-out meal or sweet treat, make sure to stop by Hammond’s Bakery, a family-owned joint for Jamaican patties and freshly baked Caribbean pastries. Their special includes six patties with four pieces of coco bread, a sweet and starchy bread made with coconut milk, or you can take home some of their delicious pastries and cakes. 

On game day 

If you’re traveling to Miami but don’t have tickets to the game itself, enjoy watching it with other alumni at the alumni game watch party at American Social Brickell. The restaurant’s extensive menu features everything from bar classics like pretzels and beer cheese to upscale steaks, seafood and craft cocktails. 

American Social’s waterfront patio bar overlooks the Miami River. (Photo: American Social)

Another excellent game day option is Moxies, a globally inspired upscale casual restaurant with plenty of TVs to keep up with the game. The restaurant’s menu is sure to please every appetite, with dishes in many different culinary styles and vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. 

Miami attractions

In addition to enjoying Miami’s natural beauty at the beach or taking a trip outside the city to see the Everglades, visitors to Miami have plenty of opportunities for action-packed fun and exploring the city’s arts and culture. 

Topgolf, a golf gaming and dining experience, is located near Hard Rock Stadium. Paddleboards and jet skis are also available for rent throughout Miami Beach and are an exciting way to experience the city’s famous beaches from the water. 

For a more laid-back experience, consider immersing yourself in history and the arts at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a waterfront Gilded Age mansion built in the Italian style. Surrounded by lush gardens, the beautifully preserved historic home also has a café and gift shop with items inspired by the mansion and grounds.  

Wander in the lush, peaceful gardens of the Vizcaya museum. (Photo: Vizcaya)

Visitors to the Ancient Spanish Monastery have a unique chance to encounter European history in the heart of Miami. The monastery, which was originally built in 1141, was disassembled and shipped from Spain to Miami after it was purchased by newspaper titan William Randolph Hearst in 1925. The cloisters and outer buildings were painstakingly rebuilt brick by brick and reopened in the 1960s as a museum, and today the monastery has become a popular tourist attraction and wedding venue. 

Not making the trip to Miami and looking to connect with Dawgs in your own area? Find your local UGA alumni chapter and cheer on the Dawgs with fellow alumni at a game-watching party near you.

EXPLORE UGA ALUMNI FOOTBALL HQ

University of Georgia reveals 2024 Bulldog 100 businesses

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The UGA Alumni Association has released the 2024 Bulldog 100, a list of the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates.  

This year, businesses are headquartered in a total of 7 states, with 89 of the businesses located in the state of Georgia. In total, 139 alumni representing over a dozen industries, including health care, financial services, agriculture and real estate are being recognized as a part of this year’s list.  

This year’s fastest-growing businesses, in alphabetical order, include:  

