UGA Grady College announces recipients of 2015 Alumni Awards

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The University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication has honored four outstanding graduates with 2015 Alumni Awards.

“Recipients of Grady’s annual Alumni Awards serve as a vivid reminder of the excellence of our graduates, and of the varied paths they take upon graduation,” said Charles Davis (MA ’92), dean of the Grady College. “From the boardroom to the classroom, Grady graduates lead. This year’s winners embody the fine work being done by Grady alums far and wide, and serve as a point of pride for all of us.”

Joel Babbit, a 1976 Grady College graduate, received the John Holliman Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award; Michael Giarrusso, a 1992 Grady College graduate, was honored with the Henry W. Grady Mid-Career Alumni Award; Dawn Brun, a 2004 Grady College graduate, is awarded the John E. Drewry Young Alumni Award; and Denise E. DeLorme received the Distinguished Alumni Scholar Award. DeLorme has three degrees from Grady College: a Bachelor of Arts in advertising in 1989, a master’s in journalism in 1991 and a doctorate in mass communication in 1995. They will be recognized during the college’s Centennial Gala on April 18 at the Classic Center.

Learn more about these outstanding alumni.

Alumnus Spotlight: Alex Crevar (AB ’93)

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The University of Georgia, which ranks among the top 20 public universities by U.S. News & World Report, has a student body of more than 34,000. While many students arrive at UGA right out of high school, many do not. For example, consider journalist Alex Crevar (AB ’93). After graduating from UGA in the early 1990s, Alex spent nearly 20 years traveling abroad and working as a freelance journalist, contributing to The New York Times, Men’s Journal, National Geographic and more.

Alex has returned to UGA to pursue a masters degree from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. He still works full time as a travel editor for Paste Magazine and part time as a spin instructor at the Ramsey Student Center. Assistant Director of Communications Jamie Lewis (AB ’12, AB ’12) sat down with Alex to discuss the biggest changes he’s noticed at UGA since his undergraduate years and what it’s like to return as a non-traditional student.

What prompted you to first attend UGA? What was your major and were you involved in any students activities? 

UGA was one of the only schools I applied to and it was where all my friends were. Frankly, in those days, it was not a hard place to be accepted. I knew I would have fun. As a student, I was a communications major. I ran triathalons and played ultimate frisbee for UGA. I took a semester off to ski. I had a great time and still graduated with fairly good grades.

What did you do between graduating from UGA the first time and returning to earn your masters? How did your time at UGA prepare you for your career?

For the last 18, I have been a journalist. I lived between Europe and the U.S., covering travel for a variety of newspapers and magazines.

During my time at UGA, I became an adult — of sorts — and someone who was confident that he could try new things and visit new places. UGA and Athens have always been comfortable for me and because of those roots, I could live elsewhere knowing I always had a place to return, which is no small thing for any person.

Alex during his undergraduate years at UGA in the early 1990s

What made you want to return to Athens and UGA?

I came back to earn a masters in journalism. I want to eventually teach journalism at the college level while continuing to freelance.

Briefly discuss some of the biggest differences between your first time at UGA and now? How has campus changed, biggest difference in the student body, etc.

The biggest difference, without question, is technology. There was no Internet when I attended UGA. Now, of course, people are on their phones and laptops all the time. I find myself a little frustrated by the constant need to be in touch by device and the Internet.

The students today seem to be much more focused on school than I was … or my friends were. But again, UGA wasn’t the kind of place you had to fight to get into back then. Having said that, my generation loved Athens for Athens. Largely we were here because of the town. It seems that students are here now more for the school, which is appropriate, of course.

Are you interested in returning to UGA to earn a graduate degree? Click here to learn more about opportunities with UGA’s Graduate School, which has many nationally ranked programs.

UGA unveils 2015 Bulldog 100 rankings; Kabbage Inc. tops list

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On February 7, the UGA Alumni Association recognized the 100 fastest-growing companies owned or operated by UGA alumni at the sixth annual Bulldog 100 Celebration.

