Mark Richt raises funds for Parkinson’s research

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Led by former University of Georgia head football coach Mark Richt, the Chick-fil-A Dawg Bowl raised more than $758,000 for Parkinson’s disease and Crohn’s disease research at UGA. The fundraiser, which featured a VIP bowling event, rallied over 1,330 donors to support UGA research. 

“I am very grateful to Chick-fil-A, Coach Richt and the many generous donors who contributed to the university’s research efforts in these important areas over the past two weeks,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Private support is essential to the kinds of cutting-edge research our faculty are conducting on Parkinson’s and related diseases, and the Chick-fil-A Dawg Bowl helps our researchers looking for new treatments and cures.” 

Coach Mark Richt catches up with former player David Pollack at the 2023 Chick-fil-A Dawg Bowl.

Richt announced the charity event at UGA head football coach Kirby Smart’s (BBA ’98) Monday press conference on Oct. 2. Donations poured in before, during and after the bowling event on Wednesday, Oct. 18.

During the bowling tournament, viewers tuned into the event’s livestream from home, watching Coach Richt and Bulldog greats such as Kirby Smart, David Pollack (M ’05) and Rennie Curran (BBA ’17) battle it out at Showtime Bowling Alley in Athens. Over the course of the tournament, donors gave $35,000.  

“My family and I want to sincerely thank the Bulldog Nation and all the donors who helped us take a bite out of Parkinson’s and Crohn’s,” Richt said. “I am so thankful to everyone who came out and supported in whatever way they could.” 

The fundraiser surpassed its initial goal of $750,000, and all proceeds will go to UGA’s Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research. There, researchers such as Anumantha Kanthasamy, John H. “Johnny” Isakson Chair for Parkinson’s Research and Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, are developing groundbreaking treatments for Parkinson’s disease and investigating its link to gut inflammation conditions such as Crohn’s disease.  

Coach Kirby Smart poses with Arthi Kanthasamy and Anumantha Kanthasamy, researchers in the UGA Isakson Center, at the 2023 Chick-fil-A Dawg Bowl event.

“Giving at this level can have a monumental impact on the research we are doing here at the university,” Kanthasamy said. “We are so grateful to the donors and the Richt family for everything they have done to support the Isakson Center.” 

The fight against Parkinson’s and Crohn’s is deeply personal for the Richt family. Coach Richt was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2021, and his granddaughter Jadyn was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease as an infant in 2015. Since then, the family has prioritized raising awareness and funds for research on potential causes and treatments for these conditions. 

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The War for the Oar: A History

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Visitors to Tate Student Center over the years may have noticed an unusual display in the third-floor concourse: a 12-foot-tall carved wooden oar. 

The oversized oar, known as the Okefenokee Oar, has been a part of the Georgia-Florida football rivalry since 2009, when the University of Georgia and University of Florida student government associations partnered to create a rivalry trophy. 

The Okefenokee Oar joins the ranks of unique rivalry trophies exchanged throughout the SEC, such as The Golden Boot (Arkansas-LSU), the Golden Egg (Ole Miss-Mississippi State) and the Governor’s Cup (UGA-Georgia Tech).  

The OARigin Story 

Why an oar was chosen, and how it came to be, remains shrouded in mystery. It was funded by an anonymous donor at the University of Florida and carved from a 1,000-year-old oak tree from its namesake Okefenokee Swamp. Ownership of the swamp, which sits along the Georgia-Florida border, was historically disputed between settlers from both states.  

The Oar is engraved with the schools’ mascots and state seals on either side, with scores from every Georgia-Florida game since 2009 engraved on the handle. An article from the UF sports news website Gator Country reports that the Oar has room for scores for the next 150 years. 

After each game, the winning school displays the Oar in their student center until the next year’s match-up. When displayed at UGA, where it’s been since 2021, the side with the Bulldog design faces outward and the Gator is hidden on the reverse. 

For the Oar’s first few years of existence, it had little notoriety. Rivalry committees from both schools worked to get the word out about the new trophy by creating the hashtag #WarForTheOar and students exchanged it after the game in unofficial ceremonies around the stadium.  

Becoming OARfficial

The Oar was officially recognized through a joint resolution by both schools’ student government associations in 2011. The Oar came to the UGA campus for the first time that same year after the Bulldogs’ 24-20 victory against the Gators. It was displayed in a custom-built case in the Tate Student Center in an effort led by the UGA Student Government Association president at the time, Mallory Davis (AB ’13). 

“We’re really trying to build it into this huge tradition because we haven’t had it yet,” Mallory said in a Red and Black article in 2011. 

And a huge tradition it has become. Although still not officially recognized by UGA Athletics as the game trophy, the Oar has been featured on ESPN’s College GameDay broadcasts, helping it rise to fame among fans from both teams. 

