Valentine’s Day cards to sweeten the day
Love is in the air, Bulldogs, so we’ve created some Valentine’s Day cards to give to show that person that you truly care — UGA style.
Minority-owned Bulldog 100 businesses have much to offer
Whether 2021 kicked off the way you imagined or not, there’s no better way to bring in February than to highlight and support the minority-owned alumni businesses that made it on this year’s Bulldog 100, a list of the fastest-growing companies owned or operated by UGA alumni!
Explore the 2021 Bulldog 100 minority-owned businesses below. In honor of Black History Month, we’ve specifically highlighted the businesses led by Black alumni.
Calendly
Calendly is an Atlanta-based online scheduling tool founded by Tope Awotona, who credits his tenacity to his experiences growing up in Lagos, Nigeria. His business offers a tool that for those who are always on the go or constantly scheduling meetings. It simplifies meeting scheduling and cuts down on unnecessary emails. Calendly’s user-friendly interface sorts out time zones, and sends reminders and confirmations.
Location: Atlanta, GA
Bulldog: Tope Awotona (BBA ’02), Founder/CEO
LeaseQuery
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Georgia Azih, CEO of LeaseQuery, boldly founded the business in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and recession. If you’re an accountant or financial professional, LeaseQuery is the service for you. The software helps accountants and financial professionals eliminate errors through its CPA-approved, cloud-based solution. LeaseQuery is built by accountants for accountants.
Location: Atlanta, GA
Bulldog: Georgia Azih (BBA ’03), Founder/CEO
The Barnes Law Office LLC
Latasha Barnes is an attorney, and owner and managing attorney of a law office that will fight for you. The Barnes Law Office LLC is in metro Atlanta and specializes in DUI defense, criminal defense and personal injury.
Location: Atlanta, GA
Bulldog: Latasha Barnes (AB ’05, AB ’05), Owner and Managing Attorney
The Brogdon Firm LLC
The Brogdon Firm provides ethical, client-centered representation for injury victims in Atlanta and across Georgia. Gino Brogdon Jr., founder and litigator of The Brogdon Firm, was named the 2018 “Attorney to Watch” for Atlanta Attorney at Law Magazine, so you can be sure you’re getting the best service.
Location: Atlanta, GA
Bulldog: Gino Brogdon Jr. (JD ’11), Founder and Litigator
Edwards & Hawkins LLC
Edwards and Hawkins Law represents five decades of competent, ethical and aggressive legal representation. They specialize in wrongful death, auto and trucking collisions, vaccine injury, personal injury, business/commercial litigation and slips and falls. Cameron Hawkins, a trial lawyer at EH LAW, was recognized in 2017 as the UGA School of Law Young Alumni of Excellence.
Location: Atlanta, GA
Bulldog: Cameron Hawkins (JD ’08), Partner
Svaha USA
Svaha USA is an online retailer specializing in science, technology, engineering, arts and math-themed (STEAM) apparel and products. Jaya Iyer found inspiration from the company through her daughter, who could not find clothing that reflected her interests. Svaha’s mission is to shatter gender stereotypes in the apparel industry and encourage STEAM education for girls and boys, and women and men.
Location: Chantilly, VA
Bulldog: Jaya Iyer (MS ’03), CEO
Biren Patel Engineering
Biren Patel Engineering believes in making life simple for clients and team members. Biren Patel serves as the president and is a licensed professional engineer in 12 states and the District of Columbia. His business’s modern, yet simple, collaborative work environment better serves the power utility industry through electrical substation and solar plant engineering.
Location: Macon, GA
Bulldog: Biren Patel (MBA ’12), President
Agora Vintage
Agora Vintage is a woman-owned business in Athens that sells all the authentic designer items and estate jewelry that your heart desires. You can shop for Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Hermès items with a guarantee of high-quality customer service and a style that can’t be beat.
Location: Athens, GA
Bulldog: Airee Edwards (AB ’99), CEO
Expert Technical Solutions
A successful connection — that’s what you can expect from Expert Technical Solutions, a leading provider of technical and IT talent that strives to bring companies and the right people together. The Bulldog business offers services such as customized contract, contract-to-hire, or direct-hire.
