UGA alumnus honors wife’s memory through lung cancer awareness efforts

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Today’s guest blog is brought to you by alumnus Blake Varner (BBA ’06). Since losing his wife, Angela Varner (AB ’07), to lung cancer, Blake has dedicated his time to raising awareness and funds for lung cancer research.

One in 14 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You may be surprised to learn that anyone with lungs, regardless of age or smoking history, can get this disease. I’d have never guessed that my wife, Angela, who I met at UGA, would be one of them.

When Angela was diagnosed with cancer, she was an otherwise healthy 29-year-old and an avid tennis player (she played club tennis at UGA). We had no idea that she was sick until she went through testing after giving birth to our second child. What we originally thought was a bad case of bronchitis turned out to be lung cancer.

After four short months and one heck of a fight, we lost Angela to lung cancer last February.

Significant research advances in the past decade have led to better treatments and more options for patients. The earlier lung cancer is found, the more treatment options exist – and the more likely it is that the disease can be cured.

In honor of Angela, I’ve committed to raising awareness and funds for lung cancer research. One of the ways I’ll do this is by participating in the Atlanta Free to Breathe Run/Walk August 22. Free to Breathe is dedicated to doubling lung cancer survival by 2022.

I encourage the UGA community to get involved with a cause you are passionate about, and if you’re able, please consider supporting Free to Breathe. You can sign up for the Run/Walk event at freetobreathe.org as an individual or start a team. Additionally, come play in a memorial golf tournament for Angela on Friday, September 4, before UGA kicks off its football season. A portion of the proceeds will go to Free to Breathe.

Everyone at UGA is welcome to join my 5K team, Built Ange Tough, or participate in the golf tournament. Registration and additional information regarding the golf tournament can be found here. We’d love to have the Bulldog Nation join us in the fight against lung cancer.

Alumna Spotlight: Jennifer Bellamy (ABJ ’08)

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BellamyAlumna Jennifer Bellamy (ABJ ’08) is one of the newest members of the 11Alive Atlanta team. A native Atlantan, Jennifer graduated from UGA with a degree in broadcast news and a minor in Spanish. Her career began in Macon, Georgia, where she worked for 13WMAZ as a reporter, producer, and fill-in anchor. She then joined News19 in Columbia, South Carolina, as a general assignment and political reporter. Jennifer was later promoted to weekend anchor.

Earlier this year, Jennifer was recognized by the 2015 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards for Outstanding Local Television Investigative Reporting as a part of the News19 team. She also received a South Carolina Broadcasters Association STAR award for her coverage of South Carolina’s Department of Social Services.

11Alive is home to many Georgia alumni and the UGA Alumni Association is thrilled to see another graduate join its ranks. Congratulations, Jennifer!

2015 Young Alumni Night at SweetWater Brewing Company

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Dust off your red and black and celebrate the Dawg days of summer with fellow Bulldogs at the UGA Alumni Association’s annual Young Alumni Night at SweetWater Brewing Company! This year’s event will be held on Friday, June 26 from 9:00 p.m. to midnight.

Enjoy live music by Velvet Runway, appetizers from Jim ‘N Nicks BBQ and beer tastings at one of Atlanta’s top breweries. This year, part of the admission fee will support university-wide alumni and scholarship initiatives.

Register by June 23 to ensure admission and avoid long registration lines at the event.

Online Registration prior to June 23: $25*
Walk-up Registration (first-come, first-served): $30*
*Non-charitable benefit = $20
Must be 21+ to attend

Register Today!

Grab your shades, UGA is heading to California!

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The University of Georgia is hosting two receptions in California in mid-July and all UGA alumni, friends and parents are invited to attend. During these free receptions, President Jere W. Morehead (JD ’80) will provide updates from campus and attendees will have the opportunity to meet other Bulldogs living in the Golden State.

UGA in LA
Tuesday, July 14 (7:00 p.m.)
Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
Los Angeles, CA

UGA in the Bay
Thursday, July 16 (7:00 p.m.)
The Fairmont San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

The deadline to register online is July 7, but walk-up registration will be available. Complimentary appetizers, wine, beer and sodas will be provided.

