Engage Spring / Summer 2021

S P R I NG/ SUM M E R 2 0 2 1

engage THE GEORGIA GWINNETT COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Volume 8, Issue 1

Degree Options, Customization Enhanced PAGE 7

Grizzlies Celebrate Championship Spring PAGE 16

GGC Reaffirms its Commitment to Inclusivity PAGE 18

MUSGRAVE PLANS TO PAY IT FORWARD PAGE 4

Dr. Jann L. Joseph, president of Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC), and Dr. Carmen Nochera share a moment before “‘Di’ Profundis” by Nochera’s late husband and impressionist artist, Mark W. Wilkens. The piece is part of a collection of Wilkens’ works Nochera donated to establish the GGC art collection. (See story, page 14.)

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In this issue On the cover: Autumn Musgrave, ’22, nursing, and Cowboy take a break from barrel racing training.

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President’s Message ......................................................................... 2 College News Notables ...................................................................................................... 3 GGC Enhances Customization of Degree Programs...................................7 Commencement Celebration Returns to the Arena .............................10-11 Grizzlies Celebrate Championship Spring ........................................... 16-17

Our Four Pillars in Action Scholarship Musgrave Plans to Pay it Forward ....................................................4-6 Creativity Students Launch GGC News Series for Social Media .....................8-9 Service GGC Joins Pandemic Fight ..........................................................12-13 Leadership GGC Reaffirms its Commitment to Inclusivity ...........................18-19

Advancing GGC Nochera Gift Establishes GGC Art Collection ........................................ 14 Foundation Trustees’ Service, Leadership Honored................................... 15 Alumni Board Plans for the Future ........................................................... 20

The Gallery .......................................................................................... 21 Spring/Summer 2021

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President's Message

GGC Returns to

Community and Dr. Jann L. Joseph President

Kicks Off

Fall Semester

The faculty, staff and students of Georgia Gwinnett College will focus on “Return to Community” as we kick off fall semester. Together, we are making this commitment toward our full return to campus.

I remain encouraged by the drive and initiative our students, faculty and staff showed in maneuvering the unprecedented change in our operations and instruction models during the height of the pandemic. The pandemic didn’t hold us back from doing what we do best – supporting our students’ progress toward their degrees.

We creatively worked to ensure that our students were fully supported during our online and hybrid instructional modalities. We know there is no substitute for the faculty and student engagement, in-person mentoring, tutoring and holistic teaching for which our college is known. Thus, we eagerly look forward to welcoming everyone back to our united community dedicated to leadership, scholarship, service and creativity.

Despite the pandemic’s disruption, we made progress in very active and intentional ways.

We expanded our academic offerings and added our first two online bachelor’s degree programs (see story, page 7). We also added minors in gender studies and African American studies and reaffirmed our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through the One GGC initiative (see story, page 18).

Now, more than ever, we must remain steadfast in our mission to educate students who are inspired to contribute to their communities, and prepared to anticipate and respond effectively to an uncertain and changing world.

The Grizzly family is grateful for your ongoing support and look to the future with confidence.

Go Grizzlies!

Dr. Jann L. Joseph

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engage.ggc.edu Georgia Gwinnett College

Notables Alumni Win Prestigious 35 Under 35 Awards Three Georgia Gwinnett College alumni recently received the 35 Under 35 Award from Gwinnett Young Professionals, a personal and professional development program of the Gwinnett Chamber. This award honors influential young professionals in our community who are innovators in their fields. Shown are Malik Cooper, ’20, business, consultant with OnePlan Solutions; Elease Dillard, ’15, biology, founder of The Student Navigator; and Homero Gonzalez, ’11, business, co-founder and president/CEO of ULTIM Marketing.

THE GEORGIA GWINNETT COLLEGE MAGAZINE

We Value Your Input Send your ideas and comments about Engage to engage@ggc.edu or call 678.407.5549.

Production Editor-in-chief: Sally Ramey Photography: Rod Reilly, Dale Long, Chrissy Rosen Graphic design: Todd Buxton Writing: Sally Ramey, Jackie Todd Online team: Rycca Blanton, Educational Technology Server Team Other support: Dan Cassavaugh, LaKeidra Veal Hill, Laurie Hudson, Hoang Huynh, Barbara Martell, Allana Walker Leadership Jennifer Hendrickson, associate vice president for Advancement Sloan Jones, associate vice president for Communications Jackie Todd, director of Public Relations Mailing List To be added to or removed from the Engage mailing list email engage@ggc.edu or call 678.407.5549.

