Twilight Criterium’s 40th weekend in Athens

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On April 26, the annual Twilight Criterium will dash into Athens once again. With two days full of music, food and races, the weekend will continue to signify the official start of spring in downtown Athens. Since 1980, the Twilight Criterium has been a tradition that draws all kinds of cyclists into town for amateur and professional races. Including concerts, a 5K and plenty of activities for kids, Twilight weekend caters to college students, athletes and families.

If you’ve never heard of a criterium, don’t worry. The explanation is simple: it’s a closed circuit, or super short, track with lots of laps. It is similar to how a NASCAR race operates.

Twilight Criterium racers start their laps around downtown Athens.

Twilight Criterium racers start their laps around downtown Athens. Photo by Bear Cieri/Athens Twilight Facebook

When the event first started, there were only 40 racers and the criterium only included one men’s professional race. This year will feature the second annual “joy ride,” a 5-mile ride through Athens, and a 5K race. The main event takes place on April 27 and is the Twilight Criterium itself, an 80km race for men and a 40km race for women in the heart of downtown Athens. 2,000 people are expected to race this year.

The UGA Alumni Association caught up with Athens Twilight co-event director and Double Dawg Ashley Travieso, (BSED ‘05, MED ‘06). Ashley started at UGA in 2001 as a sports studies with an emphasis in sports communication. In undergrad, she was a member in the Georgettes in the Redcoat Band from 2001 to 2006, and was captain from 2002 to 2005. According to Ashley, she had no interest in cycling or even attending Twilight until co-founders Gene Dixon and Linda DePascale took her to lunch at Porterhouse and talked to her about becoming an intern for the event. The rest, as they say, is history.

Athens Twilight was the first of its kind. Since 1980, other twilight criteriums have been founded based off of Athens’ event, which now attracts racers from around the world. Ashley believes that people are drawn to Athens Twilight because “it’s the most insane criterium. The atmosphere is electric, there’s no other criterium in the world like it.” Everyone wants to win this particular race due to the exciting nature of the race itself and the crowd.

Women's pro/am race

This year, Twilight expects to have 2,000 racers. Photo by Adam Koble/Athens Twilight Facebook

Be sure to visit downtown this weekend to check out the festivities surrounding the criterium.

Athens Twilight's logo

This is the 40th year of Athens Twilight. Graphic per the Athens Twilight Facebook page.

Event highlight days/times per website schedule:

Friday, April 26:
Noon-9 p.m.: Twilight Expo
Location: 100 College Avenue – College Square
6-7 p.m.: BikeAthens Joy Ride
Location: College Avenue Parking Deck

6-9 p.m.: Pre-registration pickup & event registration
Location: 200 College Avenue Parking Deck – Bottom Level

Saturday, April 27:

There is a 5K on Saturday morning.

There is a 5K on Saturday morning. Photo by Bear Cieri/Athens Twilight Facebook

8-9 a.m.: Sparc Twilight 5K presented by Fleet Feet Athens
Location: College Avenue and Washington Street

10 a.m.-9 p.m.: Twilight Expo
Location: 100 College Avenue – College Square

7-8:10 p.m.: AOC Twilight Women’s PRO/AM presented by Terrapin Beer
Location: Downtown Athens – College Avenue and Washington Street

8:30-10:15 p.m.: AOC Twilight Men’s PRO/AM presented by Terrapin Beer
Location: Downtown Athens – College Avenue and Washington Street

A Student’s Perspective on Thank a Donor Day 2019

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When it comes to Tate Plaza, students are used to passing some pretty strange things on their way to class. A camel, a cow or just a bunch of extracurricular flyers are not out of the ordinary at all on any day of the week. However, a Tate Plaza event so spectacular that it requires the presence of President Morehead, Miss University of Georgia, Hairy Dawg and hundreds of students only happens once a year. The eighth annual Thank a Donor Day 2019 was on April 11th, 2019, and the student body is better because of it.

Hairy Dawg and a student

Hairy Dawg took photos with students who attended TADD, including the author.

Thank a Donor Day, simply put, is a day where students and faculty members thank university donors for all they have contributed to the University of Georgia. All of our colleges, campus facilities, certificates and student programs are what they are because of the university’s generous donors. Thank a Donor Day is a celebration of those donors, while also being important for educating the student body about what goes on behind the scenes at a university.

