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Maritza McClendon reflects on the Olympics, fast cars and 40 Under 40

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This post was contributed by Emily Clary, graduate student and talent management intern for the Division of Development and Alumni Relations.

Maritza McClendon (BS ’05) originally took up swimming as a way to alleviate the effects of her scoliosis, but it quickly became her passion. She began competing in her home state of Florida and eventually secured a spot on the UGA swim team. In 2004, Maritza became the first African American woman to be a member of the U.S. Olympic Swim Team. Her 400-meter freestyle relay team earned a silver medal at the Summer Games in Athens, Greece.

McClendon swam her last race at the USA Nationals in 2007 before she retired. Afterward, she took a marketing position at Nike, which had previously been her sponsor. She is now the Senior Brand Marketing Manager at OshKosh B’Gosh in Atlanta. She is also a motivational speaker and volunteers with Swim 1922, an organization that offers swim lessons to children of color around the country.

 

“Seventy percent of African Americans didn’t know how to swim,” McClendon said. “I felt that it was a mission that I wanted to take on… to change that statistic through access to pools, swim lessons and clinics. It’s more than just being able to swim up and down the pool, it’s about being able to save your life.”

Maritza’s dedication to the University of Georgia has not dwindled since her days on the swim team. This summer, she will speak as part of a new Women of UGA initiative called Mentorship Mondays. Learn more about this 2017 40 Under 40 honoree below.

On her fondest memory at Georgia

“After we won NCAA’s, we were invited to be on the 50 yard line at the next UGA football game and we were recognized for winning our national championship. I still have all the pictures from that weekend. It was so amazing to be “Between the Hedges” with all the fans cheering. Nothing beats a Georgia football game day. It was an experience I’ll never forget.”

On making history

“There is an element of pressure for every athlete, especially when it comes to making the Olympic Team, but for me it was really about focusing on all the hard work I had done previous to that event, and putting all of that hard work into action.”

On being named 40 Under 40

“It’s kind of like winning an Olympic medal! I’m extremely honored. One of the coolest things about college is when you graduate, you have something that most other people can’t really understand because they didn’t have your college experiences. To be recognized by my school for the things that I’m continuing to do beyond my school career is amazing. I think it’s fantastic that UGA has this program and that they continue to keep track of their alumni and celebrate their wins.”

On giving back

“When I received the 40 Under 40 recognition, I was approached by Women of UGA to be one of the speakers in the Mentorship Monday series. I want to make sure that I’m giving back as much to UGA as they gave me and that I’m encouraging the next class. I think it’s really important that we’re connecting… Growing up, I didn’t take advantage of all the mentorship opportunities I could have. I want to make sure that I am able offer that for other people, because I know there is value in it. I want to give back to the communities that have offered so much for me. We’re networking and offering advice, but we’re also handing the baton to the next class and reminding them to pay it forward.”

Maritza, right, and others at the 2017 40 Under 40 Celebration.

On living life in the fast lane

“I’m a huge Fast and Furious fan! My first paycheck went to my first car (a Nissan 350Z). Over the years I started to soup it up: I put in a twin turbo kit, gages, I had a spoiler on the back… I’ve always loved speed, hence I’m a 50 freestyler, so I used to take it to the track in Braselton, put on my helmet and race it down quarter mile runs. I did the whole Fast and Furious thing, I loved the thrill. I don’t race anymore because I’m a mom and I’m trying to be responsible, but put a fast car in front of me and I’ll take it for a spin.”

Nominate a graduate for 40 Under 40

Giving Back to UGA: How Sweet It Is

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This post was written by Rachel Webster (ABJ ’08), a member of the Women of UGA Leadership Council.