Dr. Tyler Yu, dean of the School of Business, was selected to serve on the Gwinnett Community Advisory Task Force for the Rowen Foundation. The Rowen multi-use and knowledge community will offer opportunities in areas such as agricultural, environmental and medical research.

Sherrie Goodman, assistant director of the Career Development and Advising Center, was named the 2020 Rising Star by the Georgia Association of Colleges and Employers.

Dr. Binh Tran, associate professor of information technology, was added to the 2021 list of Georgia Asian Times' 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia.

GGC received a $20,000 award from the National Center for Women & Information Technology Academic Alliance Seed Fund. It will fund a virtual peer mentoring program designed to retain underrepresented minorities majoring in information technology.

1000 University Center Lane Lawrenceville, GA 30043 678.407.5000 • www.ggc.edu

See more Notables at www.ggc.edu/notables Spring/Summer 2021

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Scholarship

Musgrave

Plans to 4

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Pay it

One person became a light in in her life.

Now she wants to be that light for others.

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hile Autumn Musgrave does not dwell on her childhood nor allow it to define her, it provided motivation for how she wants to use her career in making a difference for others.

She is a survivor of an “adverse childhood,” a term referring to various types of abuse and neglect.

While Musgrave was young, a family friend became concerned for her and befriended her.

She spent considerable time with Musgrave, mentoring and encouraging her as she grew up.

“I didn’t have the best hand dealt to me early on, but I was very fortunate in that I had an adopted grandmother take me under her wing and guide me along the correct path,” said Musgrave, who called her friend, ‘Lollie.’

“ Lollie was always there for me, and showed me the light in a truly dark place.”

“Lollie was always there for me, and showed me the light in a truly dark place,” she said.

“If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here today and accomplishing the things I am. She pushed me to be better, and to succeed despite my background.”

A graduate of North Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia, Musgrave became interested in attending Georgia Gwinnett

College (GGC) after attending a softball camp there. She enjoyed its campus environment, its welcoming atmosphere and her interactions with faculty and coaches.

She enrolled at GGC as an education major, but over time, she decided that a nursing degree would allow her to make a greater impact on those who needed it most. Her inspiration was Lollie, who worked as a nurse in pediatric psychology at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for many years. Musgrave said she became inspired to follow in her footsteps.

However, switching majors after taking two years of courses for an education degree meant that Musgrave would need more time to graduate from college because she required different courses for a nursing degree.

Forward continued on next page >

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Scholarship Fortunately, she received the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Scholarship, which was established to provide support for nursing majors at GGC. “Not only did the scholarship fill a financial gap and enable me to stop working so I could focus on my studies, it meant that I was spared from being forced to re-live my traumatic memories yet again when refiling for the dependency override,” Musgrave said. “I am deeply appreciative.”

She recently shared her story with the University System of Georgia Foundation’s board of trustees, which was hosted at GGC for one of its meetings.

Autumn Musgrave guides Cowboy around a barrel. Musgrave, who has ridden horses since she was young, has been barrel racing for three years.

continued from page 5

GGC’s nursing program also is highly selective, accepting only about 28 students each fall and spring semester for their junior and senior years. To increase her chances for acceptance, Musgrave repeated some courses to raise any B grades to an A. Her plan worked, and she became a nursing major in fall 2020.

A first-generation student, Musgrave has maintained a 4.0 in her nursing courses.

“It will take me a bit longer to graduate, but I have found my passion, and I am determined to accomplish what I have set out to achieve,” she said.

That determination includes funding her education by working three jobs.

Musgrave also received support from Lollie – until she developed an aggressive case of Alzheimer’s disease almost two years ago.

“This left me feeling very alone, and in a difficult situation both emotionally 6

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Today, Musgrave looks forward to her senior year and beyond. Once she graduates, she will join her husband, a Marine based in California.