A student signs a banner dedicated to thanking donors.

A student signs the banner thanking donors.

Thousands of students depend on and benefit from scholarships – those are thanks to donors. All of the state-of-the-art new facilities on campus, like the Terry expansion or the new Veterinary Medicine building, have been built thanks to donors. Programs like the Public Affairs Professional Certificate program at Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication have been founded thanks to the generosity of a donor. See? There’s a lot to be thankful for as a University of Georgia student, because at least several aspects of all our educations are made possible because of donors.

It’s important to take a day to give back, while still making that show of appreciation simple for a student on the go. More than 900 students expressed their gratitude through signing the community thank-you card, writing a note and decorating posters. It was easy to genuinely thank donors in a time-efficient manner. Plus, no student can resist the lure of a free t-shirt and a Chick-fil-A lemonade and cookie in exchange for their act of thanks.

A photo of the t-shirt table at TADD.

Students who completed all three of the tasks on their card received a free t-shirt, and a Chick-fil-A cookie and lemonade.

It was a beautiful day, filled with students smiling, saying thank you, and becoming made aware of all the ways others have contributed to making their time at the University of Georgia a worthwhile and excellent experience. While Thank a Donor Day is only once a year, hopefully it encourages students to remember every day to be grateful for all the things we are so lucky to have here.

Before and after Thank a Donor Day, Athens faced some pretty terrible weather. On the day of the event, the sun was shining and the conditions were perfect for an outdoor event. Maybe that’s a sign that we are better on days that we are thankful.

Check out our Instagram story here.

What is Georgia Giving Week? And Why Does It Matter?

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Georgia Giving Week is a week to rally Bulldog Nation in the spirit of philanthropy. It’s just one week to help our beloved alma mater! You may be thinking that the birthplace of public higher education doesn’t need an extra $10 from you – what will that do for a huge, enduring institution like UGA? Well, it can do more than you’d think!

As alumni, we always love to see Georgia thrive. Remember the pride you felt when Sony Michel raced across the goal line in double overtime at the Rose Bowl in 2018? It’s easy to cheer on our team during a football game. But let’s celebrate our school on and off the field – making a gift is a tangible way of cheering Georgia on.

We can change lives by helping a worthy student earn a college education. Even with competitive tuition rates, the Zell Miller and HOPE scholarships, and federal Pell Grants, many students still face financial obstacles in attending UGA. With scholarship support, we can help students take advantage of everything UGA has to offer without worrying about significant debt weighing them down as they launch their careers. Today, 100 percent of gifts to the Georgia Fund support scholarships.
Giving Week

Did you know that the percentage of alumni participation is a factor in the U.S. News & World Report college rankings? We’ve already reached No. 13 in the list of best public universities, the highest ranking in UGA’s history. But how high can we climb with your help? Our reputation affects how employers, graduate schools and others perceive UGA. The further we reach, the greater the value your college degree.

If that’s not enough reason to make a gift, can I entice you with a discount at the Bookstore?! Stock up on a tailgate tent, new jersey, a Kirby visor and more. With a gift of any size this week, you will get 20% off valid in store and online through April 27*. AND you’ll get a Georgia pennant magnet exclusive to Georgia Giving Week donors.

Last but not least – I hear we have some notable alumni giving personal shoutouts on social media. Make your gift and it could be you …

Give now at givingweek.uga.edu

 

*Technology and textbooks excluded.  

London reception celebrates UGA, Oxford anniversary, alumni

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University of Georgia alumni, friends and students assembled in London on Thursday, April 4, to celebrate UGA, honor the UGA at Oxford program’s 30th anniversary and cap off a tour of London that welcomed the newest UGA at Oxford students to the United Kingdom.

Twenty-two UGA students embarked on a tour of London that Thursday morning. Their stops took them to businesses around the city where alumni employees talked to them about what they do, where they work, the impact of their UGA education and more. These talks covered a wide variety of fields, from Risk Management and Insurance to Neuroscience—participating alumni work for Google; McGriff, Seibels and Williams; BNP Paribas; New York Times; City, University of London; Braincures; and Citibank. 

