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Young alumni support students on verge of graduation

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The Young Alumni Leadership Council scholarship will provide need-based aid to students with 60 or more credit hours. 

A significant obstacle to graduating and becoming a University of Georgia alum is the financial challenge that often arises in the final years of school. The UGA Young Alumni Leadership Council is seeking to help students overcome that challenge. 

The YALC’s Finish the Drill Scholarship will support students with 60 or more credit hours, helping them overcome financial barriers and successfully cross the finish line to graduation. With the support of donors, the YALC has grown the fund to $50,000 in its first six months. This includes corporate support and partnership with BMW in Atlanta through an event that brought together 250 young alumni on June 12.  

The Young Alumni Leadership Council is a group of recent graduates that organize events and initiatives to strengthen the bond between Bulldogs, their alma mater, and their fellow alumni. The purpose of the YALC is to foster lifelong engagement, cultivate meaningful connections, and inspire continued investment in the University of Georgia through experiential opportunities, philanthropic initiatives, and outreach activities.  

Young alumni event on June 12.

Young UGA alumni played pickleball and raised funds for the Finish the Drill Scholarship Fund.

The YALC Finish the Drill Scholarship offers a commitment to helping students finish strong and become proud alumni of UGA. This idea started in a small meeting with members of the Young Alumni Leadership Council. One member, Kanler Cumbass (MED ’21), has a particular excitement for this initiative because of his career in higher education. 

“What the scholarship, and our work in co-creating it as a council, has shown me is that many of my peers share the same core values,” said Cumbass. “At our core, we all want to support the students at the University of Georgia in a meaningful way — one that extends beyond just a connection back to the university, but truly offers a tangible benefit to the individual.” 

This idea was inspired by similar successful programs within the state of Georgia, such as Georgia State University’s Panther Retention Grant Program and the Technical College System of Georgia’s Last Mile Fund.  

A study from Ithaka on Georgia State University’s Panther Retention Grant Program reveals that nearly 40% of students who enroll in postsecondary institutions do not graduate, leaving around 36 million individuals in the United States with some college experience but no degree. Research also indicates that even modest financial support can significantly enhance student retention and increase the likelihood of degree completion. 

In addition to financial support, the YALC hopes to pair scholarship recipients with a mentor through the UGA Mentor Program to foster social capital development, career exploration, and community engagement. This initiative strengthens ties between students and the university, while building lasting relationships with well-established young alumni who are eager to give back and share their expertise. 

“We want recipients to build their own personal board of directors — true mentors from within their industry who can help them find that next right step that is life beyond the arch,” said Kanler. “This fits into our mission to maintain meaningful connections with the university by fostering stronger relationships.” 

Help Students Finish the Drill

UGA Class of 2025 leaves their legacy ahead of graduation

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The annual Senior Signature campaign brings together the graduating class to contribute a gift to the university and leave a legacy on campus for years to come. This year, the Class of 2025 broke records for the giving campaign, securing over 3,400 gifts from members of the graduating class for the first time.  

In total, the Class of 2025 contributed over $115,000 through the Senior Signature campaign, UGA’s class gift program that has been in place since 1991. Undergraduate, graduate and professional students are all invited to participate in the campaign.  

“Giving back to the university is extremely important for students because it encourages us to invest in the future of our campus and understand the true purpose of what it means to donate to the university,” said Danielle Jones, vice president of philanthropy for the Student Alumni Council, the on-campus student group responsible for organizing the campaign. “Choosing to give back as current students at UGA helps to create an atmosphere where students are eager to remain connected after graduation and help to make our second home a better place.” 

Jones and her fellow members of the UGA Student Alumni Council engage their peers throughout the year through fundraising events, peer-to-peer education and tabling on campus, all in an effort to connect current students with alumni and to participate in campus traditions that enhance the student experience. They also strive to impress upon other students the importance of giving back philanthropically to UGA.  

“Senior Signature is important because it educates students on the true meaning of philanthropy and allows SAC members to have a platform where we can encourage other students to be involved in the university and its traditions,” said Jones. “We can all help to create a brighter future for students by being involved. Whether it’s through education or donations, both SAC members and other students on campus are all making a difference at UGA.” 