  • A Signature Welcome, Raleigh, NC 
  • Abound Wealth Management, LLC, Franklin, TN 
  • Agora Vintage, Athens, GA 
  • Alexander & Alexander Attorneys at Law, Barnwell, SC 
  • Altera Investments, Atlanta, GA 
  • Art of Floors, Cartersville, GA 
  • ASW Distillery, Atlanta, GA 
  • Atkinson Ferguson, LLC, Monroe, GA 
  • Ben Stout Construction, Fayetteville, NC 
  • BIOLYTE, Marietta, GA 
  • Biren Patel Engineering, Macon, GA 
  • Bitcoin Depot, Atlanta, GA 
  • Bitstream, Dawsonville, GA 
  • BlueBear Solutions, Inc., Atlanta, GA 
  • Builders Specialty Contractors, Boynton Beach, FL 
  • Capital Real Estate Group, Atlanta, GA 
  • Castleberry Veterinary Hospital, Cumming, GA 
  • Chad Weesner Insurance Agency, Vienna, GA 
  • Clark Drug Company, Waynesboro, GA 
  • Classic City Consulting, Snellville, GA 
  • Codesmith Development, Hurricane, UT 
  • Complexion, Nashville, TN 
  • Comprehensive Behavior Change, LLC, Duluth, GA 
  • Consume Media, Norcross, GA 
  • Corps Team, Marietta, GA 
  • Culinary Solution Centers, LLC, Zebulon, GA 
  • Dental Claim Support, Savannah, GA 
  • Detritus, LLC, Savannah, GA 
  • Dovetail Civil Design, Inc., Watkinsville, GA 
  • Eagle Christian Tours, Rome, GA 
  • Ellsworth Cleaning & Facility Services, Atlanta, GA 
  • enewton design, Atlanta, GA 
  • Erica Davis Lowcountry, Savannah, GA 
  • Express Vets, Jasper, GA  
  • FI Navigator Corporation, Atlanta, GA 
  • Freight Control, Inc., St. Simons Island, GA 
  • From Sir With Love, Marietta, GA 
  • Gibson, Johnson & Company Inc., Atlanta, GA 
  • Glass & Robson, LLC, Atlanta, GA 
  • Good Dog Veterinary Care, Marietta, GA 
  • Greater Athens Properties, Athens, GA 
  • Healthcare IT Leaders, Alpharetta, GA 
  • i9 Sports of North & Central Gwinnett County, Suwanee, GA 
  • Imperial Fence Supply, East Point, GA 
  • Ryan Brown Law, LLC, Newnan, GA
  • Jetset World Travel, Atlanta, GA 
  • Johnson & Alday, LLC, Marietta, GA 
  • KBH Industrial, Smyrna, GA 
  • Kempt, Athens, GA 
  • Kevin Patrick Law, Atlanta, GA 
  • King’s Hometown Pharmacy, Blairsville, GA 
  • KRG Fuel + Energy, Roswell, GA 
  • Lake City Chiropractic, Acworth, GA  
  • Lake Pine Animal Hospital, Apex, NC 
  • Lighting Pros, Jefferson, GA 
  • Macallan Real Estate, LLC, Marietta, GA 
  • Manly Shipley, LLP, Savannah, GA 
  • Marketwake, Atlanta, GA  
  • Mark Spain Real Estate, Alpharetta, GA 
  • Marlow Landscape Services, Cumming, GA 
  • Miller, Dawson, Sigal & Ward, LLC, North Charleston, SC 
  • Moore Civil Consulting, Inc., Perry, GA 
  • Morris Hardwood Distribution, Savannah, GA 
  • Neighborly Software, Atlanta, GA 
  • North Forsyth Animal Hospital, Cumming, GA 
  • Parker Executive Search, Atlanta, GA 
  • Pathwise CPA Group, Watkinsville, GA 
  • Pig Apple, Brooklyn, NY 
  • Pittman & Greer Engineering, Watkinsville, GA 
  • Powell Dentistry Group – The Georgia Smile Group, St. Simons Island, GA 
  • Prime Time Pediatrics, Watkinsville, GA 
  • Puppy Haven, Sandy Springs, GA 
  • Roam, Roswell, GA 
  • Roberts Civil Engineering, LLC, St. Simons Island, GA 
  • Ryals Brothers, LLC, Lula, GA 
  • Samet, Greensboro, NC 
  • Sapelo Skin Care, Savannah, GA 
  • Savannah Drywall Supply, Inc., Pooler, GA 
  • Scott Construction, LLC, Macon, GA 
  • Share the Magic Foundation, Atlanta, GA 
  • Shore Coaching Services, Athens, GA 
  • Siegel Construction & Design, LLC, Atlanta, GA 
  • SimplyTRUE Automotive Group, Norcross, GA 
  • Society 54, LLC, Charlotte, NC 
  • Southern Luxury Homes, Greensboro, GA 
  • Southern Reins Logistics, LLC, Alpharetta, GA 
  • Spark A Revolution, Roswell, GA 
  • SPG Planners + Engineers, Watkinsville, GA 
  • Stable Kernel, Atlanta, GA 
  • SynerGrx, Chamblee, GA
  • Telecom Innovations, LLC, Athens, GA 
  • teXga Farms, Clarkesville, GA 
  • The Baer Law Firm, Atlanta, GA 
  • The Grant Partners, Alpharetta, GA 
  • The Live Oak Agency, St. Simons Island, GA 
  • The Taco Stache, Pooler, GA 
  • Three Tree Coffee Roasters, Statesboro, GA 
  • Tier4 Group, Alpharetta, GA 
  • Whitemire Animal Hospital, Dawsonville, GA 
  • Yonder Yoga, Atlanta, GA 

Each year, Bulldog 100 applicants are measured by their business’ compounded annual growth rate during a three-year period. The Atlanta office of Warren Averett CPAs and Advisors, a Bulldog 100 partner since the program began in 2009, verified the information submitted by each company.