 After a day traveling the city, the tour party met with other alumni and friends at The Marylebone, where Kelly Kerner, UGA vice president for development and alumni relations, and Jamie McClung, director of the UGA at Oxford program, spoke to the crowd about what London and the Oxford program mean to UGA.

With the number of Dawgs in attendance that evening, one might have thought The Marylebone had moved to downtown Athens. 

Special thanks to the alumni who hosted and spoke with our students during their tour of London: Brian Benedict (ABJ ’04), Kevin Blackburne (BBA ’15), Denis Cruiziat (MBA ’88), Emmanuel Dray (MBA ’95), Justin Foster (BSFCS ‘10) Carrie Gibson (ABJ ’98), Krzysztof Potempa (BS ’02), Jane Singer (ABJ ’76), Scott Sink (BBA ’84), Chris Stanford (ABJ ’94) and Wes Walraven (BBA ’83). 

Bulldogs can be found the world over – find your local alumni chapter to to socialize, network, and volunteer with Bulldogs in your area. 

Karin Lichey Usry reflects on her time as a GymDog

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Karin Lichey Usry (BSED ’00) is a former GymDog who currently works at the Division of Development & Alumni Relations at the University of Georgia. In her days as a collegiate gymnast, Usry was a four-year letter winner, won five All-America honors, won the 1998 national title on floor and earned 11 All-America citations. In addition to this, she won the 1999 Honda Award as the nation’s top gymnast. Did we mention that Usry was also part of the undefeated and national champion 1998 and 1999 GymDogs teams? There’s no wonder she was inducted into the UGA Circle of Honor for athletic greatness!

The current GymDog team has gone 10-4 this season, and after placing 2nd in the final of NCAA regionals will compete in the NCAA national championship this weekend. We asked Usry for her thoughts on her time as a GymDog, as well as the current GymDog team.

What is your role for the UGA Alumni Association? 

I am the Secretary to the Board of Trustees at the University of Georgia Foundation. I also manage the Emeriti Trustees and the Board of Visitors.

What does it feel like to see the GymDogs competing for a championship when you’ve been in their place?

It’s exciting, very exciting! We’ve had some ups and downs over the last couple years, so it’s really exciting, fun and rewarding to see this team – and last year’s team – have so much success and really kind of rise to the occasion. It’s good to see that … I guess, UGA gymnastics has always been the pinnacle of college gymnastics, and we had a little bit of a dip there for a couple of years, and so it’s good to see those traditions and that legacy continue.

Do you go to most of the meets?

I do, I’m still pretty involved. This year, because my kids are getting a little older, it’s been a little more difficult. But in the past, I’ve always been very involved.

What’s it like to see a former GymDog, Courtney Kupets, coach the team?

It’s very exciting because she knows the legacy and the history and the expectations of the program. I think that’s what was missing the last couple years, is that we have such a tight bond of former gymnasts. All of our GymDog alumni are like sisters because we’ve been through the same experiences, even though it was at different times throughout the history of the Georgia gymnastics program. It’s exciting to see someone who went through that, be able to bring that back and instill some of those traditions and some of those expectations into the current team.

What’s your proudest achievement athletically and since you left gymnastics?

So, athletically it was definitely being part of the ‘98 and ‘99 national championship teams, being part of a team that went undefeated both years, and then won the national titles. I think that was pretty amazing. Each year, ‘98 and ‘99, the teams were very different. So it was neat to see how we adjusted to be able to win national titles. Since graduating, I would say my marriage and my two kids are my biggest accomplishments.

Suzanne YoculanWhat was it like to be coached by Suzanne Yoculan? What lessons did she teach you?

Suzanne was amazing, she is very loyal to her athletes. She loved us like daughters, but she taught us how to be adults. When you come into college, especially college gymnastics, you’ve been such an individual your whole life …We didn’t have team camps as much as they do now. When I came onto campus, it was a whole new world, I was teammates with 15 other girls, all at different levels in our life. She very much respected us as individuals but also gelled us together as a team. She taught us many other things like responsibility and how to speak in front of a crowd, and she would always encourage us and push us. She was just a great mentor, even to this day, she’s still a great person to reach out to and ask for advice. She was a great person to lead you when you’re in that period of life where you’re going through so much, like trying to figure out who you are as a person, and so to be a student-athlete it is even another level of trying to figure out who you are, how you want to accomplish things, and what you want to do with your life. It was great to have someone like Suzanne push us, because she did push us, and was also our biggest cheerleader.

