Young Alumni Profile: Taylor Schachinger (BS ’10, MBA ’16)

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Taylor Schachinger (BS ’10, MBA ’16) was the first person in his family to earn a degree from a four-year school. Now, he works as the lead manager for interconnection agreements at AT&T. In this role, he handles business case development to guide rural network strategy. He also negotiates roaming contracts for AT&T’s FirstNet network build.

Where are you from and where did you grow up?
This is always a tough question for me to answer succinctly. I was born in New York and spent the majority of my childhood there, with a short stint in Nashville, Tennessee. In middle school my family moved to Connecticut, where my family lives now. I’ve lived here in Georgia for the past 12 years.

What made you decide to come to school at the UGA? 
Finding a way to pay for school was a huge focus for me as I compared my college options. I saw UGA as an incredible value, and was fortunate enough to establish residency and earn a H.O.P.E. scholarship even though I started as an out of state student.

What was your major(s) and minor(s) at UGA?
My undergraduate major was Health Promotion (my original plan was to go to PA school), and my graduate concentration was finance.

What activities were you involved in at UGA?
In business school I served as co-president of the Graduate Business Association and I was also a member of Leadership Fellows.

What was your most memorable college experience?
At the risk of sounding cliché, my graduation day was pretty special. I was the first person in my family to earn a degree from a four-year school so that was pretty special.

Taylor and familyYou met your wife at UGA – how did that occur?
We actually “met” prior to that, my wife is originally from New Jersey and we went to the same church camp growing up. We reconnected at a friend’s birthday party in college and the rest is history. I’m blessed to be married to a diehard Dawg – she completely blocks off the calendar on fall Saturdays. We don’t ever fight about watching too much football.

What was your favorite UGA football game that you’ve attended? Why?
I don’t think I would have said this about 9 months ago, but the National Championship last January was such an incredible experience. Even though it ended in heartbreak, it was the most amazing game I’ve ever seen in person.

What have you done since you’ve graduated?
When I graduated from business school I started in AT&T’s Leadership Development Program, a rotational program for MBA graduates. My first rotation within the program was managing network construction in Northwest Georgia. In my current role, I do business case development to guide our rural network strategy, which helps AT&T decide where to build out our wireless network vs. where to “rent” capacity. I also negotiate roaming contracts for AT&T’s FirstNet network build.

What are you most passionate about?
I really love working with kids. In college I spent several summers as a counselor for 9-10 year olds at a church camp. Currently, I volunteer at our local Boys and Girls Club and teach in the children’s ministry at our church. Those are two of the highlights of my week.

What makes you unique from other UGA grads?
I paid for my own education, that’s something that I’m really proud of.

What advice would you give to graduating seniors and recent graduates?
Fight the urge to prove how much you think you know, especially when beginning a new role. I think humility establishes trust and credibility in ways that overconfidence cant. Also, manically manage your time.

What do you want to achieve in life?
I want to help others develop a bigger vision for their life then they might be able to on their own. I know I’ve benefited greatly from people who believed in me and encouraged me to pursue dreams that I may not have without their faith in me.

Anything else that you would like to tell the UGA community?
Go Dawgs!

Science for the benefit of humanity: Dr. Cori Bargmann

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When Dr. Cori Bargmann (BS ’81) graduated from the University of Georgia in 1981 with a degree in biochemistry, she had no idea she would one day lead a $3 billion initiative dedicated to eradicating disease by 2100. Dr. Bargmann explained she was a typical freshman in Mell Hall who lived off Ritz Crackers and Oreos, but she began to get hands-on lab experience thanks to her favorite professor, Dr. Sidney Kushner. A genetics professor, Kushner was also Bargmann’s undergraduate advisor, who “paid me to work in the lab even though I mostly broke things.”

