Posts

How to be a Bulldog in the Sunshine State

/by

You can commit to the G no matter where you live, but Bulldogs living in Florida may have to work a bit harder to represent the red and black. We asked a few Florida-based Dawgs for tips on how they show their UGA spirit amid a sea of Gator orange.

Wear your Georgia gear proudly and often.

Whether you’re relaxing on one of Florida’s beaches or waiting in line at Disney World, red and black is a must. You’re sure to spot another Bulldog in the crowd when you do!

Find a fellow Bulldog to watch games with. 

When it’s Saturday in Athens and you’re wishing you could be between the hedges, team up with other alumni to cheer on the Bulldogs. UGA alumni chapters make this easy by hosting game-watching parties in several Florida cities.

Order a taste of Athens to your Florida doorstep. 

Whether you’re craving a cup of Jittery Joe’s coffee or missing the legendary biscuits from Mama’s Boy, many Athens-based companies will ship your favorite treats to the Sunshine State. 

Travel to Jacksonville for the Georgia-Florida football game. 

Even if you don’t have tickets to the game, this big game is the perfect opportunity to reunite with Bulldogs you’ve missed. It’s also a chance to show your Florida friends what “committing to the G” is all about.

Dress your dog in a UGA bandana when you go for a walk. 

Because nothing says “Go Dawgs” like a dog representing the red and black.  

Join your local Alumni Chapter.  

Don’t reminisce about Athens alone—find your Alumni Chapter to connect with other UGA grads for game-watching parties and other networking and community service events.  

Purchase a voucher for a UGA license plate in Florida. 

We don’t suggest honking every time you see a UGA sticker on the highway, but we do recommend adding some UGA swag to your car with a UGA specialty license plate. Before the state of Florida will offer a UGA specialty license plate, though, 4,000 plates must be pre-sold by October 2022. Own multiple cars? Purchase a voucher for each one and help us reach 4,000 soon!

Purchase your UGA license plate voucher

 

And finally: never, ever, ever wear orange.  

 

Thank you to Orlando Alumni Chapter President Amanda Morris (BSED ’19), for her help with this post!

UGA alumni at The Home Depot come together to endow scholarship

/by

The University of Georgia Corporate Alumni Chapter at The Home Depot is composed of a group of alumni who are very proud of their Bulldog roots. Beyond their fond memories at UGA, they have a collective, deep-seated belief that their education at the University of Georgia was instrumental in getting them to where they are today.  

With that in mind, in 2017, they decided to embark on an ambitious project of creating an endowed need-based scholarship to open doors and remove barriers for students who wanted to attend UGA. 

“For many, college is financially out of reach. They never get to experience a Thursday night in Athens, collegiate friendships that stand the test of time, or the feeling of accomplishment come graduation day,” said Wes Neece (BBA ’00) Vice President of Merchandising at The Home Depot. “It was important to me to join in this initiative with my fellow alumni colleagues to give a worthy individual a lifetime of experiences.” 

The collective fundraising effort spanned three years. During this time, the Chapter hosted lunch and learn events featuring UGA faculty and staff speakers and breakfast meet-and-greets to encourage alumni giving. In support of its employees, The Home Depot Foundation matched the gifts these alumni made.  

Home depot logo with UGA swag

In 2020, their hard work paid off: The Chapter met their goal to create an endowed need-based scholarship. In total, 75 alumni came together to create this opportunity for UGA students. A deserving scholar was selected in Fall 2020. The Home Depot Alumni Chapter Scholarship will last in perpetuity, helping students become part of the Bulldog family.  

Although they met their goal, these Bulldog alums didn’t stop there. Chapter members are continuing to add to the scholarship fund by giving their annual gift to UGA through The Home Depot Alumni Chapter Scholarship, in order to increase its impact for the student recipients.  

“It was incredibly heartwarming to watch The Home Depot’s Corporate Alumni Chapter set a goal to help a current Bulldog in need and continue to work towards the finish line until they not only met that goal but surpassed it,” said Stacy Stanford, Director of Corporate Relations at UGA. “Their generosity as an alumni corporate chapter is inspiring.” 

Support The Home Depot Alumni Corporate Chapter Scholarship Fund

2019 Welcome to the City: A Recap

/by

This summer, UGA Alumni Chapters across the country hosted Welcome to the City events. During these annual gatherings, Bulldogs come together to welcome new alumni to their area. The Bulldog family is always growing, and our chapters did a great job of making sure Bulldogs Never Bark Alone, wherever they go.

“What was memorable about this year’s event was the number of new faces. Some Bulldogs have been in the city for a couple years, but had no clue there was an active chapter. Others were as new as three days in Chicago,” says Michael Lyons, Chicago Chapter president.

There are more than 80 alumni chapters worldwide, so there’s almost always an opportunity to connect with fellow alumni through them. Stephen Scates, Charleston Chapter president, says, “There is a huge Dawg presence here in the low country, and we are blessed to never have to bark alone while so far away from Athens.”