 

“I think just having the pride of being a University of Georgia athlete, especially a gymnast, because it nationally was recognized as one of the top programs. I think just having that pride of wearing red and black and competing.”

-Karin Usry

 

What was it like to be a student-athlete in the ‘90s at UGA?

Gosh, I have to think about that, that was a long time ago. I was an elite gymnast, so I trained 35-40 hours, and then I’d go to school on top of that. When I came to college, we were only allowed to train 20 hours. For me, it was a really easy adjustment going from high school to college, because I felt like I had more time, which was crazy. I went from training 40 hours a week, going to school full time, trying to be a high school student, to coming to college and only having to train 20 hours. While that was an adjustment in itself to cut back, it was a good adjustment. Suzanne fought for us on a lot of different levels. For example, she took the resources at the university, even though they weren’t provided to all the athletes like they are now, and offered them to us if we wanted them.

What’s your favorite memory from your time at UGA?

I think just having the pride of being a University of Georgia athlete, especially a gymnast, because it nationally was recognized as one of the top programs. I think just having that pride of wearing red and black and competing. I think that’s probably the best memory.

Finish this statement, I am most proud to be a Bulldog when _____.

I am most proud to be a Bulldog any time I see the super G, I know we’re supposed to say The Arch, but the super G is so well-known, and that was such a big part of my career. I’m proud because I know what the G stands for, and I know that it stands for both academics and athletic success and excellence.

Get Ready for G-Day 2019

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football

Mark your calendars! G-Day 2019 is less than a week away. As you prepare to come back to campus for another exciting spring game in Sanford Stadium, here are some fun-filled activities happening before the big game.

Friday, April 19 

5 p.m. – 7 p.m: Jonathan Ledbetter and Isaac Nauta Bookstore Signings

Come to the UGA bookstore to meet and get autographs from some of your favorite UGA greats and NFL prospects! Call or stop by the bookstore to purchase your tickets today!

*Make a gift during the first ever Georgia Giving Week and get 20% off your bookstore purchase! Visit givingweek.uga.edu for more information.

Price: $15 per ticket/signature

 

Saturday, April 20

8:00 a.m. Athens Farmers Market

The Athens Farmers Market at Bishop Park hosts around 45 vendors a weekend, live music, children’s activities and cooking demos.

Location: 705 Sunset Dr., Athens, GA 30606

Price: FREE

 

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Elijah Holyfield and Mecole Hardman Bookstore Signings

Come to the UGA bookstore to meet and get autographs from some of your favorite UGA greats and NFL prospects! Call or stop by the bookstore to purchase your tickets today!

*Make a gift during the first ever Georgia Giving Week and get 20% off your bookstore purchase! Visit givingweek.uga.edu for more information.

Price: $25 per ticket/signature

 

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. ARTini’s Paint Fundraiser for ESP

Come have some fun with paint with us & help raise some funds for one of our amazing local organizations, Extra Special People!

Location: 337 Prince Ave, Athens, GA 30601

Price: $24, 50% donated to ESP

 

G-Day game information

11 a.m. Gates open

11:15 a.m. Alumni Football game

2 p.m. G-Day game

SEC Clear bag policy will be in effect. Parking is free and open to the public. G-Day game can be viewed on the SEC Network.

 

Chapter Game Watching Parties

Unable to make it to Athens for G-Day? Don’t worry, Bulldawgs never bark alone. Check out the Alumni Event Calendar to see if there is a game watching party near you!

 

Tailgates

MBA Alumni Tailgate: 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Location: Davis Courtyard of Correll Hall on Lumpkin Street

Price: $20 per person, children under 12 free

Register here

MPA GSPA Tailgate: 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Location: front lawn Baldwin Hall

Price: FREE

Doc & Roc Henderson Barbeque Tailgate Party: 11 a.m.

Location: Myers Quad

Prices vary based on plate orders. Order plates here.

For more information, visit their Facebook page.

 

Giving Week Starts Now!