The 2015 fastest-growing business was Kabbage Inc., an Atlanta-based firm co-founded by 1995 UGA graduate Marc Gorlin. Kabbage pioneered the first financial services data and technology platform to provide small businesses with financing. The company uses data, such as shipping history, business volume, and social media activity to extend short-term cash advances to small- and medium-sizes businesses online. Since Kabbage was founded in 2009, it has raised more than $100 million in venture capital. It offers more than $3 million in loans each day and employs more than 80 individuals and serves more than 20,000 customers. Gorlin is the first Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication graduate to lead the fastest-growing business since the Bulldog 100 program began in 2010.

Left to right: Executive Director of Alumni Relations Meredith G. Johnson (BSFCS ’00), Marc Gorlin (ABJ ’95) and UGA Alumni Association President Tim Keadle (BBA ’78)

“Journalists are natural storytellers,” Gorlin said. “I credit Grady with a lot of my early abilities to communicate and tell stories. When you are starting a company—whether it’s an accounting firm, a pool-cleaning business, a digital agency or a financial services firm—you’re telling a story to your customers; you’re solving a problem for them. The more effectively you tell that story, the better you’re going to do.”

This year’s Bulldog 100 top ten was dominated by Georgia-based businesses:

1. Kabbage Inc., Atlanta
2. Onward Reserve, Atlanta
3. Kevin Aycock Homes, Atlanta
4. The Ansley Group, Atlanta
5. Agora, Athens
6. Palmer & Cay LLC, Atlanta
7. EvoShield, Athens
8. One Love Organics Inc., St. Simons Island
9. Social Empowerment Center, Lawrenceville
10. Networked Insights, Chicago

Visit www.alumni.uga.edu/b100 to view the complete ranked list.

Nominations for the 2016 Bulldog 100 are open until Monday, June 1.

2015 Bulldog 100 Celebration is tomorrow

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Tomorrow, the UGA Alumni Association and the UGA community will gather at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis to honor and celebrate the 100 fastest-growing Bulldog businesses.

The 2015 Bulldog 100 includes businesses of all sizes and from industries such as landscape design, marketing and orthodontics. Several areas of the country are represented, including companies from as far north as Chicago and as far west as Texas. Of the 100 businesses, 88 are located within the state of Georgia. The Atlanta office of Warren Averett CPAs and Advisors verified the information submitted by each company and ranked the businesses based on a compounded annual growth rate during a three-year period.

The 2104 No. 1 business was The Social Empowerment Center, owned by Shelly (MSW ’00) and her husband Edward Hutchinson (MED ’09).

The awards ceremony will feature a keynote address by Hala Moddelmog (MA ’81), the first female president and CEO of the Atlanta Metro Chamber. Moddelmog graduated from UGA in 1981 with a Master of Arts from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Prior to joining the Atlanta Metro Chamber, Moddelmog was president of Arby’s Restaurant Group, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Church’s Chicken.

Following her remarks, members of the Student Alumni Council will lead the highlight of the evening-the release of the final rankings and countdown of the 2015 Bulldog 100.

“Each year, the caliber of the Bulldog 100 businesses illustrates the important role that UGA graduates play in their communities’ economic growth,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson, UGA’s executive director of alumni relations. “On campus, important work is being done to prepare students to become leading entrepreneurs. During the annual Bulldog 100 Celebration, I am proud to see the results of that rigorous academic environment.”

To review the alphabetical list of honorees and to learn more about the Bulldog 100, see www.alumni.uga.edu/b100.

Please visit the UGA Alumni Association Facebook page on Saturday evening to find out the No. 1 business.

Alumna Spotlight: Keysha Lee (ABJ ’97)

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Keysha Lee (ABJ ’97) is an award-winning broadcast video production instructer, former 40 Under 40 honoree and proud Bulldog. Since earning her degree from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Keysha’s career has led her to places she never imagined, including covering the story of a dying man whose last wish was to take his wife to the Masters Tournament, reporting live from the Greensboro Airport following the September 11th attacks and interviewng living legends at the reenactment of the Selma to Montgomery March. After working in three television markets, Keysha made the transition to teaching, a job that combines her two passions: broadcasting and working with students to help them realize their dreams.