“We are proud to recognize our incredible alumni who are leaders and innovators in their industries,” said Lee Zell, president of the UGA Alumni Association. “These individuals embody the best of what UGA stands for and represent the value of a degree from our university. We’re excited to celebrate them and the work they are doing to build better communities.”

The university will host the annual Bulldog 100 Celebration in Athens Feb. 9, 2024, to celebrate these alumni business leaders and count down the ranked list to reveal the No. 1 fastest-growing business.

To view the alumni business leaders for each company and learn more about this program, see alumni.uga.edu/b100.

Celebrating a legacy of giving

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This year’s Heritage Society Tailgate (on November 4 prior to the UGA vs. Missouri game) was a tremendous success. It is always a great time when our members gather for food, drink and game day fun. Check out the photo gallery from this year’s festivities. As always, it’s great to be a Georgia Bulldog! 

Want to attend next year and celebrate your commitment to UGA? All it takes is becoming a member of the Heritage Society. Learn how you can help ensure UGA’s future, make a positive impact, cement your legacy and maybe even enjoy tax benefits. It’s easier than you might think! Contact the Office of Gift and Estate Planning for more information about joining the Heritage Society. As you can see from the photos, they’re a fun bunch. 

CONTACT UGA PLANNED GIVING

UGA’s Mariah Cady named a 2024 Rhodes Scholar

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Tasty Tailgating: Honeysuckle Gelato’s Apple Blondies

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Not sure what to make with all the apples you picked this fall? Try warm apple blondies with vanilla gelato. Filled with homemade cinnamon apples and brown butter for extra richness, these decadent desserts are sure to please a tailgate crowd–and you can make them again in place of apple pie at Thanksgiving! 

This recipe was provided by Wes Jones (BBA ’03), one of the co-founders of Honeysuckle Gelato. The company has been serving up Southern-inspired gelato at locations throughout the Southeast since it was founded in 2011. 

Apple Blondies

Apple Pie Filling 

Ingredients 

6 medium Granny Smith Apples   

½ cup light brown sugar  

2 tsp cinnamon   

3 tbsp butter  

2 oz water  

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch   

1 1/2 cups roasted pecan pieces (optional)  

Directions 

  1. Core and slice apples into 1-inch pieces.  
  2. Melt butter and brown sugar in a thick bottomed pot over medium heat, then add the apples and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.  
  3. Whisk cornstarch and water into a slurry and pour in, and then cook an additional minute.  
  4. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool. The apples should be cooked through, but still retain their shape. Stir in the pecans, if you choose to.   

Brown Butter Blondies

Ingredients 

¾ cup butter  

1 ¾ cup light brown sugar (not packed)  

¼ cup skim milk powder   

1 extra large egg   

2 cups all purpose flour   

½ tbsp baking powder  

½ tsp sea salt   

1 tsp vanilla extract 

Directions 

  1. In a thick bottomed pot, cook the butter over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, whisking frequently. Once it starts to foam and the color begins to darken, add the milk powder and stir rapidly for 30 seconds, then remove from heat.  
  2. Combine the butter and brown sugar with a whisk or stand mixer and allow to cool.  
  3. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.  
  4. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients, one half at a time, and use a spatula to combine.  
  5. Preheat oven to 375°F. Add the apple filling into small (4-6 ounce) ramekins, filling just over half of the container.  
  6. Take 1 ½ tbsp of the blondie mixture, flatten into a disc just smaller than the circumference of the ramekin and place on top of the apples. Bake at 375° for 9 minutes.   
  7. Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then serve with a scoop of vanilla gelato on top. 

EXPLORE UGA ALUMNI FOOTBALL HQ

Alumni leader continues giving back – this time, along Georgia’s coast

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Ruth Bartlett (BBA ’76) hasn’t always been the Lowcountry mainstay she is now. Originally from Atlanta, the former University of Georgia Alumni Association president retired to Hilton Head Island full-time in 2015 and made the bucolic beach town her new homebase.  