G-Day marks the beginning of the first ever Georgia Giving Week, and we’re calling all Dawgs to show their loyalty. Gifts from alumni and friends can help ensure that every deserving student has an opportunity to earn a UGA education regardless of their financial background. Every gift counts. All Giving Week donors will get 20% off at the UGA Bookstore and an exclusive Georgia pennant magnet. Give now at givingweek.uga.edu.

National Beer Day: Alumnus brewing for a cause

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Matt StevensMatt Stevens (AB’03, MPA’14) is the Director of Community and Culture at Creature Comforts Brewing Co. in Athens. For National Beer Day we’re asking the questions everyone wants to know – from how Creature Comfort’s philanthropy started to Stevens’ top three favorite beers.

The fact that your role exists is unique. You’re clearly passionate about the Athens community, how did that come about?

My role tries to activate the same value with both an internal and external focus, that value being the question of how to use a company to add value to people’s lives. The external focus is, obviously, the community side. Before we’d ever brewed any beer—before there was Tropicalia—there was this value system. What we know how to do is brew beer. But why we do it, in part, is to add value to the community around us. We hope the city of Athens is better off because we’re here helping to support it.

As for my internal focus, we hope our employees view their work as more than “just a job.” We hope every hire is a lifetime hire. Not merely for retention purposes, but we look to invest in our people, and more than just professionally, but personally as well. It looks a lot of different ways, but that’s the basic framework: The simple question of how our employee experience can add value to our people. Great companies recognize that their employees can work anywhere. The fact that they’ve chosen to dedicate their careers to steward our brand demands that we endeavor to, in turn, invest back into them.

Share a little about the Get Comfortable Campaign.

Get Comfortable started in 2015, and initially it was just a slice of the year—from November to January. One of the first things we did once we had more bandwidth was to extend the campaign duration. We wanted this community impact work to be who we are, not just something we do. So today we launch the program every year in January and wrap mid-November, which gives us six weeks at the end of the year to close the books, to disburse funds, and then reload for the next year.

Creature Comforts SignThe program itself stems from our belief that companies have a role to play in the solutions of tomorrow. We cannot simply outsource social services work to the government or nonprofit agencies. Though both sectors absolutely have a role to play, the private sector has a responsibility as well. John Mackey, who founded Whole Foods, wrote a fantastic book a few years back titled Conscious Capitalism, wherein he makes the argument that companies can be capitalistic but also conscientious in the way they go about it. The Get Comfortable campaign, then, is our expression of this belief, our flagship program to participate in the civic wellbeing of our community.

Specifically, we hope this program helps to align the business community to resource the agencies who do our city’s most pressing work. We hope to make serving as simple, as strategic, and as effective as possible for local businesses.

For a full list of the partners and events, visit GetCurious.com.

What was your favorite UGA memory?

I am going to have to go with a sports memory—my father and grandfather played football here so Georgia football memories run deep. I would say being with my dad in Jordan-Hare back in 2002 when we clinched the SEC East for the first time in years. It was the David Greene to Michael Johnson in the fourth quarter with 15 yards and basically zero seconds to go—I leapt into my father’s arms. It was just one of those classic Georgia sports memories.

Favorite UGA professor?

Richard Neupert. I took his introduction to film course—that’s why I not only changed my major but also why I went on to grad school. I received my masters in film studies from the University of Edinburgh before returning to UGA for a now-defunct PhD. Dr. Neupert and I still cross paths from time to time since he still serves on the board of Cine. He is so community-minded, but he’s also this incredible scholar and I admire him greatly.

What are your top three favorite beers?

creature comforts

Arcadiana, it is a barrel-aged saison. Subtle, juicy, delicious. If you like a saison, you should totally try this one.

The Silent World is one of our lesser known releases. It’s a black lager, which is a very unique style. Given its inky black appearance, our brewers named it in homage to the classic Jacques-Yves Cousteau documentary from the 1950’s titled Le Monde du Silence. As a former film scholar, I obviously appreciated the nod to quirky cinema.

This year’s Get Comfortable IPA is a collaboration with Russian River. It was a dream to have Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo come from California this past January to work with our team on that recipe. The result is staggering, one of our best IPAs to date. And of course, all the profits go toward a philanthropic end.