Location: Atlanta, GA
Bulldog: Ram Bhojwani (BBA ’05), President
Murray & Osorio
Murray Osorio PLLC is a national full-service immigration law firm, connecting the world through innovative and compassionate immigration solutions for individuals and businesses.
Location: Fairfax, VA
Bulldog: Benjamin Osorio (AB ’03), Managing Partner
National Weatherperson’s Day: Q&A with Alex Wallace (ABJ ’04)
Alex Wallace (ABJ ’04) is an on-camera meteorologist with The Weather Channel. After earning a degree in broadcast news from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Alex earned a master’s degree in geosciences with an emphasis in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University. Since joining The Weather Channel on-camera in 2006, Alex has worked in both the studio and the field. He earned the 2012 John Drewry Award for Young Alumni Achievement from the Grady College.
In recognition of National Weatherperson’s Day (February 5), this weather-loving Bulldog shares what it’s like being an on-camera meteorologist and reflects on his time at the University of Georgia.
After studying broadcast news at UGA, what led you to pursue a career in meteorology?
I had a fascination with weather going back to when I was a little kid. Along with cartoons, I made sure to catch the local news and tune into the Weather Channel every day. So, I always knew I wanted to do something in broadcasting but wasn’t exactly sure what. Would it be behind the scenes or in front of the camera? At UGA, I combined my interest in broadcasting and weather to pursue a career in meteorology.
What lessons did the Grady College teach you that you still use today?
At Grady, I learned the different parts that come together to make a news broadcast. Before I did anything in front of the camera, I gained experience with everything from operating a teleprompter to directing. This was a great help for when I finally stepped in front of the camera. It allowed me to understand each person’s contribution to the show and how important they were. That understanding continues to this day. I appreciate all the people that come together to produce TV.
What is the most interesting weather event you have reported on?
Hurricane Florence in 2018. I was positioned in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It came in and decided it didn’t want to leave. It dumped a ton of rain on the region. I was out covering the storm for more than a week. It ended up knocking out power for several days so it was “fun” being in the dark and taking cold showers for a few days. The moment power came back was one of the greatest moments of my life. It was fascinating to see one of the rivers that flows through the city slowly rise while we were there. I’m talking about a 40-foot rise in a few days. Of course, that led to flooding, which made getting around impossible because so many roads were closed. More importantly, people’s homes were inundated and this was the sad part about the whole experience: knowing we are at the mercy of Mother Nature.
What is a part of your job that many people may not know about?
I think people might be surprised to know that 90% of everything I say on-air is ad-libbed. Sure, there are a few things that are scripted like introducing an interview or weather story, but otherwise it is mostly ad-libbed.
Alex Wallace (ABJ ’04) and Thomas Goodhew (ABJ ’05) pose with Harry Dawg on a Saturday game day in Athens.
What is your favorite UGA tradition and why?
G-Day! Being out of school, Georgia football is a great excuse to get back to Athens and enjoy some time in the Classic City. I’m looking forward to when I can bring my son out to enjoy some time in Sanford Stadium.
Do you have any advice for students seeking a career in meteorology?
The best advice I have is to make sure you truly love it. That advice can be applied to any career choice. The No. 1 reason you should choose your career is because you have a passion for it. It’ll make going to work so much more enjoyable and engaging. This is especially true when it comes to being an on-camera meteorologist. You can’t fake it. People watching can tell if your heart is in it. When they see that it is, they feel they can trust you. Trust is super important when it comes to weather forecasting.
Your support today will help prepare tomorrow’s trustworthy news broadcasters and meteorologists.
A great and growing relationship (a tribute to mentorship)
Written by guest blogger Jackson Fox (BBA ’20) who, as an undergraduate, was paired with Annie Dawson (BBA ’08) through the UGA Mentor Program.
The UGA Mentor Program was the best thing I ever did to prepare for my career.