However, it wasn’t until University of Georgia Public Service and Outreach began alumni outreach in the Savannah area­–a mere 30 miles away­–that Ruth first learned about the UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant program on Skidaway Island, a program that would eventually become an integral part of her philanthropy.  

Ever since retiring to the coast, Ruth says she has had more time to delve into interests beyond her career. An accountant by trade, Ruth found herself interested in marine sciences and ecology–the sort of interests that perhaps come naturally to those who live in the Lowcountry, the region stretching across the coastal plains of South Carolina and Georgia.  

UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant has a mission to improve the environmental, social and economic health of the Georgia coast through research, education and extension. Ruth’s newfound interests and her connection to UGA combined in Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, and she quickly became an advocate for the project.

Ruth Bartlett listens as Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant stormwater specialist, Jessica Brown, explains UGA’s coastal work. Photo: Trey Cooper

Ruth is no stranger to fostering community and making connections with those who have similar interests as her. After years serving on the Terry College of Business Alumni Board and recruiting recent UGA accounting graduates to her accounting firm, she became UGA Alumni Association president in 2015. In the wake of this, Ruth created the Hilton Head alumni chapter as a way to connect her new beachside present with her Bulldog past.  

“I really feel like I got an exposure to the entire university with my Alumni Association president,” she says. “I’ve done a lot of volunteer work with nonprofits by serving on various boards and such, but serving as the President of the UGA Alumni Association was by far the best experience I’ve had in my volunteer work. The connection with UGA’s outstanding students and knowing I was helping shape their lives was the best.” 

The Hilton Head alumni chapter has grown quite a bit in the years since, hosting a variety of events like local fundraisers, game-watching parties and speaker series, as well as bringing Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant programming to Hilton Head. 

With the PSO marine extension so close to her heart, it is no wonder that Ruth wanted to assist with their latest project–a renovation and expansion of their aquarium stationed on Skidaway Island. With a generous commitment of $150,000, Ruth wanted to help revamp the aquarium’s significant programming for school-age children in the Lowcountry.  

Lisa Gentit, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant marine resource specialist, shows Ruth a marine critter aboard the trawl. Photo: Trey Cooper

“The idea was for my contribution to fund the addition of a live oak tree house replica inside the aquarium to serve as a sort of ‘learning tree’ for children’s programming,” Ruth describes.  

It is her hope that her involvement will help get others interested in giving to the project and get alumni more involved with UGA outside of Athens. Along with her gift to the renovation efforts, Ruth also takes part in multiple events throughout the year that benefit and raise awareness for Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s programs; from fishing trawls and horseshoe crab encounters to the annual Oyster Roast for a Reason at the aquarium, Ruth believes events like these can be a way for the university to get initial contact with alumni and communicate both the breadth of UGA projects across the state and how giving back can enhance those projects. 

 Plus, the university knows how to connect with alumni. Ruth explains, “By attending an alumni vent, you’ll meet someone new or learn something new about the university and they’ll have a good time while doing it.” 

For recent alumni or those who are interested in getting involved, Ruth has some advice. “Get involved locally; go to a game-watching party, a Women of UGA luncheon or educational program,” she advises, “Or anything else that your local chapter is doing to get you reacquainted with UGA where you live.” 

Ruth enjoys a view from the bridge of the Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant fishing trawl. Photo: Trey Cooper

With over 350,000 alumni in the United States alone and 90+ chapters across the United States and abroad, the university prioritizes alumni involvement and strives to meet them where they are. “Alumni will no doubt be able to find something that the university is doing that will pique their interest,” she says.  

Engaging alumni and serving communities in ways that are distinctive to their interests and needs is part of the reason why Ruth’s journey with the university is extending far beyond her days in Athens.  

Find your local alumni chapter

Haunted UGA: Spooky stories from around campus

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Content warning: The following post includes references to murder, suicide and of course–ghosts! 

The University of Georgia may be known for exceptional school spirit, but did you know that campus is also home to spirits of the supernatural kind? Ghost sightings have been reported around campus practically since the university’s founding, from tales of eerie moans and creaks to full-blown apparitions.  