On a cold December evening, there is nothing better than getting out of Atlanta traffic and walking into a warm, fragrant pie shop. That is, there is nothing better unless you are also greeted by the Women of UGA Leadership Council and plenty of other alumnae when you get there.
This was the scene in two locations of Southern Baked Pie Company on December 14 as they hosted the Women of UGA groups for a percentage night to support the Women of UGA Scholarship Fund, along with networking and sweet treats.
Locations in Alpharetta and Buckhead offered pie samples, like the delicious streusel-topped apple cranberry pie, and complementary beverages as alumnae mingled in the cozy shop atmosphere. In Alpharetta, alumnae browsed offerings from vendors Jaco Jewelry and Hands of Life Massage Therapy. In Buckhead, Establishment Home and Custom Bling by Charlotte joined the networkers with tables full of beautiful gift ideas.
The event embodied the two main tenets of the Women of UGA affinity group – giving alumni opportunities to create relationships within the University of Georgia network, and raising money to support education initiatives. In this case, 20 percent of Southern Baked Pie Company’s sales of their signature savory and sweet baked goods will support the Women of UGA Scholarship Fund.
Thank you to all of our event partners and attendees! With you, giving back is sweet.

Announcing Women of UGA’s Mentorship Mondays

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Join Women of UGA for Mentorship Mondays, a professional development initiative featuring notable graduates. In this intimate breakfast series, participants will have the opportunity to hear from alumnae at the top of their fields, connect with fellow graduates, and gather tips to take their careers to the next level. Get ready to be inspired and build a network that will offer new perspectives and share things they’ve learned along the way.

All events take place from 7:30-9 a.m. on the following dates:

    • January 29
    • March 26
    • May 21
    • July 30
    • September 24
    • November 12

Speakers and panelists include Kim Bearden (BSED ’87), co-founder of The Ron Clark Academy, Kappy deButts (BBA ’97), executive director of The Zeist Foundation, Inc. and Maritza McClendon (AB ’05), Olympic medalist and senior brand marketing manager at Carter’s and OshKosh B’gosh.

There are only 50 slots available, so be sure to register today!

The complete series of events costs $125 per person. Breakfast is included in all sessions and $35 of each registration supports the Women of UGA Georgia Commitment Scholarship.

Events will be held at Carr, Riggs & Ingram in Atlanta, Georgia.

More speakers will be announced soon. There are only 50 slots available, so be sure to register today!

REGISTER NOW

Questions about Mentorship Mondays or the Women of UGA affinity group? Email Luke Massee!

Kicking off the holidays with Hairy Dawg

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In early November, Women of UGA kicked off the holiday season with Cookies and Cocoa with Hairy Dawg.

The following recap was written by Rachel Webster (ABJ ’08), a member of the Women of UGA Leadership Council.

Here’s a recipe that’s sure to get any Dawg fan in the holiday spirit: start with hundreds of freshly-baked sugar cookies, and don’t forget red and black sprinkles for decorating. Add some hot cocoa, with whipped cream and plenty of fixings. Top it off with Hairy Dawg, dressed in his holiday best and ready for family photos.
This is the guide to the first annual Cookies and Cocoa with Hairy Dawg event, hosted by the Women of UGA alumni affinity group on November 5 at the Hyatt Atlanta Perimeter at Villa Christina. There were a few surprises as well! Guest readers David Greene (BBA ’04), Rennie Curran (BBA ’17), and Bonney Shuman (BBA ’80), president of the UGA Alumni Association Board of Directors, stopped by to read stories to the children. There was even a holiday market with products for sale from UGA alumni and supporters, such as Jittery Joe’s and Lily Wrap. Although Uga X was not in attendance, he felt the love from all the fan mail little fans created to send to him in Savannah.
A portion of the money raised from this sold-out event went to the Women of UGA Scholarship Fund, which was endowed this year through the fundraising efforts of the Women of UGA Leadership Council.
“One of the guiding tenets of Women of UGA is to connect alumni to the university on an ongoing basis,” said Teri Cloud (ABJ ’94), Women of UGA Leadership Council president. “We had a huge response to Cookies and Cocoa with Hairy Dawg, and nearly 500 people attended! We loved engaging the alumni community and look forward to making this our signature event in the years to come.”
Thank you to all the attendees, sponsors and partners who helped with this year’s Cookies and Cocoa with Hairy Dawg event. For more information or to donate to the Women of UGA Scholarship Fund, click here. To see photos from Cookies and Cocoa, click here.

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.