What’s one of your favorite places to grab dinner post-Creature Comforts?

Got to go with my gut, Seabear. In a city full of incredible dining, it remains my very favorite. 

Creature Comforts has expanded to the Southern Mill, which was previously a warehouse near Chase Street, what’s the future of Creature Comforts?

Opening the Southern Mill has given us tremendous new capacity. Throughout 2019 we are looking to continue expanding our distribution footprint statewide. For context, we opened our doors in April 2014 and from day one we were in only two markets, Athens and Atlanta, until last November. In November we opened Augusta and Columbus. And last month we opened up Savannah and more of coastal Georgia. So we’ve gone from two cities for four years to nearly the entire state in the last six months! The new tank capacity, then, has enabled us to release quite a bit more volume and, just as exciting, to create many new recipes through our innovation program. So both our customers and our brewers are pleased with the recent expansion.

The Student Tour of Georgia: Not Your Average Spring Break

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Spring break is a time when strangers and university faculty group together to get on a bus and learn about agricultural sustainability, economic development and every other aspect of the state of Georgia that the University of Georgia impacts.  

That’s not actually a traditional spring break, but it was spring break for the 25 students and various faculty members on the inaugural trip of the Student Tour of Georgia. Put together by the President’s Office, Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, the Student Tour of Georgia was an experiential learning opportunity based off the longstanding New Faculty Tour created to teach students about what it means to be a land and sea grant university. 

Students went on a boat ride at UGA's Marine Extension.

Students visited UGA’s Marine Extension and went on a boat ride at sunset.

On the first morning of the trip, students heard from University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead and Vice President of Public Service and Outreach Jennifer Frum about the importance of the trip ahead. With 25 students from various majors across campus as well as supervising faculty, the bus loaded up and headed out at 8am on Monday morning. 

Day 1: 

The tour’s first stop was Jaemor Farms. An hour outside of Athens, we learned about the multi-generational history of the farm from UGA alumna Caroline Black Lewallen (BSA ’11). We were each treated to a delicious fried pie or homemade ice cream. From there, the tour headed to Amicalola Falls to visit one of Georgia’s state parks, and the students climbed around 600 stairs to the top of the falls. At this point it was raining pretty hard, and everyone was thoroughly soaked and ready for a nice hot coffee or tea as we all got to know each other and participated in trust-building exercises at the Amicalola Falls Lodge.  

Day 2 

The second day of the trip started and ended in Atlanta. We started off the day by visiting the Capitol, and it was many students first time entering the building. We sat in on committee hearings and met the Incoming Vice President for Government Relations Toby Carr (BSAE ’01, BBA ’01), as well as put our photography skills to good use on the staircase. 

Students on the steps of the Capitol.

The second day of the tour started at the Capitol in Atlanta. Photo courtesy of the Office of Public Service and Outreach.

From there, we went to the Georgia Experience Center and heard from employees of Georgia Power about how they pitch the state of Georgia to companies who potentially want to open offices or factories here. After that, we went to the Center for Civil and Human Rights and individually toured the three floors of the museum. It was a moving way to remind ourselves of the injustices against human rights that are still happening across the world, as well as reflect on Atlanta’s role in the civil rights movement.    

Our final academic stop of the day was Ebenezer Baptist Church where we got to sit in the pews of the church where Martin Luther King Jr.’s family preached. We were told that the church had been made to appear how it looked on the day of Martin Luther King Jr.’s last sermon, which was played for us. It was a surreal experience to hear Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermon in which he says what he would like his eulogy to be like, considering that sermon became his own self-eulogy. You can listen to that sermon here.   

We enjoyed a great dinner with UGA Young Alumni Leadership Council members Daniella Singleton (BS ’08, AB ’08), Shayla Hill (BBA ’08), Anna Reddish (BSA ’08, MADS ’09) and alumni Ryan Reddish (BSFR ’08, MFR ’10) and Black Alumni Leadership Council member Jacinta Smith (BS ’01, MS ’04, DRPH ’21) and past president Raymond Phillips (BS ’12, MBA ’18). 

Day 3 

Day three kicked off in Fayetteville for a tour of Pinewood Studios. Though we didn’t see any celebrities (and we couldn’t tell you if we did), it was cool to see where the Marvel blockbuster movies are filmed, and learn about the Georgia Film Academy and the “new urbanism” movement in nearby community Pinewood Forest. 