The minimum Senior Signature donation is $30 and serves as an opportunity for students to learn how financial support can be designated to a variety of funds across campus. Each student donor is invited to direct $20 of their gift to an area of campus that made a positive impact on their time here. This year, students contributed to 544 funds at UGA, with many gifts going toward academic or education funds like the State Botanical Garden Excellence Fund and the Honors Fund of Excellence. 

The remaining $10 of a student’s donation is combined with other class members’ gifts to provide grant funding to a student organization of the group’s choice. This year, student donors selected Spike Squad to receive the grant during the upcoming academic year. The organization, a staple at UGA sporting events and perhaps most notably football games, plans to utilize the funds to support UGA recruitment efforts across the Athens community by providing local families the opportunity to connect with Spike Squad members and current UGA students during gamedays. 

The 2025 Senior Signature campaign set out with a goal of inspiring 3,250 graduating students to make a gift and cement their legacy at the university. The goal was surpassed with more than a month left before graduation ceremonies across campus commence. For Jones and the SAC, the campaign results have been a resounding endorsement of their classmates’ commitment to the university, even as they prepare for their next steps.  

“It’s so encouraging to see how many students chose to make their mark and be a part of something bigger than themselves,” Jones concludes. “It goes to show that students care about leaving their mark on campus, but they also care about so many different areas on campus, and they want to give back to those areas before they graduate.” 

Learn More about Senior Signature

XChanged Life strengthened by UGA’s 2024 Class Gift

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On Friday, March 14, XChanged Life hosted a The Great Gatsby-themed formal at Memorial Hall, made possible by the support of the 2024 Class Gift and Senior Signature donors. The event was designed to create a memorable experience for international and exchange students at the University of Georgia. As the club’s primary mission is to strengthen connections between international and local communities, the formal served as a celebration of this goal.

“The event was inspired by the fascination many of our international members have with the tradition of American school dances,” said Alyssa Wood (AB ’24, AB ’24, MIP ’26), president of XChanged Life. “It provided an opportunity for our members to experience something they’ve previously only observed from afar.”

Group photo of XChanged Life students. (Photo: Submitted)

Group photo of XChanged Life students. (Photo: Submitted)

XChanged Life is a student organization dedicated to enriching the experience of exchange and international students. Through engaging activities, such as dinners, hiking trips and skate nights, XChanged Life can facilitate social interactions and foster strong connections among students.

“I was first introduced to XChanged Life at the involvement fair when I was a sophomore and was interested in the idea of meeting people from around the world,” said Wood. “Coming from a small town, I saw this as a unique opportunity, so I decided to join the organization.”

The Class Gift is a grant funding opportunity for student organizations, made possible through donations from UGA’s Senior Signature giving campaign. Coordinated by the Student Alumni Council, the Class Gift and Senior Signature campaign allow each graduating class to leave a lasting impact on UGA. The Class Gift is available each year for student organizations to apply for funding for the following academic year. Senior Signature donors vote on the final Class Gift recipient.

“When I think about the Class Gift and organizations like XChanged Life receiving it, I think about how this is the fruit of philanthropy,” said Willis Tripp (BBA ’24, MACC ’26), SAC president. “To be in a position where you can give back and help enable others to do things they might not have been able to without the generosity of others is truly amazing.

Willis Tripp (right), Student Alumni Council president, with students at the XChanged Life formal on Friday, March 14th, 2025.

Willis Tripp (right), Student Alumni Council president, with students at the XChanged Life formal on Friday, March 14th, 2025. (Photo: Submitted)

Senior Signature is an annual giving campaign for graduating students to give back to UGA by contributing to areas that were meaningful during their time at UGA. Each student is asked to contribute a minimum of $30, with $10 supporting the Class Gift initiative and $20 directed to a fund of their choice. This contribution is a tradition that has been ongoing since 1991, with students’ names engraved on a plaque displayed on campus.