Bargmann is currently the Torsten N. Wiesel Professor at The Rockefeller University in genetics and neurosciences. She studies animal neurology, specifically that of round worms, as it relates to genetics and environment. In 2016 she became the Head of Science for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), an initiative co-founded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, a pediatrician and teacher. The mission of the initiative is to build a better future for everyone, which in Bargmann’s words, means to “find new ways to leverage technology, community-drive(n) solutions, and collaboration to accelerate progress in Science, Education, and within our Justice & Opportunity work.”

Bargmann’s favorite UGA memory is gathering with her friends every Saturday night at IHop on Baxter Street to rehash the week. Her friends and she followed that ritual regardless of other social plans. Ultimately, her college friends became like family. She says the No. 1 thing she learned from UGA was how many different subjects people are passionate about and how they all bring different backgrounds and experiences to the table.

Bargmann doesn’t claim to be an early riser or a night owl, rather responding with “what is this thing called sleep?” Which makes sense with the list of problems facing her. She says this generation has a lot of challenges, from solving disease to making education more accessible to removing barrier to success, and she agrees with Zuckerberg that these goals need to be ambitious. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was started in 2015, and Bargmann is excited because it is “starting something brand new” where they are “solving today’s challenges today.”

The UGA grad’s proudest achievement isn’t a research discovery or one of the awards she has received. She is most proud of her graduate students who have gone on to do great things. She says “they were great to start with, but I didn’t stand in their way.” Seeing them succeed gives her work meaning.

Her work will gain even more meaning as she continues to pursue solutions to some of society’s great challenges through the CZI. But, of course, we all want to know: what was it like meeting Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg? She was impressed by how young they were–just like her graduate students–and how committed they are to giving back. Bargmann says that like Chan and Zuckerberg, she wants to give back, and her hope is that her research is more than scientific discovery, she wants it to be “science for the benefit of humanity.”

Allstate Sugar Bowl Events for Alumni

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Whether you’re traveling to New Orleans to catch the Allstate Sugar Bowl in person or attending a game watching party in your hometown or that of a relative, check out our exhaustive list of events to get you in the Bulldog spirit this January 1.

Cheer for the Dawgs will fellow Bulldog Faithful as we kick off 2019 with a battle against the University of Texas – a match-up that has been over 20 years in the making. Go Dawgs!

Down to Earth: How one alumnus found his passion in soil research

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Frank Henning (PHD ’10) currently works as a senior scientist in the Duluth, Georgia, office of Woodard & Curran, an integrated engineering, science and operations company. Dr. Henning graduated from the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences with a Ph.D. in horticulture. He coordinates environmental field studies, scientific investigations, Clean Water Act permitting, environmental policy studies, restoration projects and environmental construction management.

Dr. Henning says he chose to study soil because “soil is the ultimate recycling bin; it has the most amazing capacity to transform wastes into life.”

While many think of soil as critical in the agricultural realm, he said it is important to study soil for conservation as well.

His appreciation for soil grows with every project. These projects include restoring native vegetation along the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, developing geospatial tools to reduce erosion in fire stricken areas of California, and monitoring changes in salinity along the Georgia coast.

He also has worked on preventative projects to protect water resources from erosion during development and has designed urban landscapes that treat pollutants and infiltrate runoff.

If you’re interested in joining Dr. Henning in solving grand challenges that face our agricultural and environmental futures, please consider giving to the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Fund.

Meet Kelly Kautz, Events Chair of Women of UGA Leadership Council

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Women of UGA’s mission is to foster a lifelong commitment to the University of Georgia by creating opportunities for personal and professional development, instilling a spirt of giving, and investing in the future of the university, its students and alumnae. We recently got the chance to interview Kelly Kautz (AB’ 99, JD’02), in order to learn more about her experience at UGA and what drives her to stay involved with her alma mater. Here’s what she had to say! 

Kelly Kautz

What year did you graduate from UGA? What was your major?

I was a double dawg. I graduated in 1999 as a political science/criminal justice major, then I graduated from the School of Law in 2002.