“ If I could make that much of an impact on just one kid’s life like Lollie did for me, then it would make my whole nursing career worthwhile.” and financially,” she said. The situation was particularly difficult because Lollie had trouble remembering her.

Musgrave applied for financial aid, but was initially denied. Until a student is 25, they are considered a dependent and financial aid is awarded based on their parents’ or guardians’ incomes.

“This doesn’t help those of us with no relationship with our parents,” Musgrave said.

She applied for a dependency override for the 2019-20 academic year without knowing it would entail gathering and sorting through all of the police reports, court records and other documentation from her childhood to prove her story.

“I had to re-experience all of those painful childhood memories,” she said.

Meanwhile, she is training a new horse, Cowboy, for barrel racing competitions and gaining work experience as a patient care technician at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

She is more committed than ever to her chosen career.

“I have always had the motto that if I could be a ‘Lollie’ to just one kid, I would show them that life doesn’t have to end here, and their current circumstances don’t have to define their future,” she said. “If I could make that much of an impact on just one kid’s life like Lollie did for me, then it would make my whole nursing career worthwhile.”

College News

GGC Enhances

Customization of

Degree Programs

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eorgia Gwinnett College students now have even more ability to tailor their degrees to their interests and career goals.

“We continually evaluate our programs to ensure that we’re preparing students for current and emerging career opportunities while supporting regional economic development needs,” said Dr. George S. Low, senior vice president for Academic and Student Affairs/provost.

In addition to more than 50 concentrations within its degree programs, an expansion in GGC’s academic interest areas, minors, certificates and certifications offer students more customization options.

“These programs help students take the best combination of courses for pursuing specific careers, graduate programs or other training in their chosen fields,” said Low. First online bachelor’s degrees Two bachelor’s degree programs are now offered online – the Bachelor of Science in Education in special education and the Bachelor of Science in information technology with a concentration in software development. These are GGC’s first online degree options.

Minor degrees Minor degrees can either enhance a bachelor’s degree with a specialized focus within a related discipline or pair it with a totally different discipline.

GGC’s minor degrees now include anthropology, African American studies, biology, business administration,

chemistry, creative writing, criminal justice/criminology, English, film, gender studies, geography, history, information technology, mathematics, physics, political science, professional studies, religious studies and sociology.

Academic interest/preparatory areas If students must transfer to another institution to complete their education, they can often save costs by taking preparatory courses at GGC. Academic interest areas include preparatory courses for many high-demand disciplines in medicine, pharmacy and allied health fields. This includes anesthesiologist assistant, clinical laboratory science or medical technology, dental hygiene, dentistry, medicine, occupational

therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician’s assistant, public health, radiologic science and respiratory therapy.

In addition, GGC students have preparatory options in pre-veterinary medicine and, through the Regents’ Engineering Pathway, various engineering fields.

Certificates and certifications Students may earn required professional certificates and certifications enabling them to pursue specific types of positions.

GGC’s certificates include business intelligence, cybersecurity, gerontology and Latin American studies.

Certifications offered include global studies, paralegal and teaching English to speakers of other languages/TESOL. Spring/Summer 2021

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Creativity

STUDENTS LAUNCH GGC NEWS SERIES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

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hrough a first-time internship program, four seniors majoring in cinema and media arts production (CMAP) worked with GGC’s Communications staff to create a special news series for sharing in social media during the spring semester.

“GGC in :60,” a periodic, one-minute, video summary of campus happenings, was produced by Patrick Cheek, Christopher Ingram, Harrison Miller and Carl Mills, all of whom will graduate in fall 2021.

The students functioned as a team and coordinated plans for the video series with mentoring provided by Jackie Todd, director of public relations, and Allana Walker, digital communications coordinator. The students were responsible for each segment’s production from start to finish, including photography, videography, graphics, imagery provided by others at the college and editing.

The interns also provided each other with peer instruction.

Walker trained Ingram on the project’s editing process and expectations, and he served as the team’s first editor for two weeks. Then Ingram trained the next intern in line to edit, and so on until the semester’s eight episodes were done.

“Definitely, my ability to collaborate and work as a unit has grown throughout this entire project,” said Ingram, who runs his own video-based business through which he films and edits for weddings, commercials, real estate properties, music videos and mini documentaries.