Learn about Senior Signature

Alumna mentor guides students to shared success

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Bridal designer strengthens UGA historic clothing collection

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Donors set new UGA fundraising record

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Alumnus leaves $1.5M estate gift to UGA

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2024 University of Georgia graduates embody a culture of giving

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Senior Signature campaign raises more than $100,000 for students, campus funds.

Every spring, the University of Georgia graduating class contributes a gift to the university to mark their legacy on campus for generations of students to come. The Class of 2024 has continued this tradition with a strong showing of support for their soon-to-be alma mater. For the fourth year in a row, over 3,000 student-donors contributed to the Senior Signature campaign.

This year, 3,201 members of the 2024 class contributed over $100,000 through Senior Signature, the university’s class gift program that has been in place since 1991. Undergraduate, graduate and professional students participate in the campaign.

“My fellow members of the Class of 2024 have demonstrated the importance of devoting time and energy to their passions,” said Caroline Reedy, outgoing president of the UGA Student Alumni Council. “We all know how important it is to leave things better than we found them, and the Class of 2024 has truly shown their commitment to campus, even as they are getting ready to leave it.”

The minimum Senior Signature donation is $30 and serves as an opportunity for students to learn how financial support can be designated to a variety of funds across campus. Each student donor is invited to direct $20 of their gift to an area of campus that made a positive impact on their time here. This year, students contributed to 621 funds at UGA. Among those funds were the Undergraduate Student Emergency Fund and the Sunshine Fund, both geared toward supporting holistic student well-being on campus.

The remaining $10 of a student’s donation is combined with other class members’ gifts to provide grant funding to a student organization of the group’s choice. This year, student donors selected XChanged Life to receive the grant during the upcoming academic year. The organization plans to host an event tailored to exchange, international, and UGA students, with the aim of exposing more international students to American culture, facilitating cultural exchange, and promoting greater interconnectedness among the student population at UGA.

In addition to supporting future generations of Bulldogs, student donors’ names will be engraved on the Class of 2024 plaque in Tate Plaza, just steps away from Sanford Stadium, Tate Student Center and Memorial Hall. The plaque will be installed ahead of Spring Commencement.

The tradition of student giving 

Reedy and fellow members of the UGA Student Alumni Council engage their peers throughout the year to connect with alumni and to participate in campus traditions that enhance the student experience. They also strive to impress upon other students the importance of giving back philanthropically to UGA.

Their efforts, which include hosting fundraising events, peer-to-peer education via social media and email, and tabling on campus during the 2023-2024 academic year, help to engage their peers throughout their time at UGA.

“Students have a lot of opportunities to give back beyond the Senior Signature program,” said Reedy. “Initiatives like Beat Week, Dawg Day of Giving, and other special fundraising campaigns give students the opportunity to leave their mark on this university in a way that best suits them and their experiences here.”

To learn more about Senior Signature, go to alumni.uga.edu/seniorsignature.

Former dean establishes UGA college’s first chair

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Get to know the Georgia Women Give executive committee

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Georgia Women Give is a nationwide, women-directed fundraising group inviting more women to become philanthropists and engage more deeply with the University of Georgia. Founded in the spirit of The First 12, the first women to attend UGA, the group is committed to philanthropy, community and learning. 

GWG concentrates giving and increases impact by asking donors to designate their gifts to any of three specific funds: a merit-based scholarship fund, a study away support fund and an unrestricted fund that will send money to high-priority areas as directed by an executive committee. 

The Georgia Women Give executive committee is comprised of: 

Elizabeth Correll Richards, Chair, Atlanta, GA  

Cortney Beebe (AB ’98), Naples, FL  

Suzy Deering (BSFCS ’92), Bluffton, SC  

Ali Gant (AB ’01, MPA ’11), Chattanooga, TN  

Erika Lane (BBA ’93), Athens, GA  

Stephanie Powell (BSED ’94, MED ’97, EDS ’99), Statham, GA  

Diane Smock (AB ’74), Greenville, SC 

We asked them a few questions about who they are, their connection to UGA, and more. 