Why did you choose to attend UGA?

I knew I wanted to go into law and possibly politics. If you look at the leaders of our state in that time, everyone was a University of Georgia graduate. If you looked at the governor, justice on the supreme court, secretary of state or speaker of the house, all of them were UGA graduates. It was the most influential university in our state, so I chose to come to UGA.

What path led you to establishing your own law firm/practice?

At the time, I wanted to run for elected office. I opened up my own practice so I could have the time and flexibility to do that.

How did you get involved with the Women of UGA Leadership Council?

I’m passionate about the University of Georgia. I’m a huge fan of not just sports, but the university itself. I wanted to give back to the university in ways that would continue to touch peoples’ lives, even after they have left school. When I heard that Women of UGA was being formed, I thought it would be a great opportunity to do what I wanted to do.

What are you enjoying most about serving on the Women of UGA Leadership Council?

I think there is a great group of women on the council. Everyone is equally passionate about our school. I’m chair of the events committee, so I work on planning and events, such as our Cookies and Cocoa, event we having coming up. Just being able to have outreach with not only women on the council, but other alumni coming back is really exciting.

What is the most valuable piece of career advice someone gave to you?

In the 8th-grade I had an attorney say, “If you take away one person’s rights, what’s to stop you from having the domino effect on others?” Another time, someone told me, “you can’t say anything about things unless you’re willing to make a difference.” That’s when I decided to go into criminal law and politics.

What advice would you give to graduating seniors or recent college graduates?

I would tell them that it’s difficult out there. It’s a different place and especially finding a job can be difficult sometimes. However, you all (students) have a great network of alumni, and you can’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. You can’t give up. You have to keep trying.

What’s your favorite thing to do when you visit Athens?

As funny as it sounds, I really love coming back to Athens to eat. There are so many great restaurants in Athens. I love going back to the different restaurants. I really love to come back and have Cecilia’s Cakes. I think they sell them in a couple of restaurants, but they have a location on Milledge Avenue that I love to visit when I come back to Athens. I have a little 3-year-old who just got to ring the Chapel bell last time we visited Athens, so I can’t wait to start making these same memories with him.

How has being part of the Women of UGA Leadership Council benefitted you?

It has helped me reform a connection and attachment with the university. I feel like a lot of times when we leave the university, we lose that connection we had with the university. I have loved coming back to where I belong and feeling that attachment with the university.

What is your favorite UGA memory?

I spent eight years in Athens, and I don’t have any bad memories. I met my husband in Athens. I made lifelong friendships there. They’re all great memories. I used to be in charge of parade for homecoming in Athens. Working with the older cheerleaders that come back for the games, parade and pep rallies was such a blast and always a great time. Sharing that enthusiasm was them is one of my fondest memories.

Refined Talents: A story of firsts for Bulldog alumni

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The University of Georgia and a passion for quality whiskey brought five alumni together to create one of the most successful young distilleries in the country and win the highly coveted Double Gold medal for a whiskey from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. This is the first such award for a Georgia whiskey.

Jim Chasteen (BBA ’98) and Charlie Thompson (AB ’99, MBA ’03, JD ’03) met at UGA while pursuing degrees in business and law. Jim and Charlie connected over their passion and interest in whiskey, which eventually spurred a desire to craft their own recipe. They founded ASW Distillery (ASW) in 2011, and eventually hired fellow alumni, Justin Manglitz (BBA ’04) as head distiller, and Chad Ralston as Chief Marketing Officer (BBA ’08), in 2015. Today, five out of six partners (including Kelly Chasteen (BSED, ’00) in ASW hold degrees from UGA.

Since ASW’s inception, it has won multiple awards, including the first Double Gold medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for a one-year-old whiskey. Their award-winning Duality whiskey was also the first to combine malted rye and malted barley in the same batch.

Learn more about ASW in a recent Garden and Gun magazine feature.