Going into my senior year, I expected the job search to be a breeze after completing a summer internship within the insurance industry. I fully expected to have a job locked down by December. However, the idea seemed to fade after the fall career fair passed, and I hadn’t secured a job. I thought I knew everything there was to know about the insurance field. As I was struggling with the job search, one of my friends suggested I look into the UGA Mentor Program. Little did I know, it would be the game changer in helping me explore job opportunities.
My mentor is Annie Dawson. From our first conversation, I knew that Annie truly cared for me and wanted to help me succeed. Annie is the director of underwriting, national binding authorities at RT Specialty, one of the largest insurance brokerages. I had no idea what it entailed to be a director of underwriting or what it was like to work for such a large insurance brokerage. This was the start of my humbling learning experience with Annie.
In our initial conversation, Annie immediately offered to set up a job shadowing opportunity at RT Specialty’s Atlanta office. Through this experience, I met with many professionals and learned more from them than I would have ever expected. Annie also went out of her way to set up a meeting between me and a broker at Marsh & McLennan Agency. My conversation with Annie’s contact allowed me to learn more about the different aspects of the insurance world.
Through the job shadowing opportunity, informational interview, and monthly conversations with Annie, she helped me hone my interests within the insurance industry and expanded my understanding of the field. With her help, I was able to turn my career aspirations into detailed and specific career goals. I now know that I want to become an insurance underwriter thanks to my mentor.
My relationship with Annie has been truly life changing. I can honestly say I did not know that I would benefit as much as I have from our mentoring relationship through the UGA Mentor Program. I can only imagine how I would have benefitted from this program had I joined my during my freshman year in college.
Thank you, UGA Mentor Program, for facilitating such a great relationship that aided in my personal and professional growth. Thank you, Annie Dawson, for bringing out the best in others and being such a wonderful person and mentor. Having you in my corner was the greatest reward of all.
Best wishes to Jackson as he continues his job search using the clarity gained from his mentor’s guidance. If you want to change a student’s life like Annie, join the UGA Mentor Program today!
New meal plan scholarship named for “Miss Sandra”
Sandra Patterson, the beloved “Miss Sandra” to scores of University of Georgia students who frequented the dining halls where she worked, will have a meal plan scholarship named in her honor, following a crowdfunding campaign that raised over $25,000.
More than 600 donors contributed $20,000 to the campaign, which ran in December of last year—Patterson retired the month before—and asked donors to celebrate her by giving to support food security at UGA. After the close of the campaign, UGA President Jere W. Morehead added an additional $5,500 from the President’s Venture Fund.
“This is such an honor,” said Patterson. “I’m so proud of what these donors have done, and I am so happy that my name could help people to give back and help other people.”
Initially, campaign donations were to be routed to the Let All The Big Dogs Eat (LATBDE) Meal Plan Scholarship. LATBDE, a donor-supported scholarship directed by UGA Student Affairs in partnership with UGA Dining Services, awards meal plans to multiple UGA students each fall and spring semester as part of UGA’s food scholarship initiative.
But following the campaign’s overwhelming response and Morehead’s contribution, the decision was made to create a stand-alone fund that would simultaneously contribute to the food scholarship initiative by providing additional meal plans for students and honor Patterson’s outsized impact on campus: the Miss Sandra Patterson Meal Plan Scholarship.
Patterson’s UGA career spanned more than 30 years, and she established herself as a campus legend by offering welcome, comfort and, most notably, hugs to students in UGA’s dining halls. Donors to the “Say Thank You To Miss Sandra” campaign were invited to offer personal messages along with their donation, and many took that opportunity to share the deep impact Patterson made on their UGA experience.
“I would trek all the way across campus for lunch just to get a hug from Miss Sandra,” wrote John Bowden, a 2013 graduate. “She always knew how to make a bad or stressful day so much better with love and kindness.”
Even once COVID-19 hampered the personal contact for which she is known, she offered students elbow bumps and kind words from behind a face covering. In October, she greeted graduating students arriving for UGA’s rescheduled spring 2020 commencement ceremony from a safe distance with “virtual hugs.”
That kind of dedication and care was typical of Miss Sandra’s career, who corrects herself when she begins to say, “it was a great job.”
“It wasn’t a job. It was just a second home to go to each day with all my kids there.”