Check out our photo gallery of this year’s Welcome to the City events:

  • Emerald Coast Chapter

  • Southwest Florida Chapter

  • Little Rock Chapter

  • St. Louis Area Chapter

  • Boston Chapter

  • Charleston Chapter

123456

Interested in connecting with Bulldogs in your area? Find your local UGA Alumni Chapter today!

Interested in helping out UGA students, on your schedule? Sign up for the UGA Mentor Program.

#AlwaysADawg

Bringing UGA to Charleston and Savannah

/by

On May 21 and May 22, the UGA Alumni Association brought Athens to Savannah and Charleston to remind local alumni that their Bulldog community is wherever they are.

Want to see what the night was all about? Check out our Instagram highlights of both receptions:

Savannah

We kicked things off at the Perry Lane Hotel on its Peregrin Rooftop. Over 150 alumni and friends joined us for a memorable evening overlooking historic Savannah.

UGA alumni and friends converse on Perry Lane Hotel's rooftop.

While we were greeted with high temperatures, the stunning venue and an amazing turnout meant great conversations took place between Savannah alumni–from those who grew up there to those who had lived there for only a few weeks.

UGA Alumni and friends gather at the Perry Lane Hotel overlooking historic Savannah.

Nothing finer than a rooftop full of 150 new friends in red and black, right?

UGA Alumni from Savannah pose for a photo.

View Savannah Photo Gallery

 

Charleston

The next evening in Charleston we greeted local alumni with air conditioning, and shrimp and grits in part of the renowned Cigar Factory called The Cedar Room.

UGA alumni and friends gather in the Cedar Room in Charleston, SC.

Behind the scenes, our Charleston Alumni Chapter President Stephen Scates filmed a shout-out for our Instagram story highlight (linked to above).

UGA Charleston Chapter President Stephen Scates records a video for Instagram.

Executive Director of Alumni Relations Meredith Gurley Johnson (BSFCS ’00, MED ’16) shared news from campus, including announcing the UGA Mentor Program, a university-wide mentorship program that will connect students with alumni (alumni can begin signing up in mid-June).

Executive Director Meredith Gurley Johnson presents at UGA in Low Country event.

Somewhere between the giphy station and tacos, the Bulldog community in the Low Country grew a little closer. If you missed either of these receptions, make sure you’re aware of future events by signing up for your local chapter listserv on the Savannah or Charleston chapter pages.

Reception attendee laughs during remarks.

View Charleston Photo Gallery

 

Upcoming Events

Looking for the next fun chance to connect with fellow Bulldogs? The Savannah Chapter will host a UGA Night at the Savannah Bananas on July 16. The Charleston Chapter is hitting the water with their third annual sunset cruise on June 14 with local BBQ catered by Home Team–sign up today so you don’t miss out!

 

Calling the Dawgs in the Big Easy

/by

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!

Young Alumni events offer fun and fellowship

/by

This post was contributed by Elizabeth Cox

On Tuesday, April 3, in a location with reference to a different day of the week in its name, over 100 UGA young alumni filled Monday Night Garage for Young Alumni Trivia Night. Dawgs congregated with old friends and new at tables decked out in red and black decor for an evening full of Monday Night Brewing tastings, Jim ‘n Nick’s BBQ, some very clever team names and trivia by Dirty South Trivia. The Young Alumni Council’s own Courtney McCants even took over the Alumni Association Instagram to showcase the evening’s festivities.

The top three teams went home with gift bags full of various prizes, and congratulations to team “Humble Yourself” for winning the first place prize after a sudden death showdown requiring some expertise in Herschel Walker stats. Check out the event photos.

This event was the first trivia night organized specially for UGA young alumni, and was planned by the Young Alumni Leadership Council, whose members are in their first year serving on the council. Its members will be planning more events and opportunities for the nearly 40,000 Atlanta area young alumni to engage with and give back to UGA.

The next event will be our annual UGA Young Alumni Night at SweetWater on June 22. Nearly 600 were in attendance last year, so be sure to get your ticket early!

UGA Alumni Family: 310,000+ Strong

/by

When I graduated from the University of Georgia, the prospect of leaving Athens had me like:

 

via GIPHY

 

I imagine that there are plenty of other alumni who felt the same way – excited to enter the next chapter, but sad to leave the Classic City and UGA’s beautiful campus that had been home for four years.

Well, the best part about graduating from the University of Georgia is that you are never far from a fellow Bulldog. There are more than 310,000 of us around the world, and our varied passions and career pursuits take us far and wide:

 

via GIPHY

 

We’re also not terribly shy about making it known that we bleed red and black, and that we love our alma mater:

 

But if you really need proof, check out the photos below that illustrate the geographic diversity of the UGA alumni network. These images were shared with the UGA Alumni Association in early December and came to us from all corners of the world!

 

Do you have a photograph you’d like to add to this mix? Email it to eelmore@uga.edu.*

*Please note, we may not be able to respond to every photo submission email, and by submitting, you are giving us the right to use your image in UGA marketing indefinitely.