Don’t miss this opportunity to mix and mingle with fellow California Bulldogs. Register today!

Alumnus Spotlight: Carlton Curtis (ABJ ’72)

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Former UGA Alumni Association President Carlton Curtis (ABJ ’72) has been honored with the 2015 Thad and Alice Eure Ambassador of Hospitality Award. Presented by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF), this award goes to an individual who has shown extraordinary achievement and exemplary leadership in the restaurant and hospitality industry.

“It’s a privilege to recognize Carlton and his lifetime of achievements with one of the NRAEF’s and the industry’s highest honors,” said Rob Gifford, executive vice president of strategic operations and philanthropy of the National Restaurant Association and NRAEF. “During his tenure with Coca-Cola and as a member of the NRA and NRAEF boards, Carlton has been steadfastly passionate and committed to improving the industry. He is a tremendous industry advocate, and an exemplary role model within the nation’s restaurant and foodservice sector.”

Curtis spent the past 43 years with the Coca-Cola Company, while volunteering his time, resources and expertise to restaurant operators and retailers around the globe in an effort to raise the stature of the industry. He has served as chairman of the board of the NRAEF, serves on the Board of Directors of the International Franchise Association, is the current chair of IFA’s Diversity Institute, and is a member of the Hall of Fame of the Distinguished Restaurants of North America. He serves his alma mater as an emeritus trustee of the UGA Foundation. He will be recognized today at the National Restaurant Association’s Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C.

Continue reading this news story.

Shabbat 500 creates home for UGA students

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Recently, Executive Director Meredith Gurley Johnson (BSFCS ’00) had an opportunity to attend the Shabbat 500 dinner. 

Thanks to generous Georgia Fund gifts, University of Georgia student organizations are able to apply for sponsorship dollars from the UGA Alumni Association. This is an important way for alumni to support the diverse student groups on campus, including UGA’s student Jewish center, The Rohr Chabad House.

Since 2011, the UGA Alumni Association has been a proud sponsor of the Shabbat 500, an annual free dinner for UGA’s Jewish community in celebration of Shabbat. As a sponsor of Shabbat 500, we help fund the 500-person event hosted by The Rohr Chabad House.

The Chabad House is located near the Spec Towns Track and is a home-away-from-home for Jewish students that offers fellowship and an opportunity to celebrate the holidays. Rabbi Refson and his wife, Chana, have five children, yet they are still able to provide unparalleled hospitality to UGA students through their work with The Chabad House. Every Friday evening, the couple welcomes approximately 60 students for a free dinner in their home. The UGA community is lucky to have individuals like Rabbi Refsen and Chana who provide such special moments for students to gather and celebrate Judaism.

I was able to attend this year’s Shabbat 500 with UGA Alumni Association Vice President Ruth Bartlett (BBA ’76). I witnessed a number of UGA’s student leaders participate, enjoyed seeing the special connections these students have with one another, and loved hearing the prayers, blessings and singing that took place! The students’ energy reminded me how wonderfully diverse the University of Georgia student body is and it made me proud that the UGA Alumni Association sponsors this program.

I greatly admire Rabbi Refson’s family and appreciate the role they play in building a welcoming community for students on campus. I am proud to call them my friends and hope the entire Athens community knows how lucky we are to have them as a resource for students. I invite students, parents and alumni to investigate Chabad of Georgia and The Chabad House to find their role in supporting Rabbi Refson and this special organization on campus.

Executive Director Meredith Gurley Johnson (BSFCS ’00), Student Alumni Council Member Reed Turry ’17 and Vice President Ruth Bartlett (BBA ’76)

I look forward to our team sponsoring this event, which promotes campus diversity and inclusiveness, again in the future. Thank you to The Chabad House for hosting Ruth and me!

Meredith Gurley Johnson (BSFCS ’00) is the executive director of the UGA Alumni Association. 

UGA launches Women’s Leadership Initiative

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In her blog, “Written by Whitten,” Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten explains the Women’s Leadership Initiative, which was recently launched at the university:

The Women’s Leadership Initiative began earlier this month, and I am grateful for the support of the 10-member planning committee that includes administrators, faculty and staff from across campus. We have plenty of work to do as we address issues such as recruitment and hiring, career development, work-life balance and leadership development.