Students inside a sound stage at Pinewood Studios.

Students got to enter a sound stage at Pinewood Studios. Photo courtesy of the Office of Public Service and Outreach.

After that, we traveled to Macon for a lunch-and-learn. We heard about the economics behind Newtown Macon, an effort to revitalize the city, as well as the Ocmulgee National Historical Park. Our next stop was in Hawkinsville, where we learned about UGA’s Archway programs, and a Youth Leadership Program called LIFE League. From there, we traveled to Albany State University’s campus for a dinner where we learned about their disaster recovery progress in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. Although Albany State’s students were also on spring break, we enjoyed meeting students from Howard University in Washington, D.C. who were there helping with recovery efforts on their own spring break “impact” trip. 

Day 4 

On the fourth day of the trip, we visited UGA’s Tifton Campus and learned about what students there are focusing on studying, including going on a tour of an incredibly energy efficient home as well as seeing a demonstration of a drone that can tell farmers how much water their fields need. We also visited UGA’s dairy research facility and pet baby cows, which was a really great time. 

Students pet baby cow at UGA's dairy research facility.

Students got quality time with baby cows at UGA’s dairy research facility.

At the Okefenokee Swamp, we learned all about alligators, including one named Crazy. We got to pet a baby alligator named Tiny, and then took a small boat tour through the swamp, followed by a train tour of another area of the swamp. 

Our last stop of the day was UGA’s Marine Extension on Skidaway Island, where we were greeted by none other than Uga X. Remember how petting baby cows AND baby alligators was really fun? We then got to pet and pose for photos with the best dawg, and that’s certainly a lot of students’ favorite memory from the trip.  

Day 5 

On the fifth and final day of the tour, we woke up in Savannah and went to the Georgia Ports Authority and learned about their work and took a tour of the ports. Next, we went to Gulfstream Aerospace and saw the process behind the construction of $60 million-dollar jets, as well as the creation of simulators for pilot education.  

Finally, we stopped in Washington County and enjoyed Dairy Lane milkshakes as we heard from UGA alumna Conni Fennell-Burley (BSHE ’88), an Archway Professional. It was, no pun intended, a sweet finish to the week.   

This summary doesn’t even begin to mention the time we spent as a group reflecting on what we had learned that day, starting snack delivery chains on the bus or playing silly bonding games. By the end of the week, we had perfected our group photo pose. While it wasn’t a traditional spring break, I believe an alternative spring break where we got to see so many places in Georgia made us all the more grateful to be at the University of Georgia. UGA is and will continue to be a land–grant and sea–grant university that is committed to making a positive impact on not only the state, but the world.  

 

View our Instagram Story.

Happy 108th Birthday to Lessie Smithgall (ABJ ’33)

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Lessie Smithgall at a Phi Beta Kappa event at Brenau University in March 2019. Photo by AJ Reynolds/Brenau University.

Lessie Smithgall at a Phi Beta Kappa event at Brenau University in March 2019. Photo by AJ Reynolds/Brenau University.

Lessie Smithgall, University of Georgia alumna and trailblazing journalist, turned 108 on April 1, 2019.  Mrs. Smithgall (ABJ ’33) has created a life worth celebrating through her philanthropic support of Grady College of Journalism and a myriad of arts and environmental organizations across the state.  Today, we are tipping our hats to her most recent recognition: per current records, she is the oldest living graduate of the University of Georgia and oldest living member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Lessie Smithgall (ABJ '33) in her 1933 senior year portrait at UGA.

Lessie Smithgall (ABJ ’33) in her 1933 senior year portrait at UGA.

Mrs. Smithgall was an active student leader on campus.  She was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta when women’s fraternities were just beginning at UGA, and she was President of Women’s Student Government and Zodiac.  Her academic achievements were recognized through the honors societies Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi, and she was treasurer of Theta Sigma Phi, a society for women in communications. These moments of leadership would serve as cornerstones for her career and philanthropic influence.