Charlie is breaking down barriers outside of the beverage world, too—most recently by establishing a scholarship to support students in UGA’s MBA/JD dual program. Just like their award-winning whiskies, this scholarship is the first of its kind. Most importantly, though, it will support UGA students in perpetuity.

Meet Terri Polk, member of Women of UGA Leadership Council

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Women of UGA’s mission is to foster a lifelong commitment to the University of Georgia by creating opportunities for personal and professional development, instilling a spirt of giving, and investing in the future of the university, its students and alumnae. We recently got the chance to interview Terri Polk (BBA’86) in order to learn more about her experience at UGA and what drives her to stay involved with her alma mater. Here’s what she had to say! 

 

In what year did you graduate from UGA and what was your major?

I graduated in 1986, and my major was finance.

What are you up to now?

As the director of brand development at The Coca-Cola Co., I help to drive brand awareness of our tea and coffee portfolio brands across the U.S. The tea and coffee brands include Gold Peak Tea, FUZE Tea, Honest Tea and Peace Tea. 

What is the most important thing that you learned in college?

I ran track at Georgia, so I would say the most important thing I learned was time management. Time management in terms of being able to accomplish my academic and athletic goals, manage friendships, have time to be student (as in being crazy), have fun and be a kid. So, the greatest thing I learned was how to manage my time to accomplish the things I wanted to accomplish. I was also able to add on additional skills in being persistent, relentless and hyper-focused. Those traits help me now.

How did you get involved with the Women of UGA Leadership Council?

You know, it’s so random how things happen. I wasn’t engaged with UGA for a number of years. About five years ago, I ran into Yvette Daniels, the current secretary UGA Alumni Association (AB ’86, JD ’89) and she asked if I was ready to get engaged with Georgia. I asked to think on it a little bit. I thought on it for about a year, and I called her back about it about four years ago. I started just attending events that were sponsored in Atlanta and seeing exactly was the university was up to from an academic perspective. Then, I became involved a little later.

Why is the Women of UGA Leadership Council important to you?

You get to a point in your life when you want to start giving back for what you have received. That point has come for me in terms of being able to serve the university in a way that’s helpful for future students. Doing work to support the scholarship that Women of UGA has endowed is one way to do that for me. Being able to help students with an academic need was really intriguing for me.

 

What is your favorite UGA memory?

One of my professors gave me absolute support and was actually interested in my success. He would even come to track meets! It meant the world to me to see a professor at our track meets. That was phenomenal and a good memory for me. Another good memory for me was going to all of the sorority and fraternity parties in Memorial Hall back in the day. It was really hot, but fun. It was the only thing going on so if you weren’t at the party in Memorial, what were you doing?

What about the Women of UGA Leadership Council excites you the most?

The fact that the council includes women with diverse backgrounds and interesting things that they do. From their experiences at Georgia to what they do professionally now, that is quite motivating. From a separate perspective, being able to look around the room and see the success that these women bring to the table. Overall, it’s the ability and excitement to create programs that bring alumni together and bring opportunities to raise funds for the Women of UGA Scholarship Fund. That really excites me. 

What’s the biggest change you’ve seen at UGA since you were in school?

The way the campus has expanded, the majors being offered and the competitiveness of getting into the school. I also like the emphasis on global education and experiences. Seeing the opportunities to study abroad makes me happy. When I was going to school, the thought of going abroad was out of reach to even think about. Now to see it as generally part of the curriculum to go out of the country and get a global perspective is awesome and one of the best changes I’ve seen.

Where was your favorite place to eat when you were a UGA student?

I was a poor student, so my favorite place to eat was O-House. I lived at O-House. I ate at O-House. I studied at O-House. I swam at O-House. I walked out the door and went to Sunday brunch at O-House. My food was already paid for, so I went to O-House. The food was really good!