Now, thanks to the scholarship that bears her name, she’ll be able to take care of her kids for years to come.
2021 UGA football schedule
Apr 17 – G-Day
Sep 4 – vs. Clemson – Charlotte, NC
Sep 11 – UAB
Sep 18 – South Carolina
Sep 25 – @ Vanderbilt
Oct 2 – Arkansas
Oct 9 – @ Auburn
Oct 16 – Kentucky
Oct 23 – Bye week
Oct 30 – vs. Florida – Jacksonville, FL
Nov 6 – Missouri
Nov 13 – @ Tennessee
Nov 20 – Charleston Southern
Nov 27 – @ Georgia Tech
Sep 4 – vs. Clemson – Charlotte, NC
Sep 11 – UAB
Sep 18 – South Carolina
Sep 25 – @ Vanderbilt
Oct 2 – Arkansas
Oct 9 – @ Auburn
Oct 16 – Kentucky
Oct 23 – Bye week
Oct 30 – vs. Florida – Jacksonville, FL
Nov 6 – Missouri
Nov 13 – @ Tennessee
Nov 20 – Charleston Southern
Nov 27 – @ Georgia Tech
After an uncertain (but successful!) 2020 football season for the Georgia Bulldogs, the announcement of the 2021 schedule rings a bell of hope for Bulldog fans everywhere. The team will kick off the regular season against the Clemson Tigers in Charlotte, North Carolina, and close it out with a showdown in Atlanta against our in-state rivals, from Georgia Tech. Planning to attend a home game in Athens this fall? UGA will host the University of Alabama at Birmingham, South Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri and Charleston Southern.
In Kirby Smart’s (BBA ’98) sixth season as head coach, the team’s roster will include returning players Jamaree Salyer, JT Daniels and James Cook, and five-star recruits Amarius Mims, Brock Vandagriff, Xavian Sorey and Smael Mondon.
Being a Georgia Bulldog is great no matter from where you’re barking — but with COVID-19 vaccinations on the horizon, we hope to cheer together from between the hedges this fall. Go Dawgs!
$1 million gift to promote Terry College Sustainability Initiative
The University of Georgia received a $1 million pledge to the Terry College of Business to launch the college’s new Sustainability Initiative and fund faculty support for the endeavor.
The pledge by the family of Joanna and Stuart Brown of Telluride, Colorado, will help attract, retain and support a scholar who serves as a champion for sustainable development instruction. The endowment will provide financial resources to launch the environmental initiative and annual funds to support programs at Terry for years to come.
Stuart Brown serves as a director of Brown-Forman Corp., one of the largest American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business. He graduated from UGA in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in history, and Joanna Brown earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1987. Their son, Stuart Brown Jr., graduated in 2014 with a degree in political science.
“I have been involved with many sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance initiatives at the company,” Stuart Brown said. “It is important to us to be a sustainability leader in the beverage alcohol industry, as well as in corporate America. As Brown-Forman celebrates 150 years of business excellence, we want to encourage Terry students to embrace the vitally important values of sustainability.”
Plans for Terry’s Sustainability Initiative include hiring faculty, expanding course offerings, launching a new undergraduate area of emphasis in sustainable development and supporting new experiential learning opportunities, said Benjamin C. Ayers, dean of the Terry College of Business. The Terry College is focused on securing additional funding for a sustainability speaker series, research support, faculty-led study away programming and internship opportunities.
“With this important gift, we hope to advance a culture of sustainability within the college that transcends one course or a single major,” Ayers said. “Our goal for sustainability initiatives is to educate and inspire students to become ethical leaders who create sustainable businesses and develop innovative models that transform business in all sectors.”
Brown-Forman was founded in 1870 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. It employs more than 4,700 people worldwide, with about 1,300 located in Louisville. Brown-Forman sells its products globally and has more than 25 brands, including Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester and Herradura, in its portfolio of wines and spirits.
To learn more about Terry’s new Sustainability Initiative, please contact Kathy Ortstadt in the Terry Development and Alumni Relations Office at ortstadt@uga.edu.