Many of the university’s most well-known ghost stories are based on historic North Campus, where the university’s first buildings were constructed during the 19th century. In those Greek revival buildings shaded by mighty ancient oak trees, some of UGA’s spookiest tales of terror and tragedy unfolded years ago and continue to frighten visitors today. 

The Waddel Hall Haunting

Waddel Hall, an unassuming white brick building on the main library quad, is the second-oldest building on the UGA campus and currently houses the university’s Office of Special Events. The building has served many purposes since it was completed in 1821, including as a dormitory, boarding house, gymnasium, snack bar and scientific equipment storage. 

In 1918, however, a grisly crime occurred within the building’s four walls that changed its legacy forever. A young soldier returned home from World War I to find his girlfriend had fallen for another man. His friends loaned the couple their room in Waddel Hall so he could try to save the relationship, but sometime in the early morning, gunshots rang out–the soldier had shot his former love and then himself. 

According to the Red and Black, visitors to Waddel Hall over the years report unexplainable sounds and eerie lights coming from the second floor of the building. Could it be the former lovers returning to continue their quarrel? 

Joe Brown Hall’s Staircase to Nowhere

Joe Brown Hall, originally built in 1932 to serve as a men’s dormitory and later converted to an academic building, is known by students for its disorienting winding staircases and narrow hallways. Adding to the confusion is one particular staircase, which seemingly leads to nowhere–those who climb it reach nothing but a solid wall decorated with a photo of a hallway. 

The reason for this bizarre architectural feature has been investigated by popular paranormal shows and reported in the Red and Black. In the early 1970s, when the building was still a dormitory, a student mysteriously died in his dorm room over the Thanksgiving break. 

After janitors discovered the body, the entrance to the room at the top of the stairs was bricked over completely. Those who pass by the staircase today claim that the space has an eerie and unsettling aura, experiencing temperature fluctuations and other oddities. 

The Terrifying Toombs Oak

Between Demosthenian Hall and the UGA Chapel, a sundial marks the former location of the Toombs Oak tree. Robert Toombs, a famous UGA alumnus from the 19th century who served as a lawyer and congressman, is said to haunt Demosthenian Hall via a portion of the tree stump kept on the building’s first floor, according to an article from the Red and Black. 

The legend goes that Toombs was voted as class speaker but expelled for his gambling habit before he could give his speech at commencement. A skilled orator and member of the Demosthenian Literary Society, Toombs gave a rousing speech anyway under the oak tree outside the chapel while the legitimate commencement address happened inside. Years later, it’s said that lightning struck the tree at the moment of his death. 

Members of the Demosthenian Literary Society have claimed to have encountered the ghost of Toombs over the years through pacing noises and apparitions on the second floor. One student who fell asleep in the building late at night awoke to a specter of Toombs laughing menacingly at her from across the room. 

The Candler Hall Poltergeist

Candler Hall, the home of the School of Public and International Affairs, was originally built to serve as a dormitory. In 1905, a student named Willie Lloyd died in his dorm room after accidentally shooting himself while absentmindedly spinning his pistol around his finger. The university’s chancellor at the time, Walter Hill, and a group of students escorted his remains to his family’s burial plot in Atlanta–but there are signs that his spirit never left Candler Hall. 

During the building’s dormitory days, students reported waking suddenly at night to the feeling of someone hovering over them. Faculty have reported hearing unusual noises, as if someone is pacing on the wood floors. The building’s elevator and automatic doors have been known to open and close by themselves, and some claim to have seen ghostly apparitions in the staircases.  

One faculty member even felt someone tap her shoulder as she walked through the first-floor lobby. When she turned to see who it was, she discovered the lobby was empty–and then felt another tap as she left the building.  

Are all of these mysterious occurrences the work of the restless spirit of Willie Lloyd? Or have more than one of the building’s former residents returned to occupy the building in the afterlife? 

These stories may be spooky, but they are a reflection of UGA’s history as the country’s first public institution of higher education. For centuries, this campus has been a place where students’ stories unfold. Sometimes, these tales leave behind an eerie legacy, but often, they are uplifting stories of growth, service and self-discovery. What’s your UGA story?

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