Featured Archives

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

December 18, 2019/by Danielle Bezila

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

RESTAURANTS

MODERN

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

OLD SCHOOL

Antoine’s – The oldest continuously running restaurant in America, since 1845
Galatoire’s
Brennan’s

PO-BOYS

SEAFOOD

Blue Crab
Landry’s
Felix’s New Orleans LakeFront
Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter (for beignets and coffee)

ACTIVITIES

MUSEUMS, TOURS, PARKS

National WWII Museum
Louisiana State Museum
City Park and New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA)
Ride a St. Charles Avenue streetcar
Take a guided tour of the French Quarter or Garden District
St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square – French Quarters
Audubon Zoo
Audubon Aquarium
Audubon Park

SHOPPING, WATERING HOLES, MUSIC

Magazine Street (for shopping, restaurants, bars)
French Market
Frenchmen Street
Pat O’Brien’s – courtyard (famous bar with hurricanes)

BREWERIES

NIGHTLIFE

Live music on Frenchman street
Rooftop bars (NOPSI Hotel and Ace)
Bacchanal wine in the Bywater

TRAVEL PACKAGE

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

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

The Jerry Tanner Show – Baylor/Sugar Bowl

December 16, 2019/by Clarke Schwabe

As 2019 college football nears its unfortunate end, Jerry tries to help you navigate through a post-LSU-blowout world, the silly season of coaching changes, and the upcoming Sugar Bowl against the Baylor Bears. Plus, some tips for the offseason!

Feel like a student again at Alumni Weekend. Sign up at alumni.uga.edu/weekend and come home for the weekend.

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.

An interview with Sally Williamson (ABJ ’83)

December 10, 2019/by Maggie Cavalenes

Sally Williamson, Founder and CEO of Sally Williamson & Associates

Sally Williamson (ABJ ’83) has made a name for herself in the communication business.

With 30 years of experience to her name, Sally is the founder and president of the Atlanta-based Sally Williamson & Associates. Focusing on the spoken side of communication, the company is approaching 20 years of executive coaching, consulting, workshops and more to create effective workplace communicators.

The company has published three books that detail her practices’ beliefs: The Hidden Factor: Executive Presence, Leading Executive Conversations, and Storylines and Storytelling: What They Remember and Repeat. The group has also started a podcast that features female leaders across the business world, with stories from executives at companies like Delta and TD Bank.

Alumni Association: How would you describe your business to someone who is unfamiliar with it?

Sally Williamson: We’re a communication consulting group that helps people influence and impact others through effective communication practices.

AA: How did you get into consulting like this?

SW: I was a journalism school graduate. I was intrigued by messaging in business and thought that I would start out on a public relations track. Instead, I got closer to the communicators and learned the foundational skills of personal delivery and presence. That’s oversimplifying it, but eventually I brought the two concepts together in executive coaching.

AA: What inspired you to create your own business?

SW: I worked in the training field and saw both the strengths and limitations of a set curriculum. I was always more intrigued by how people used skills once they left a training program versus how well they did in a workshop. And, I learned that most training formats were weak on the application of skills. I saw an opportunity to blend training with coaching and ensure that skills are applicable in any business setting.

And, that’s what my firm is known for: the customization of training, the added coaching elements and the expertise to understand and solve for the expectations of listeners.

AA: What inspired the start of your podcast?

What’s Your Story with Sally Williamson is a podcast that centers on leadership and storytelling.

SW: Two years ago, we released our third book which is called “Storylines and Storytelling: What They Remember and Repeat.” For two years, I did research on how stories are used in business and the skills of a good storyteller. I coined the phrase “the master storyteller” and developed the tools to help anyone become one.

The podcast was a natural outgrowth of that. It’s called “What’s Your Story,” and people who come on the podcast talk about stories in business and how they use stories to make points memorable and repeatable.

AA: Any favorite episodes?

SW: All of them! Don’t want to play favorites. What I love about it is that when we send people an outline for the podcast, they think they’re going to talk about their stories in their business and how they’ve leveraged storytelling to motivate a team, promote a product or position a brand. Ultimately, they reveal themselves as storytellers. And, that’s fun to explore. We’re asking leaders to talk about stories, but they actually illustrate their skills as storyteller.