Gender inequities certainly aren’t unique to UGA or to higher education. A recent McKinsey and Company report found that in the private sector, women hold 52 percent of entry-level positions but only 22 percent of middle management positions and 14 percent of senior management positions.

In addition to being the right thing to do, creating a campus environment that enables everyone to achieve their full potential also makes good business sense. A growing body of research suggests that organizations whose leadership is more balanced between men and women outperform those who are less diverse. They also do a better job of recruiting and retaining talented workers and are more likely to make better business decisions because they consider a wider array of viewpoints.

Read the rest of Provost Whitten’s blog here.

Alumnus Spotlight: William Shepard Rose III

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William Shepard “Shep” Rose III (AB ’02), business owner and entrepreneur, is a familiar face to many fans of reality television. Having spent a few years after college in Charleston, Shep recently returned to his Southern roots to star in the popular Bravo television show “Southern Charm.” Bravo describes the show as “a peek into the notoriously closed society of Charleston starring a group of the city’s most charismatic gentlemen and their Southern belle equals.”

Season two airs Monday, March 16 at 10:00 p.m. on the Bravo network.

Shep, far left, and the cast of “Southern Charm”

Bravo describes Shep’s accomplishments since season one, “The success of the show has allowed him to cultivate a number of endeavors. He’s opened up a new restaurant and bar called The Palace Hotel that serves gourmet hot dogs, tacos, and cold beverages in an ‘off the beaten path’ neighborhood in downtown Charleston. He also built a home in this same neighborhood, and has begun renovations on an old nightclub nearby that should be ready in the Spring.”

To learn more about Shep’s restaurant, The Palace Hotel, check out its feature in Charleston Magazine.

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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.

UGA alumni named to Atlanta Magazine’s Best of Atlanta 2014

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Atlanta Magazine’s Best of Atlanta is self-described as Atlanta’s annual roundup of “everything spectacular, exceptional, riveting, entertaining, stylish, and delicious.” Several UGA alumni were named to the 2014 list as exceptional Atlanta businesses. Read on to learn more about these businesses and the outstanding individuals that run them.

Men’s Prep Shop: Onward Reserve

TJ Callaway (BBA ’07)

Founded in Athens in 2011, Onward Reserve, a men’s gifts, apparel and home goods retailer with an online store and locations in Athens, Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C, was cofounded by UGA alumnus and former 40 Under 40 honoree TJ Callaway (BBA ’07). Most recently, Onward Reserve was named to the Bulldog 100 Class of 2015. To learn more about Onward Reserve, click here.

Sommelier: Steven Grubbs

Steven Grubbs (AB ’00)

Steven Grubbs (AB ’00) is the man behind the excellent wine selections at Hugh Acheson’s Empire State South and Five & Ten restaurants. As wine director for both restaurants, Grubbs’ expertise is the reason why Five & Ten was a semifinalist for Outstanding Wine Service at the 2014 James Beard Foundation Awards.

All-Around Animal Health Care: Briarcliff Animal Clinic

Dr. Elizabeth Busch (BS ’01, DVM ’04) and Dr. Peter Muller (DVM ’84)

It’s comforting to know that the medical team that gives your kitten booster shots is also available if curiosity leads him into harm’s way. Briarcliff Animal Clinic, founded in 1958, operates three clinics and a 24-hour emergency hospital and offers specialty surgery services like laparoscopy and orthopedics. The team at Briarcliff Animal Clinic boasts an impressive list of UGA alumni:

  • Peter Muller (DVM ’84)
  • Elizabeth Busch (BS ’01, DVM ’04)
  • Sandy Hedge (DVM ’72)
  • Mandy Reeve (DVM ’79)
  • Andrea Powell (BSA ’03)
  • Shannon Turner (DVM ’08)
  • Clay Phillips (BSA ’07, DVM ’12)
  • Shannon Day (DVM ’13)
  • Siomara Acevedo (BSA ’03, DVM ’09)

To learn more about Briarcliff Animal Clinic, click here.