The Oar is transported to Jacksonville, Florida, each year by the victors of the last season’s game. The winning team is then responsible for bringing it back to their campus. When Georgia wins it, the UGA Student Government Association generally arranges for the Oar to travel home on the bus with the Redcoat Band.  

Only time will tell how the mystery and excitement surrounding the Oar will continue to develop, but what we do know is this: the Bulldogs and Gators will face off again this year on October 28–reigniting the War for the Oar once again. 

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Tasty Tailgating: Virginia Willis’s Fried Chicken-on-a-Stick

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Game days lend themselves hand-held food–something you can hold and eat with one hand while you cheer and wave your pom-pom with the other. Virginia Willis (AB ’88), a James Beard Award-winning cookbook author, chef and on-air personality, knows this simple fact. 

Her crispy oven-fried chicken-on-a-stick with Vidalia-honey mustard dipping sauce, then, is a delicious and convenient addition to any tailgate. It’s also lower-calorie because it’s baked in the oven rather than deep-fried. 

Plus, as she says, “Who doesn’t like food on a stick?” 

Oven-Fried Chicken-on-a-Stick with Vidalia-Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce  

Makes 16 to serve 8  

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt 

2 teaspoons paprika
 

1 teaspoon onion powder
  

1 teaspoon garlic powder  

1 cup low-fat buttermilk  

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (1½ pounds)  

2 cups panko bread crumbs  

2 tablespoons canola oil
  

2 large egg whites  

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard   

Freshly ground black pepper  

Vidalia-Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce, for serving (recipe follows)  

Instructions 

  1. In a large bowl, combine the salt, 1 teaspoon of the paprika, ½ teaspoon of the onion powder, and ½ teaspoon of the garlic powder. Add the buttermilk and whisk until the salt is completely dissolved and the spices are dispersed in the liquid.  
  2. Cut the chicken lengthwise into about 1-inch-wide strips. Add to the marinade and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Do not marinate any longer or the chicken will be too salty. If you can’t cook it right at the 30-minute mark, remove the chicken from the marinade and refrigerate until ready to continue.)  
  3. In a large shallow dish (a 9 by 13-inch baking dish works well), combine the bread crumbs, the remaining 1 teaspoon paprika,
 the remaining ½ teaspoon of onion powder, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of the garlic powder. Add the 2 tablespoons of oil and toss well to coat. Whisk together the egg whites and mustard in a second large shallow dish. Season both mixtures with pepper. 
  4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then set an ovenproof rack on it. Coat the rack with nonstick cooking spray.  
  5. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess,
 and thread onto sixteen 12-inch bamboo skewers, dividing the meat evenly, about 1 strip per skewer. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture, coating both sides. Place in the bread crumb mixture one skewer at a time, sprinkle with crumbs to cover, and press so the coating adheres to both sides. Gently shake off any excess crumbs and place the skewers on the prepared rack.  
  6. Bake the chicken, turning halfway through, until golden brown and the juices run clear, about 25 minutes. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.  

Vidalia-Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce  

Makes 2¼ cups  

Ingredients 

¼ cup apple cider vinegar 

1 Vidalia onion, peeled and quartered  

1 garlic clove  

1/3 cup honey  

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard  

½ cup canola oil  

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper  

Instructions 

  1. Put the vinegar, onion, garlic, honey, and mustard in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until smooth.  
  2. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow steady stream until thick and emulsified.  
  3. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.  

Oven-Fried Chicken-on-a-Stick  

Calories 204 
Fat 6 g 
Carbs 16 g Fiber .7 g Protein 20 g  

Vidalia-Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce (per tablespoon)   

Calories 42
 Fat 3 g 
Carbs 4 g 
Fiber .1 g
 Protein .1 g 

UGA Foundation honors Judge Steve Jones with award, named scholarship

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The University of Georgia Foundation Board of Trustees created a scholarship fund recognizing Judge Steve C. Jones (BBA ’78, JD ’87) during its board meeting this past summer. 

At the meeting, Jones was named the latest recipient of the foundation’s Distinguished Service Award, a recognition that comes with a $100,000 allocation from the UGA Foundation’s unrestricted operating surplus to establish a scholarship in the honoree’s name. Jones, selected by unanimous vote, is the fourth recipient of the award. 

“I am inspired by Steve’s commitment to service, both to the university and throughout his career,” said Neal Quirk, who was chair of the Board of Trustees when the award was given. “His involvement with the UGA Foundation has been critical to supporting our efforts to make progress for UGA across all of the board’s committees.” 

The fund will support need-based scholarships through the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program, providing an immediate award of $3,500 that will be awarded annually and will be renewable for up to four years. First preference for the scholarship will be given to first-generation college students.