AA: How do you think your time at UGA impacted your career?

SW: I’m sure my early days relied on technical skills to learn writing disciplines and headlines. But the more long-term impact has been the connection back to the school as a professional. I’ve enjoyed being a part of the Bulldog 100 program for small businesses, and love the opportunities to go back on campus to support programs around professional development.

AA: What advice would you give to a student looking for their first job in the communications field?

SW: Make sure that what you tackle first is experience more than stature. Don’t worry so much about the prestige of the brand you go to work for, or the starting title or role they give you. Put yourself in a position where you can get as much experience as you can and a frontline view of what is really happening around you. It’s the experience you get in the first job that gets you to the second or the third one. I think that’s especially true in public relations and communications – if you can show that you’ve done the work, rather than just been around the work, it makes a huge difference in what you have an opportunity to do next. People in public relations and communications get hired based on experience. What have you done? What do you know how to do?

AA: What are you most proud of, or what has your greatest success been?

SW: There have been many just as there have been many challenges. Success to me is based on how the business has evolved. We’ve been able to take what started as my thoughts and beliefs and grow it into a shared set of tools and skills that a team leverages. I’m proud of that, and that SW&A has become a place where others have developed an expertise and deliver great work. In the last three years, my son has joined the business and that suggests that our product and our work will outlive me.

Owned/Operated By:

Bob Sleppy (BS ’05, MBA ’10)

Website:

nuci.org

Don’t go bacon my heart: alumni-owned breakfast spots

December 6, 2019/by Bailey Carreker

Trying to decide where to eat breakfast or brunch during your next visit to Athens (maybe even for Alumni Weekend)? Why not check out an alumni-owned restaurant, such as …

Athens Bagel Company

Owner: David Asman (BS ’08)
Location: 268 N. Jackson Street
Fun Fact: Athens Bagel Company sells nitro mimosas on draft.

“When I go to Athens Bagel, I get to eat good food and support a local business, which I love.” – Zoe Maher ’21

Heirloom Café and Fresh Market

Owner: Jessica Rothacker (AB ’03)
Location: 815 N. Chase Street
Fun Fact: Heirloom is run by a father-daughter team.

“My favorite thing to get at Heirloom is the ‘doscuit holes!’ Biscuits as donuts? You can’t go wrong.” – Caitlyn Richtman (AB ’19, AB ’19)

Photo from @homemadeathens on Instagram

Last Resort Grill

Owner: Melissa Clegg (BBA ’88)
Location: 174-184 W. Clayton Street
Fun Fact: Jimmy Buffet performed at Last Resort before it transitioned from music club to restaurant.

“The three-cheese bacon omelet is to die for!” – Austin Grant ’22

Mama’s Boy

Co-owner: Cooper Hudson (ABJ ’98)
Co-owner: Alicia Segars (AB ’93)
Original Location: 197 Oak Street
Fun Fact: Mama’s Boy has a second location at The Falls(8851 Macon Highway, Suite 403)

Check out Sam Flexner’s Haiku below!

Photo from @theplaceathens on Instagram

The Place

Co-owner: Alan Pope (AB ’08)
Co-owner: Ryan Pope (BBA ’09)
Location: 229 E. Broad Street
Fun Fact: The Place is named after the owner’s grandfather’s car dealership.

“The chicken and waffles at The Place are my favorite.” – Maggie Cavalenes ’20

Photo from @zombiecoffeeanddonuts on Instagram

Zombie Coffee & Donuts

Owner: Tony Raffa (BBA ’16)
Location: 350 E. Broad Street
Fun Fact: Each month, Zombie donates 5% of gross profits to local nonprofits–often departments or programs on campus!

“Zombie has tons of different toppings to choose from. There’s something for everyone!” – Julia Strother ’20

We love celebrating UGA alumni, especially when they open delicious restaurants. On your next visit to the Classic City—to attend a football game, meet your student mentee or attend Alumni Weekend—we hope you’ll start your day at one of these eateries.