With assistance from an all-student production crew, Keysha stars in her own television show, “Lessons with Mrs. Lee.” She interviews exceptional guests who share life lessons and career tips. Her first guest was Connie Seacrest, mother of media mogul, American Idol host and former UGA student Ryan Seacrest. Other notable guests have included:

— Judge Glenda Hatchett of the Emmy-nominated show Judge Hatchett

— IronE Singleton (AB ’98) from AMC’s hit show The Walking Dead

— Artist/musician Eshe from the 90’s group Arrested Development

The show’s audience is students in grades 6-12, parents, teachers and community leaders. It gives students an opportunity to gain production skills, practice interviewing techniques, and experience a professional work environment. Watch past episodes of the show.

When not teaching, Keysha shares her broadcasting expertise across the Southeast at a variety of teaching and speaking engagements.

Happy New Year, Bulldogs!

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The UGA Alumni Association and the University of Georgia are well on the way to a great 2015. 26,882 undergraduate students have returned to campus for the spring academic semester, 1,113 whom are calling UGA their “home” for the first time. It is impressive to have such competitive students choosing UGA to further their educations.

This year marks the 230th celebration as the nation’s first state-chartered institution of higher education. In honor of the signing of UGA’s Charter on January 27, 1795, the UGA Alumni Association hosted the annual Founders Day Lecture. This lecture was held in the UGA Chapel and featured Paul Kurtz, UGA School of Law J. Alton Hosch Professor of Law and Associate Dean Emeritus.

The New Year brings opportunities to get more involved with the university and your local alumni chapter. Check out our upcoming events calendar online. If you are interested in chapter leadership, several chapters will be holding interest meetings in coming weeks and months.

Bulldog 100 is right around the corner! This event will take place on Saturday, February 7 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. If you were unable to nominate someone this year, the nominations for 40 Under 40 and next year’s Bulldog 100 open in mid-February.

Also, be on the lookout for UGA Days. The tour will visit 7 cities throughout Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina.

The UGA Alumni Association will keep you informed about UGA events and happenings. Simply keep your contact information up-to-date so that we include you in all the exciting things planned for 2015. You can also stay informed of events and news on Facebook and Twitter.

This year holds great potential for growth on campus and within our Alumni chapters. Let us come together as the Bulldog nation in embracing all that 2015 has to offer.

Sincerely,

Meredith Gurley Johnson (BSFCS ’00)
Executive Director
UGA Alumni Association 

Alumna Spotlight: Amy Robach (ABJ ’95) receives Distinguished Achievement Award from UGA

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Amy RobachJournalist Amy Robach received the Distinguished Achievement in Broadcasting and Cable Award from the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication’s national broadcast society, DiGamma Kappa.

The award was presented on January 23 at DiGamma Kappa’s annual awards banquet at the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries.

Robach, a 1995 Grady graduate, serves as the news anchor for “Good Morning America” on ABC.

“Amy follows an American and Grady tradition of news anchors who are also great journalists, who care about what they report and how their stories influence audiences,” said David Hazinski, an associate professor in the Grady College and one of Robach’s instructors when she was in school. “They insist that information is factual and balanced. We’re proud to have her as an influential graduate.”

Since joining ABC News in 2012, Robach has traveled nationally and internationally to cover major news events ranging from the campaign to free captive school girls in Africa and reporting on the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, to covering the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. She has also anchored “ABC News” and “20/20” on multiple occasions.

Prior to joining ABC, Robach worked at NBC News as the co-anchor of Saturday TODAY and an NBC national news correspondent. She was an anchor for MSNBC from 2003 to 2007 following her start at local news stations WTTG in Washington, D.C., and WCBD in Charleston, South Carolina.

Robach was last in Athens in October when she was the featured speaker for the Suits and Sneakers fundraiser, which generates awareness and funds for the American Cancer Society, a cause of special significance since she fought her own battle with breast cancer in 2013.

The Distinguished Achievement in Broadcasting and Cable Award is presented by DiGamma Kappa and co-sponsored by the Georgia Association of Broadcasters and Grady. Previous winners include Steve Koonin (M ’79), Gale Anne Hurd and Monica Pearson (MA ’14).

View more photos from the awards banquet.

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UGA to celebrate 230th anniversary on January 27

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Each year, the UGA Alumni Association proudly celebrates the signing of the University of Georgia Charter that took place on January 27, 1785. In recognition of the university’s 230th anniversary as the nation’s first state-chartered institution of higher education, the UGA Alumni Association and the UGA Emeriti Scholars present the annual Founders Day Lecture. The lecture is held in the UGA Chapel and has become a Founders Day tradition, drawing alumni, students, faculty, esteemed guests and members of the community. This year’s lecture will be held on Monday, January 26 at 1:30 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public.