Bulldogs help music community in time of need
Last year was uncharted territory for musicians, music venues and the overall music community. They struggled without the ability to host live music events and festivals—but a few UGA alumni are committed to assisting the industry weather the storm on a local, state and national level.
Keepin’ it local
Athens is known for its vibrant music scene. Most of the musicians at the heart of that scene have benefited from rehearsing at Nuçi’s Space, a nonprofit musician’s resource center that has been around for 20 years and is led by Executive Director Bob Sleppy (BS ’05, MBA ’10). Immediately after COVID-19 forced schools and businesses to shut down, Nuçi’s Space established the Garrie Vereen Memorial Emergency Relief Fund to support musicians, artists, venue staff, crew employees, and everyone else who makes Athens’s well-known entertainment venues thrive. The fund raised $10,000 within four days and distributed over $130,000 in emergency financial aid to 310+ individuals in the Athens-area entertainment industry. While working from home, the Nuçi’s Space staff made over 600 phone calls to check in on fellow musicians who usually frequent Nuçi’s Space, letting them know about the fund and providing encouragement.
Across the state
The Georgia Music Foundation Board of Directors continues to distribute their annual grants and also approved the creation of the Georgia Music Relief Fund to award grants to those in the state’s music community who have been negatively affected by venue closures and tour cancellations. The board includes three UGA graduates, including Board Chair Dallas Davidson (M ’00), George Fontaine, Jr. (ABJ ’04) and Russell Bennett (BSA ’00). The Savannah Music Festival (SMF) is a multi-year grant recipient of the foundation and while the SMF was postponed in 2020, Managing Director Erin Tatum (AB ’08, BBA ’08, MPA ’14) noted that they were able to pivot and continue engaging patrons. The SMF is hosted over 17 days each year and showcases hundreds of musicians from around the world. The festival provides free music education to 10,000+ students in coastal Georgia and South Carolina schools. Since the pandemic, SMF has taken its Musical Explorers program for K-12 virtual and is now providing music education to children nationwide.
A national focus
MusiCares, the nonprofit arm of the Recording Academy, is led by UGA graduate Debbie Carrol (MSW ’93). Its mission is to “provide resources to music people in times of need.” By the end of 2020, MusiCares distributed over $20 million in assistance. After launching an online application in March, Debbie’s team of 12 was manually vetting 500–600 applications per week and distributed $1,000 grants to 20,000 individuals nationwide. MusiCares was thrilled to see 1,600+ artists donate to the cause along with a number of well-known companies within the music and streaming services industries. In addition to providing financial assistance, MusiCares provided additional support by conducting a mental health survey and created virtual programming that included topics from adjusting to life off the road to how to incorporate mediation into your day. Due to her impressive leadership during the challenges of the pandemic, Pollstar named Debbie to its ‘2020 Impact 50’ list, which honors music executives who are improving the live entertainment industry.
There are countless others in the Bulldog family who are doing great things to keep the music industry alive and well until live music venues reopen, tours can recommence, and those working in the industry are back on their feet. We’re proud of all those alumni who stepped up last year and continue to do so … because when Bulldogs come together, they change the world.
UGA’s Music Business Program prepares the next generation of change-makers in the music industry. Learn more about the program at the video below. Want to help enhance its offerings? Make a gift today!
Job Search Week (Jan. 25-29) will walk you through the full search process
With a new year comes the opportunity to realize your professional goals–and the UGA Career Center is here to help. From January 25-29, UGA’s Alumni Career Services office will host webinars with top career coaches, human resource professionals, and certified resume writers. Join in to hear from these job search strategy experts who will demonstrate how to masterfully execute your job search and stand out from other job seekers.
DAY 1
Mastering the Stages of Change: Mindsets for Career Changers
Monday, January 25 | 1 p.m. EST
Ever wonder why change is so difficult? In this workshop we will share a six-stage model of change. Once you understand the change process, and what stage you are at in your job search, you’ll understand why you might feel stuck. Viewing your job search through the model, you’ll feel more empowered in your job search and how to combat resistance to change to make the career move you need.