Judge Steve Jones

Alumnus and Judge Steve C. Jones, shown giving the fall 2018 UGA Commencement address, is the latest recipient of the UGA Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA)

Jones graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in management in 1978 and earned his juris doctorate from the UGA School of Law in 1987. He worked as a Superior Court judge in Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties for 16 years preceding his appointment by President Barack Obama in 2011 as a United States District Court judge. 

Jones has devoted himself to serving the University of Georgia. He served as a member of the UGA Athletic Association Board, president of the UGA Alumni Association, and chair of the UGA School of Law’s Board of Visitors. He has been named an honorary member of the Blue Key Honor Society. Jones served on the foundation board from 2011 to 2022, during which time he acted as secretary and strategic vice chair of the board and a member of the executive committee. 

Outside of the university, Jones is a member of the Old War Horse Lawyer’s Club and the Lawyer’s Club of Atlanta, and is a former chair of the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission and the Athens Area Community Foundation. He has served on the Georgia Supreme Court’s Commission on Equality and Domestic Violence Committee. He is also president of the Joseph Henry Lumpkin American Inn of Court.

A Bulldog psychiatrist’s top 3 mental well-being tips

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We’ve all been there: the joy and warmth of summer starts to fade, the days get colder and shorter, and you start to feel a little down. It’s important to practice self-care in that moment, and UGA’s own Ebony Caldwell (BSHP ’13, MPH ’13) has some tips. She is currently completing her addiction psychiatry fellowship at Yale School of Medicine and also serves on the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry Board of Directors. 

A member of the UGA 40 Under 40 Class of 2023, Ebony is also the founder of the H.O.P.E. Initiative, which provides opioid education and opioid overdose reversal training to community groups to alleviate the undue burden of the opioid epidemic in communities of color. 

Here are Ebony’s top three tips for safeguarding your mental well-being in her own words. 

1. Get comfortable with the word “No.”

“So often in our lives, we are pulled in so many directions and expected to give too much of ourselves. However, learning to recognize and confidently say ‘no’ allows us to reclaim our own personal agency and make time to pour into ourselves.” 

2. Ask for help.

“This could be professional help, such as a therapist, or even just tapping into our social circle. ‘No man is an island,’ and so often we try to take on and manage everything on our own, failing to utilize the help that is often just a phone call or text away.” 

3. Find something that brings you joy.

“In my field of work, it can be hard to tap into activities that spark joy when you’re working over 60 hours a week while also juggling the demands of life. Yet, in the last few years, I’ve prioritized carving out even small moments of things that spark joy. Whether it’s spending 20 minutes planting in my garden or having a dance party with my dog in the living room, I make space and time for these moments.” 

READ MORE ABOUT THE 2023 CLASS OF UGA 40 UNDER 40

Tasty Tailgating: Ivy Odom’s Bulldog Candy

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If you’ve spent a lifetime in pursuit of the perfect game day bite, look no further: Ivy Odom’s spicy-sweet Bulldog Candy over a dollop of pimento cheese on a buttery cracker is unbeatable.

Ivy Odom (BSFCS ’15, AB ’15) is a senior lifestyle producer for Dotdash Meredith Food Studios and a member of the 2023 class of UGA 40 Under 40 honorees. You might recognize her from her Emmy-nominated lifestyle television program, the Southern Living show.

After completing her undergraduate degrees at UGA, Ivy graduated first in her culinary school program at L’Academie de Cuisine and completed an apprenticeship at an Atlanta fine dining restaurant. She started in the Time, Inc. test kitchen before taking on her current role at Dotdash Meredith and is an expert in all things Southern and delicious.

Bulldog Candy

Makes 1 cup

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

12 oz. jalapeños, thinly sliced (about 2 ½ cups sliced)

1 fresno chile, chopped

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1 ½ tsp. apple cider vinegar

½ tsp. kosher salt

Instructions:

  1. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium high, stirring occasionally.
  2. Reduce heat to medium low and cook until jalapeños have turned dark in color, and all sugar has turned into a very thick syrup, about 15 minutes.
  3. Transfer to a glass jar and let cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
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Bulldog helps Chick-fil-A bring new menu items to life

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Chick-fil-A’s classic chicken sandwiches and waffle fries are beloved by fans around the world—but how does the brand introduce new items to their iconic menu?  

Kaitlin Miller Febles (AB ’13, AB ’13, ABJ ’13) is a menu and packaging category lead in Chick-fil-A’s marketing department and a member of the 2023 class of the UGA Alumni Association’s 40 Under 40. In her role, she provides strategic leadership to menu additions, deletions, or simplifications from their initialization through their launch at restaurants. 

Kaitlin’s specific menu categories are salads, sides and grilled entrees. She’s probably worked on a few of your favorites! 

Kaitlin on the field with a cow mascot at the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game.

Kaitlin said that the process of creating a new menu item at Chick-fil-A goes through a few different stages. First, initial research and brainstorming, then development and testing, ending with a final recommendation to leadership and, if a menu item is made official, a chain-wide rollout. 