The opportunity to work collaboratively with others was also cited by Ingram’s teammates as valuable experience, in addition to practical skill-building.

“I’d say for me personally, I enjoyed working together with my fellow interns,” said Miller. “I also enjoyed learning how to work with editing software.”

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The “GGC in :60” internship team members (standing) Patrick Walker, Christopher Ingram, Harrison Miller and Carl Mills are shown with (seated) Jackie Todd, director of public relations, and Allana Walker, digital communications coordinator. The students will graduate in fall 2021 with degrees in cinema and media arts production.

0 0 : 0 0 : 6 0 : 00 “I enjoyed editing the most, but filming and taking photos of the events was very enjoyable and a great learning experience,” Cheek said. “I also enjoyed being able to collaborate with my team members.”

Internships in any major are important for enhancing employment opportunities after graduation. Internships are particularly important in creative disciplines that require a portfolio of one’s work.

“Internships provide students with learning experiences tailored to their interests as well as opportunities to learn about careers and gain practical experience,” said Katherine Balsley, assistant professor of film, who oversees CMAP internships for the School of Liberal Arts. “They learn skills related to film, video and media production, giving them an advantage in a highly competitive field.”

“I feel like this project related to my business in all aspects,” Ingram said. “Everyone has to effectively do their part to meet deadlines, so having good communication and time management are important skill sets to have."

“It was exciting being a part of a team that worked to introduce something new at GGC,” said Walker. “I’m proud of the finished product and the interns. I saw a lot of growth in them over the course of the semester.”

To see a playlist of the students’ eight episodes of “GGC in :60,” visit tinyurl.com/GGCin60.

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College News

COMMENCEMENT

R E T U R N S TO T H E A R E N A After a year of virtual commencement ceremonies, the GGC community gathered together to celebrate its graduates.

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ne of the many effects of the global pandemic was the cancellation of in-person commencement ceremonies at schools across the nation.

In 2020, Georgia Gwinnett held two virtual ceremonies featuring pre-recorded video segments and individual slides honoring graduates. Diploma portfolios, mortar boards and other items were shipped to graduates in commemorative packaging.

However, nothing can compete with the excitement and fellowship of an in-person commencement – particularly GGC ceremonies, known for their spirited, festive atmosphere.

With vaccinations progressing in Georgia, GGC held a three-ceremony, in-person commencement celebration for 2021 spring graduates, as well as 2020 alumni who wanted to take advantage of the opportunity for an in-person ceremony experience.

The 2021 graduates were divided in two groups to facilitate socially distanced seating in the Infinite Energy Center Arena, now the Gas South Arena. To further minimize potential exposure, the ceremonies were shortened by presenting videos of speeches and music in an online premiere the night before. Processionals of faculty and graduates were omitted and spectator seating limited.

The pandemic temporarily forgotten, the arena filled with the joyful exuberance that is a hallmark of GGC commencements.

The third ceremony was held for 2020 alumni. Though much smaller in number, the enthusiastic cheers of these alumni and their audience rivaled those of the larger 2021 ceremonies.

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Service

While much attention has focused on how Georgia Gwinnett kept its students on track with their studies during the pandemic while maintaining safety protocols, members of the campus community joined in the fight against COVID-19.

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Vaccination volunteers During this spring and summer semesters, GGC nursing students and faculty contributed hundreds of volunteer hours to helping administer thousands of vaccines at local COVID-19 vaccination sites. Twenty nursing students worked at the mass vaccination clinics at Gwinnett Place Mall and at Kaiser Permanente. The mall location alone was able to vaccinate 1,000 people per day.

“ It has been tremendously rewarding to help get our community vaccinated ” – Dr. Jeffrey Fouche-Camargo “The students worked 12-hour shifts giving vaccines, screening patients for eligibility and observing patients after vaccination,” said Jeffrey Fouche-Camargo, assistant professor of nursing. “They’ve not only gotten tons of experience with vaccinations, but have gained invaluable experience with how mass response to a public health crisis is conducted.”

The students’ vaccination volunteer experiences counted towards their required clinical hours for the nursing program.

Professional Education During the pandemic, Fouche-Camargo was invited to make an online, statewide presentation for the Louisiana chapter of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

More than 200 nurses and pharmacists logged in for his presentation, which qualified for professional continuing education credits.