University of Georgia crossword puzzle

December 5, 2019/by Maggie Cavalenes

The first crossword puzzle ran in New York World on December 21, 1913, and was created by Arthur Wynne. Other newspapers began to run crossword puzzles shortly after, and the rest is history. Crossword puzzles now test our minds in newspapers, books, and more.

The University of Georgia’s independent newspaper, The Red & Black, publishes daily crossword puzzles online and in print on Thursdays, much to the delight of students seeking a distraction from their homework.

For many alumni, the R&B crossword was a daily endeavor on the bus and in (-between) classes. In honor of this little piece of UGA nostalgia, we designed a special UGA-themed crossword puzzle for you, our alumni and friends, to enjoy–after your homework is done, of course. See if you and your friends can get the answers correctly without peeking at the answers! Pro tip: we hope you remember the names of bus routes, dorms and dining halls.

Crozzword Puzzle and Answers

The Jerry Tanner Show, Episode 13 – LSU/SEC Championship

December 5, 2019/by Clarke Schwabe

Unstoppable force vs. immovable object. LSU vs. Georgia. Time to get revenge for 2018. Maybe. Hopefully. Please.

Feel like a student again at Alumni Weekend. Sign up at alumni.uga.edu/weekend and come home for the weekend.

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.

Happy Thanksgiving, Bulldogs!

November 25, 2019/by Zach Armstrong

At this time of Thanksgiving, we pause to reflect on the support of our friends and the impact it has made on the University of Georgia.

Because of this generosity, we overcome obstacles, join together as one, and rise to the top. It allows our students, faculty, and staff to experience opportunities that would have been impossible without your it.

We proudly present the 2019 Thanksgiving video, which tells a story of community and gratitude in the UGA family. Please share the video with your family and friends!

*A special thanks to our cast, staff, student workers, and many campus partners who came together to produce this video.

Finding a home as a first-generation student

November 7, 2019/by Katy Clements

Written by Jasmin Severino Hernandez (AB ’13, AB ’13), UGA Young Alumni Leadership Council Vice President

I am a first-generation college graduate, born to immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic. Growing up, my family did not have a lot of resources. I grew up in a very low-income household and there were times when my parents would have to decide whether they were going to skip a meal in order to provide for my brother and myself. Growing up as a first generation American, I did not have a family member who could provide me with guidance as to the process of choosing a university or how to pay for college. I was constantly hearing statistics from others regarding the Latino dropout rate and it felt like I was always pressured to do more and be more to succeed and not be another number.

I transferred to the University of Georgia in 2010, with no idea how the transition would work. I transferred from a small liberal arts college, where I felt like I was a big fish in a little pond. At UGA, I felt quite the opposite. I felt like the world was my oyster, but I also felt lost in the sea of people. As a first-generation student, it felt lonely because I was immersed in a new experience with no idea how to navigate it all. I graduated from UGA in 2013, with a degree in political science from SPIA & another in Spanish from Franklin.

I have amazing memories from UGA.

The first was when my roommate convinced me that pageants could teach me how to be confident in myself. With her help, I competed in various pageants throughout undergrad. My greatest memories are from competing in Miss UGA in 2012 and 2013. I was a runner-up in the 2013 competition and it is a moment I will never forget. My mic went out during my talent routine and the audience only heard the last 30 seconds of my song … ironically where I had to sing the highest note. I received a standing ovation before the judges made me do it all over again!

“Some of our greatest memories involve our similar journeys as first-generation students trying to find a home, a voice, and ourselves in a new and unfamiliar place.”

In 2013, I also found my home away from home. I became a sister of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Incorporated, which is an academic sorority. The Delta Alpha Chapter of LTA helped me grow into the professional I am today. The sisters embraced me at a time when I needed support. They taught me the value of hard work and inspired me to always believe in myself and to embrace life’s unexpected twists and turns. I am still very involved with my sorority and I enjoy seeing how our sorority changes the lives of other first-generation Latinas at universities across the country.

Lastly, UGA introduced me to the love of my life. While at UGA, I met a boy who I am lucky enough to now call my husband. For an entire semester, we would casually run into each other on North Campus. One day, we finally spoke, and the rest is history. We took our engagement photos on North Campus, as a sweet nod to the place that sealed our fate. We were married on homecoming day this year, October 19, 2019, and we still enjoy calling the Dawgs on Saturdays. Some of our greatest memories involve UGA and our similar journeys as first-generation students trying to find a home, a voice, and ourselves in a new and unfamiliar place.