“In the process, we work with key partners all throughout our business–customer insight analysts, culinary developers, engineers, field operations liaisons, food safety experts, nutritionists, equipment technicians, advertisers, pricing strategists, digital leaders, supply chain sourcers, training producers, public relations spokespeople, and of course, our restaurant operators and team members who provide us with crucial feedback in test and ultimately bring the concepts to life for our guests,” Kaitlin said. 

Kaitlin hands out samples of a new menu item at the downtown Athens Chick-fil-A.

Kaitlin’s team members are usually leading multiple projects at different stages of the development process. Most recently, she worked on the Maple Pepper Bacon Sandwich (which tested this summer in Lexington, Kentucky, and Indianapolis) and a Citrus Berry Salad (which tested this year in Baltimore). 

She and her team have also worked on recent changes to menu items like the Kale Crunch Side, Greek Yogurt Parfait, Mac & Cheese and Waffle Potato Chips—plus a few other projects that she can’t share about publicly just yet!

Kaitlin (far right) and her colleagues—including UGA Foundation trustee Michael Patrick (second from right)—visit a Chick-fil-A waffle potato chip production facility.

READ MORE ABOUT THE 2023 CLASS OF UGA 40 UNDER 40

Tasty Tailgate: Surcheros’ Guacamole

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Luke Christian (AB ’01) founded Surcheros, a Tex-Mex chain known for fresh food and friendly service, in 2007. The restaurant has locations throughout the Southeast, including an Athens, Georgia location that opened in 2022.

We’ve partnered with Luke, who was also a member of the 2018 class of UGA Alumni Association 40 Under 40 honorees, to share Surcheros’ original guacamole recipe to help you take your tailgate to the next level. This fresh, chunky guacamole is sure to be a game day crowd pleaser–and only takes a few minutes to make!

Surcheros’ Guacamole

Makes approximately 1 quart

Ingredients:

5 avocados

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapenos

1/3 cup lime juice

1 cup diced yellow onions

1 cup diced tomatoes

½ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions:

  1. Remove stem from avocados, then cut in half and remove pits.
  2. Scoop out pulp into a bowl with a spoon.
  3. Add salt, fresh jalapeño and lime juice. Smash mixture with potato masher, but leave chunky.
  4. Add remaining ingredients and fold with a spatula until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
  5. If not serving immediately, cover with plastic wrap so no air is in contact with the guacamole. Guacamole will stay fresh for up to three days in the fridge.
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Celebrate International Literacy Day with UGA alumni authors

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International Literacy Day has been celebrated every year on September 8 since 1966, when UNESCO officially declared the date during the 14th session of their General Conference. The day highlights literacy for all people, communities and societies around the globe. 

Books by UGA alumni authors have graced bookshelves around the world. Here are a few standouts to help you celebrate International Literacy Day. 

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

Stacy Willingham’s (ABJ ’13) debut novel is a New York Times Bestseller. The thriller follows the aftermath of the mysterious disappearance of six teenage girls in a small Louisiana town. Stacy donates a portion of her book sales to charity at the end of each year, including the Trident Literacy Association, and is a member of the 2023 class of UGA Alumni Association 40 Under 40 honorees. 

The Homewreckers by Mary Kay Andrews

Mary Kay Andrews is the pen name of Kathy Hogan Trocheck (ABJ ’76). Kathy is based in Savannah, Georgia, and her lush romance and mystery novels are beloved by readers for their colorful characters and Southern flair. 

Heisman: The Man Behind the Trophy by John M. Heisman with Mark Schlabach

Mark Schlabach (ABJ ’96) is a sports journalist who graduated from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications. He partnered with co-author John M. Heisman to write the ultimate biography of the man behind the iconic collegiate football award. 

Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton

Photographer Brandon Stanton’s (AB ’08) street photography of New Yorkers grew to internet fame with 12.8 million followers on Instagram and a popular blog featuring interviews of his subjects. Some of his most compelling photos and stories have been compiled into his book, Humans of New York.  

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Delia Owens’s (BS ’71) immensely popular novel is a murder mystery and coming-of-age story set in the marshes of North Carolina. The book’s film adaptation, produced by Reese Witherspoon and starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, was a box office hit, grossing $144.3 million. 

Bulldogs aren’t just writing books to improve literacy–they’re volunteering and doing advocacy work, like Christina P. Koebel (ABJ ’07), also a member of the 2023 class of UGA Alumni Association 40 Under 40 honorees. 

Christina, who currently works for The Weather Company as chief of staff to the CEO, is working on her first fiction novel and volunteers as a literacy helper at her children’s elementary school, assisting kindergarten children with reading in a one-on-one setting. 

Read more about this year’s 40 Under 40 honorees at https://alumni.uga.edu/40u40/.