DAY 2
Jumpstart Your Career in 2021
Tuesday, January 26 | 1 p.m. EST
Whether you are new to the workforce or are a seasoned professional, it can be easy to lose focus on opportunities to progress. We get busy, time flies, and the pandemic can make it feel impossible to pursue new career goals. Layer on working remotely, and you may lose sight of your dreams in the day-to-day balancing act. Or, maybe you find yourself in a temporary position that you want to take to the next level. This webinar will help you refocus on the big picture.
Day 3
Strategic Job Search and Networking Methods
Wednesday, January 27 | 1 p.m. EST
Do you know where to find the right roles? Are you tired of online job boards like Indeed.com? This presentation will help you learn the top job search strategies that will get you noticed. We will discuss how to conduct an industry-specific job search, which platforms to use, and why you need to move beyond online job boards to have a successful search.
DAY 4
Advanced Resumes and Cover Letters
Thursday, January 28 | 1 p.m. EST
You have probably heard that it’s important to tailor your resume to match individual roles during your job search, but what does that look like? In this webinar, we will discuss practical tips for creating a resume that can be easily tailored. We’ll also walk through steps to tailor your resume to maximize your job search success rate.
DAY 5
Top 10 Job Search and Interview Tips
Friday, January 29 | 1 p.m. EST
Where you work can affect your happiness. Rose Opengart, career coach and former HR staffing manager, will share how to job search and interview to land the best job for you! Some takeaways from this webinar include:
- The job search should be a strategic process; not a “spray and pray.”
- The job interview is a two-way street!
You will learn how to answer tough interview questions and which interview questions to ask so you can find your dream job!
You do not want to miss these opportunities to build the career of your dreams. Register today! NOTE: You must register for each webinar individually. If you have any questions, contact Kali DeWald, Associate Director of Alumni Career Services. For information about other Alumni Career Services, visit the UGA Career Center.
UGA athletics director pledges $100K to need-based aid
Josh Brooks (MS ’14), the newly named J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics at the University of Georgia, recently pledged $100,000 to create a need-based scholarship that will support UGA students from Athens-Clarke County.
“This generous gift reaffirms Josh’s commitment to the success of University of Georgia students,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “I am very excited about the future of UGA Athletics with Josh at the helm, and this scholarship gift is a terrific start to his tenure. Need-based aid is a vital tool to improve our university, so we are grateful to Josh for his support in that area.”
Brooks’ pledge came less than a week after he became UGA’s 12th director of athletics, his seventh post in 11 years working for the university’s athletic association.
“I love this town, this community, and I want to help make a difference here locally,” said Brooks. “I have three children who go to school here in Athens-Clarke County, I live here in Athens, and I’m aware of how many kids are in need in this county, so it is important to me to help these students find a pathway to the University of Georgia.”
Brooks’ gift will create a Georgia Commitment Scholarship (GCS), adding to the more than 550 endowed, need-based scholarships created under the GCS program since its launch in January 2017. These scholarships will be awarded in perpetuity and provide recipients with support through special on-campus programming in partnership with the Division of Academic Enhancement.
“Our new director of athletics has only been in the role a week, and he’s already making a positive impact at UGA,” said Kelly Kerner, UGA vice president for development and alumni relations. “Josh’s belief in the power of a UGA education—and the support he’s demonstrated as a result—will open doors for generations of students.”
Marlise O. Harrell, 1969
The scholarship, which will be named the Marlise O. Harrell Georgia Commitment Scholarship, honors Brooks’ late mother-in-law.
“Education was always important to her, it was something she always stressed with my children, her grandchildren,” said Brooks. “She had a heart of gold, and she was someone who always put other people first in everything she did.”
This gift is the latest example of Brooks’ support for the Athens-Clarke County community. He was heavily involved in the creation and implementation of the “Dawgs for Pups” initiative benefitting Athens-Clarke County students. The initiative has, to date, provided Wi-Fi hotspots and organized food and coat drives for grade-school students.
“For me, charity starts locally,” said Brooks. “So, when I was blessed with the opportunity to become director of athletics, I felt the responsibility to give back. The University of Georgia has done so much for me, and I felt it was important that I give back in a way that supports the university and the community I love.”