Today, I serve as the Vice President for the UGA Young Alumni Leadership Council and I was chosen for the 2020 Class of UGA’s 40 under 40. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined this honor and to be listed alongside some of the smartest, brightest and most innovative of our alumni. Although my time at UGA was challenging in many ways, it also helped me grow immensely. I strive and continue to give back to both the University of Georgia and younger bulldog generations because I truly believe that when you have the opportunity to make it where you want to be in your journey, it is your responsibility to hold the door open for those that come after you. It really is my hope that other students read or hear my story and feel encouraged to push forward and to extend a helping hand whenever they can to those around them.

Somewhere along the way, UGA gave me everything I needed. Somewhere along the way, I found a home.

1 2 3 4 5

Jasmin Severino singing during the talent portion of Miss UGA

Jasmin Severino and her LTA sorority sisters

Severino-Hernandez Engagement Photos on North Campus | Claire Diana Wedding Photo

Severino-Hernandez Wedding | Claire Diana Wedding Photo

Robbie York (ABJ ’05) talks NYC, American Whiskey, and UGA

November 4, 2019/by Maggie Cavalenes

Robbie York is presented with a UGA 40 Under 40 award alongside UGA President Jere W. Morehead (JD ’80) (left) and Brian Dill (AB ’94, MBA ’19), president of the UGA Alumni Association.

Robbie York (ABJ ’05) is a Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication graduate who lives in New York City and owns the official UGA venue in the Big Apple, American Whiskey. American Whiskey is the “home” of the NYC alumni chapter’s game-watching parties. In September, Robbie was recognized as a 40 Under 40 honoree by the UGA Alumni Association. We caught up with Robbie to learn more about how he’s helping foster a spirit of camaraderie and Bulldog spirit in the city that never sleeps.

How long have you lived in NYC?

Almost 14 years.

When did you open American Whiskey?

We are in the middle of our seventh year.

How long have the NYC Dawgs hosted game-watching parties at American Whiskey?

All 7 years. We hosted at another location for 6 years before that.

Did you open American Whiskey with the hope it would become NYC’s top UGA venue?

We definitely courted NYC Dawgs to come with us from a previous location. This was not only due to my affiliation and passion for the University of Georgia, but we (my partners and I) have always enjoyed the crowd and spirit of the game-watching parties. The answer is that we were hoping that the NYC Dawgs would want to be our one and only game-watching crowd, and we are proud to say they are.

How have game-watching parties grown since you started hosting them?

They have definitely grown over the years, I would say that this was due to many factors. Winning seasons help. Social media is a lot more prevalent than it used to be. We like to think that we make the party better every year. Improvements include menu changes, drink special updates, and little details (playlists, decor, etc) that add extra touches for everyone who visits.

What makes Saturdays in NYC special?

New York City is a difficult place to make it. So when you’ve had a hard week of work and the stress that goes along with it, Saturdays at American Whiskey become a place to cheer with your friends, meet other folks trying to survive in NYC, and find a common bond–which in this case is Georgia Football.

A photo of American Whiskey, courtesy of Moreen Construction.

How does being a UGA alumnus impact the relationship between American Whiskey and the NYC alumni chapter?

I try my best to allow NYC Dawgs the accessibility of AW as much as possible. We offer our space for all events with no minimum, so it allows the chapter to have flexibility that very few volunteer organizations enjoy. I also work hard at using my status as an owner to leverage food and beverage brands to donate and help sponsor other events.

What’s the best part of hosting game-watching parties?

The excitement and joy that people share with each other. I love seeing people who get as excited for a touchdown as they do seeing someone in AW that they haven’t seen since college. Helping people make connections is the most special part of being there.

What’s something people might not know about NYC’s game-watching parties at American Whiskey?

We play Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” when we win, immediately after the 4th quarter. Lots of people who are here know that, however, it came about from the happy accident of the music getting stuck in our internal system, and those songs being next in line.

Watch an Instagram takeover from American Whiskey