A few short years following her graduation, Mrs. Smithgall was instrumental in bringing the prestigious broadcast award, the George Foster Peabody Awards, to UGA.  Through an introduction of her WSB Radio colleague, Lambdin Kay, to her mentor, School of Journalism Dean John Drewry, the Peabody Awards were established in 1940.  Since then, UGA has been the host of the broadcast equivalent to the Pulitzer Prize.

A portrait of Lessie Smithgall (ABJ '33) in February 2016 by Tracy Bosworth Page (ABJ ’88).

A portrait of Lessie Smithgall (ABJ ’33) in February 2016 by Tracy Bosworth Page (ABJ ’88).

To further support the Peabody Awards and Grady College, Mrs. Smithgall and her late husband, Charles, established the Lambdin Kay Chair for the Peabody Awards.  This fund provides program support for the Director of the Peabody Awards and the Peabody-Smithgall Lecture Series.  Mark your calendar and attend this year’s lecture on April 3. Eric Deggans, NPR’s full-time TV critic, will present his lecture entitled “Decoding Media’s Coverage of Race, Gender and Differences.”

Mrs. Smithgall’s impact extends beyond campus, into the media, arts, and the preservation of Georgia’s landscape through Smithgall Woods Conservation Area.  She and her husband co-founded WGGA radio in 1941 and The Gainesville Times in 1947.  Their joint generosity supported the press, state and local arts councils, and the conservation of land for decades, lifting up communities in North Georgia and beyond.  A plaque at the entrance to The Gainesville Times displays a quote that clearly reflects their disposition: “Guided by the constitutional principle of the public’s right to know, we dedicate this building to the continued enlightenment and freedom of the people of North Georgia.”

Whether on UGA’s campus, Georgia’s foothills, or through broadcast journalism, Lessie Smithgall has been elevating the people and principles she believes in for 108 years. Join us in wishing her a very happy birthday by attending her eponymous lecture, enjoying the arts, or engaging with quality journalism.  With each of these acts, you’re taking part in the legacy of a true Bulldog legend.

Happy birthday, Mrs. Smithgall!

UGA Celebrates World Water Day 2019

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Water lettuce plants float in cups inside a plant biology grow room.

Water lettuce plants float in cups inside a plant biology grow room.

Water is nearly everywhere, and it’s important.

Whether it is flowing through the College of Engineering’s new 35-foot water tunnel, through Athens’s own Oconee rivers, or being enjoyed and stewarded by the UGA community, it affects our lives. As with the rest of nature, even our understanding of water and the ecological systems it participates is constantly growing.

 

Today has been designated World Water Day by the United Nations for a host of reasons. It is a finite resource in a world with a growing population, and many people are without access to clean water or reliable irrigation methods; these challenges are serious across the world, including our very own Georgia. This is why it is so exciting to have people like Professor George Vellidis here at the University of Georgia, who is taking a critical look at traditional agricultural irrigation systems in use in the state’s farming industry and developing solutions for smarter water use.

 

(L-R) Professor George Vellidis and graduate student Anna Orfanou check the circuit board of a UGA Smart Sensor Array node in an experimental crop field on the Tifton campus.

(L-R) Professor George Vellidis and graduate student Anna Orfanou check the circuit board of a UGA Smart Sensor Array node in an experimental crop field on the Tifton campus.

If you’re like me and don’t have a background in agricultural science, there are still plenty of ways you can help, in the Bulldog spirit of taking on these grand challenges together.

 

  • Reducing water usage and water-related waste. Showers over baths, shutting off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth, and using refillable water bottles instead of plastic are all ways you can save water and reduce water-related waste. When you do so at work and home, you’re being frugal for yourself, stewarding the university’s resources well, and leaving more fresh water for later.
  • Supporting organizations that are solving water challenges. I’ll let you do your own research on those; there are many worthy organizations out there. As a part of UGA, you should be aware of the Crop Soil Sciences Discretionary Fund, related to Professor Vellidis’s work mentioned earlier, and the College of Environment and Design’s fundraiser for a water bottle refilling station (with only a few days left in its fundraising effort).

 

Water is a precious resource, and deserves our attention as it affects both our state and many other people across the rest of the world. Pick up a water bottle for use at work, put a sticky note in your bathroom mirror to remember to turn off the sink, or whatever creative way you can think of to make your own drop in the bucket for World Water Day.