Maria Taylor shares her experiences with future leaders

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Maria Taylor (ABJ ’09, MBA ’13) is an alumna who models what it means to be committed to the University of Georgia. Most recently, Maria participated in the Terry Leadership Speaker Series where she shared her wisdom and experiences with UGA students.  

A breakthrough reporter on the national stage, Maria became the first black female to co-host ESPN’s College Gameday, and she is currently in her second season. Maria has a passion for developing leaders–whether it is through her charity, The Winning Edge Leadership Academy, or by serving on the Grady Society Alumni Board.  

As a double Dawg, Maria earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcast news in 2009, and her MBA in 2013. She was a student athlete in two sports: basketball and volleyball. During the Terry event in the UGA Chapel, Maria was interviewed by Kendall Kazor (BBA ’19), a fellow UGA volleyball alumna.

Opportunities are nearly endless for graduates to return to campus–like Maria–and share their advice and experiences with fellow students. Interested? The UGA Alumni Association can help connect you with the right person on campus.

Mary Frances Early honored with official UGA portrait

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Original article posted on Oct. 11, 2018 by Heather Skyler on UGA Today.

The University of Georgia celebrated the life and achievements of Mary Frances Early the first African American to earn a degree from the University of Georgia, by unveiling her portrait in the Administration Building at a ceremony on Oct. 10.

The portrait, by artist Richard Wilson, was installed in The Gordon Jones Gallery of the Administration Building to honor Early, who went on to become the director of music for Atlanta Public Schools and the first African American president of the Georgia Music Educators Association in 1981.

“Ms. Early is a distinguished educator, and it is clear that she has made a profound impact on the lives of countless individuals,” President Jere W. Morehead said at the ceremony. “Her portrait will serve as a lasting tribute to her dignified courage and her commitment to educational excellence.”

Ms. Early saw the finished portrait for the first time at the ceremony, and she was obviously pleased. “It’s very beautifully done as you can see, because it looks better than me,” she said, drawing appreciative laughter from the audience. “It always means so much to have the support of so many.

The installation of Early’s portrait is part of a series of accolades celebrating her life and career. In January 2018, Early received one of UGA’s highest honors, the President’s Medal. On Sept. 11, the documentary “Mary Frances Early: The Quiet Trailblazer”premiered in Atlanta.

A native of Atlanta, Early came to UGA in the summer of 1961. Earlier that year, Charlayne Hunter-Gault and Hamilton Holmes became the first African American students to enroll at UGA. Early had started postgraduate work at the University of Michigan when she transferred to UGA to complete her studies. She became the first African American to earn a degree from the University of Georgia when she graduated on Aug. 16, 1962, with a master’s degree in music education. She returned in 1964 to continue her education, earning a Specialist in Education degree in 1967.

Early, who was class valedictorian at Henry McNeal Turner High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Clark Atlanta University in 1957, became a music teacher in the Atlanta Public Schools and was eventually promoted to music director of the entire school system. Early worked with teachers in the system’s 100-plus schools, and was in charge of the music curriculum, budget, textbooks and more.

Early retired in 1994 after working for 37 years in public schools. She has since taught at Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University as head of the music department.

Calling the Dawgs in the Big Easy

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More than 150 UGA alumni and friends assembled in New Orleans on Oct. 11 at Brennan’s to celebrate the university.

In the city’s famous French Quarter and two days before the much anticipated UGA-LSU football game, guests ate, drank and reveled in all things red-and-black, more than 500 miles from the Classic City.

NOLA event

Alumni chapter leadership from New Orleans and Colorado, Alumni Association Board of Directors members and UGA Foundation trustees numbered among the event’s guests who enjoyed food, drink and a jazz band in the Brennan’s courtyard.

NOLA event

You can see more of the festivities in this photo gallery.

Events like these are happening all the time and around the world, thanks to the passionate alumni volunteers who help lead UGA’s 80+ alumni chapters. No matter where you travel, there is often an alumni chapter nearby or a way to connect online—find yours today!