The 2015 Founders Day Lecture will be presented by UGA School of Law J. Alton Hosch Professor of Law and Associate Dean Emeritus Paul M. Kurtz, and will be titled, A New York Yankee in Abraham Baldwin’s Court: (Almost) Fifty Years Behind ‘Enemy’ Lines. 

Paul M. Kurtz

Student Bar Association President Carey Miller (AB ’12, JD ’16) will provide the student response.

Carey Miller (AB ’12, JD ’16)

Can’t attend the lecture? It will be livestreamed, so you can join in the celebration from your home or office.

And don’t forget to wish UGA a happy birthday on social media using #UGATurns230. 

The UGA Student Alumni Association will sponsor a series of free events in advance of and following the lecture. For more information about these events, please email Assistant Director of Student Programs Evan Tighe (BSED ’08, MA ’11) at eptighe@uge.edu.

  • Monday, January 26: Founders Day Lecture at 1:30 p.m. in The Chapel
  • Tuesday, January 27: Founders Week T-shirt Giveaway and Birthday Party in Tate Plaza; Men’s Basketball Game vs. Vanderbilt at 7:00 p.m. in Stegeman Coliseum
  • Wednesday, January 28: Career Fair from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. at The Classic Center
  • Thursday, January 29: 100 Days Until Graduation Celebration; birthday cupcakes in the dining halls
  • Friday, January 30: 100 Days Until Graduation Celebration and Dawgs After Dark
  • All week: Greek Life Banner Contest

UGA alumna explores success of minorities in media

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Tracie-PowellAfter earning her degree from UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Tracie Powell (ABJ ’93) spent years working in newspaper ad sales and circulation, including a stint in Detroit during the 1995 Detroit Newspaper Strike. Eventually, Tracie realized she belonged in the newsroom, not out on the street pushing ad sales.

She launched All Digitocracy in 2013. The site delivers national and international news and information on technology, policy and politics and how communities access information.

Currently, All Digitocracy is trying to raise money to produce a series of video interviews titled “How’d You Get That (Media) Job?” It will focus on women and journalists of color explaining how they got to where they are in their careers.

During an interview with Poynter, Tracie said “One of the things I hear constantly from journalists of color is they don’t understand how you get from Point A to Point B.” Hopefully, this new video series will help solve this problem.

Powell was inspired to create the series after interning with Cox Media’s Washington bureau, where she witnessed the career success of TV One host Roland S. Martin, the series’ first subject.

“I saw how he took off in his career, and others don’t have the benefit of that knowledge,” said Powell. She hopes the interview series will help to share such knowledge with a larger audience.

The UGA Alumni Association wishes Tracie the best of luck on her newest endeavor!

Learn more about “How’d You Get That (Media) Job?” and watch the first video.

Former UGA football player gives back to the community

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In recent years, the Lumpkin Street School in Hawkinsville, Georgia, one of 500 Georgia equalization schools built for African-American students during segregation, has fallen into disrepair. The town’s Deacons and Stewards Association wants to turn the space into a community center and museum, and a former Georgia football player is helping to make that happen.

Charles Johnson (M ’08), through the Charles Johnson Foundation (CJF), has issued a $25,000 challenge grant to renovate the school. The challenge, which states that CFJ will donate $25,000 to match the $25,000 that the Deacons and Stewards Association raises, has been instrumental in gaining donations for the project from other organizations.

Charles Johnson teaches a basketball clinic in his hometown of Hawkinsville, Georgia, during the Charles Johnson Foundation’s annual Community Weekend.

This isn’t the first time Charles Johnson has helped out his hometown. The captain for the Carolina Panthers has donated funds to support Parent Cafes for single mothers, sponsored women to attend the Pulaski Tomorrowprogram, donated to other middle Georgia foundations, and has provided scholarships to Pulaski County students during his organization’s annual Community Weekend in Hawkinsville.

For more information about the Lumpkin Street School project and how you can help, please email Greg Brown.

Thank you for helping preserve the history of Georgia, Charles! The UGA Alumni Association is proud of your accomplishments on and off the field.