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

Cortney Beebe: I was in charge of the 2005 Superbowl for Alltel in Alltel Stadium. We took 500 customers and clients, split up and stayed in three locations for three days and I didn’t lose anyone. All were alive and accounted for on Monday morning. 

Diane Smock: The Upstate Mediation Center is the sole provider of mandated mediation services on a sliding fee scale to litigants who otherwise would not have access to mediation. When it lost its funding, I was hired to oversee its closing. Instead, I was able to secure sustainable funding and otherwise improve the internal operations. Twenty years later, the UMC is still in operation and is thriving. 

What’s your favorite UGA-related memory?

Elizabeth Correll Richards: In 2017, UGA played Notre Dame. Both of my children were students at Georgia and all their friends wanted to go to the game, but it was expensive. So, I rented an RV, loaded 13 sophomores and seniors in the RV with my husband and drove to South Bend, Indiana, where we rented a house near the stadium. It was a weekend for the books. 

Ali Gant: Without a doubt, it was the summer of 1999. I was so lucky to be selected as one of 12 Orientation Leaders. That summer shaped the rest of my life: the way I lead both small and large groups, the way I can work as a part of a team of dynamic individuals and, most importantly, the fact that I met my husband. We didn’t get married for five more years, but that summer planted the seeds for the rest of my life. 

What constitutes a perfect day for you?

Cortney: No alarm, a stack of pancakes, a good workout (optional), then pack a cooler and spend all day on the beach with an amazing book. Then, a hot shower, dinner with my hubby and great friends, and head to bed early. Rinse and repeat. 

Diane: Waking up early to enjoy coffee, the New York Times (in hard copy!), and chatting with my husband before our busy days begin. Spending the day hiking in the nearby mountains with a few friends, then coming home to sit by the fire while enjoying a glass of wine or cup of tea and getting lost in the pages of a good book.

Stephanie Powell (left) and Diane Smock at the 2024 Georgia Women Give spring event’s signature luncheon.

What trait do you consider to be your “superpower?”

Erika Lane: My superpower lies in my organizational skills and ability to self-motivate. Balancing the daily demands with the beautiful things in life that keep you going: family, friends, travel and a little tennis. 

Suzy Deering: Being a Christian female in male-dominated industries. It allowed me to be empathetic and vulnerable which truly was a superpower.

Elizabeth: The ability to stay up late. It never bothered me when my kids pulled an all-nighter or needed a late-night ride. I am generally up until 3 a.m. – but don’t schedule anything for an early morning, I hate those! 

Elizabeth Correll Richards speaks at the 2024 Georgia Women Give spring event’s panel discussion.

Who is the woman you most look up to? Why?

Stephanie Powell: Laura Bush and Dolly Parton. These ladies are both classy, iconic women who know how to get a job done with grace and grit. 

Suzy: My grandmother was an amazing God-loving soul who stood tall and strong and provided unconditional love and a listening heart. I’m grateful my mom followed her mother’s footsteps and continues to fill that role. My mom is one of the strongest women I know. 

What traits do you value most in your friends?

Erika: When it comes to friendships, I value honesty, trust, and openness. Someone who will show up at your door with a bottle of wine – sometimes to laugh, sometimes to cry and hopefully many times to celebrate. 

Ali: I appreciate friends who, first and foremost, value kindness above all else. I also value friends who send me funny memes. 

Ali Gant speaks with an attendee of the annual Georgia Women Give spring event luncheon.

What were your favorite things to do with friends during your time at UGA?

Diane: As soon as the weather started to warm up after a chilly winter, several of us would wake at sunrise, pile into a car, and drive for hours to Sea Island, Tybee Island or even Panama City beach for a weekend of sun and fun, then drive back on Sunday night, sunburned and happy. 

Stephanie: During my time at UGA, you could find me Between the Hedges on game days as a Georgette, at the Zeta house, Spanky’s, listening to live music at the Georgia Theatre or (believe it or not) at Legion Field, which was a fun gathering spot for outdoor concerts and student events.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GEORGIA WOMEN GIVE

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