Mobile vaccination clinic Four nursing faculty members volunteered with the Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale Health Department through Medical Reserve Corps.

“Having been an active ICU nurse for 25 years, watching my colleagues on TV and hearing the stress they were enduring made me want to do something,” said Dr. Diane White, dean of the School of Health Sciences. “I decided that when the vaccines were available, I would get vaccinated and assist in helping others get immunized, which in turn helps my colleagues who treat COVID-19 patients.”

“It has been tremendously rewarding to help get our community vaccinated,” Fouche-Camargo said. “I think this is a great example of how GGC has helped this community during the pandemic.”

GGC partnered with the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments (GNR) to provide a mobile vaccination site on campus for two months this summer.

“It was important for campus health and safety to ensure that the GGC community had convenient access to vaccines, particularly students balancing life obligations such as classes, family and work,” said Tomas Jimenez, senior associate vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students.

The clinic was open to students, faculty, staff and the general public on both a walk-in and appointment basis. GNR was invited to return to campus for student resident move-in and the first week of classes.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needs In March of 2020, a GGC faculty member suggestion led Estephanie Gonzalez, an information technology (IT) laboratory supervisor, to enlist the help of IT major Jesse Merida, ’20, in creating face shields using GGC’s 3D printers.

Like all personal protective equipment (PPE), face shields were in short supply in the first several months of the pandemic. They were needed to help protect medical workers’ eyes from potentially infectious, airborne particles and droplets.

Gonzalez had ordered a supply of suitable plastic before the pandemic began, and because the 3D-printing community had responded to the urgent need for PPE, she was able to locate suitable face shield plans on the web.

Merida estimated that he could make parts for 48 face shields per month on the college’s three 3D printers, located in its digital media laboratory. The numbers may have been small, but the need for PPE was great and potentially life-saving.

“It’s just nice to be able to help, even a little bit,” Merida said.

GGC collaborated with its health care partners in distributing the face shields.

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Advancing GGC

Nochera Gift Establishes GGC

Art Collection G

eorgia Gwinnett’s young campus has modern buildings featuring natural light-drenched study and gathering areas … and a lot of empty walls.

Thanks to a longtime friendship, several of those walls no longer stand empty.

GGC recently welcomed Dr. Carmen Nochera for a luncheon and tour in honor of her donation of 13 paintings that established the college’s art collection.

Nochera, who had worked with Dr. Jann Joseph, GGC’s president, at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, was married to the late impressionist artist Mark W. Wilkens.

Joseph invited Nochera to help her begin building GGC’s art collection with several of her husband’s works.

“Nothing brings life to a space more than art,” said Joseph. “I am delighted to inaugurate the college’s art collection with this most gracious and marvelous of gifts.”

Largely self-taught, Wilkens' artistic journey included studies at universities in Iowa, Arizona and South Dakota, and a year-long apprenticeship with renowned Native American artist, Oscar Howe. He also studied tribal arts and culture in Africa. After establishing a Florida studio, he longed for the change of seasons and moved to the shores of Lake Michigan in 1990.

Shown clockwise from top are artist Mark W. Wilkens' works “Dead Furrow,” “Burnt Mind,” “Girl" and “Mixed.”

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Displayed in buildings B, C and W, the seven watercolor and six oil paintings donated by Nochera may be explored via an interactive campus map at www.ggc.edu/artwork.

Foundation Trustees’

Service, Leadership

Honored T

he Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation board of trustees recently honored several members and welcomed its new leadership.

“The foundation’s strength lies in its members’ broad perspectives and experiences,” said Jennifer Hendrickson, associate vice president for Advancement and board president. “We deeply appreciate what each trustee brings to their service to the foundation and GGC.” Bartow Morgan Jr., CEO of Georgia Banking Company, was recognized for his two-year service as board chair. Under his leadership, the foundation focused on supporting GGC’s initiatives in scholarships, academic programs, facilities and student engagement.

A charter trustee, Morgan has chaired the Development and the Finance and Audit committees, and now chairs the Committee on Trustees.

K. Carlton Buchanan Jr., MD, MBA, chairman of Gwinnett Emergency Specialists, is the new board chair.

A trustee since 2016, he recently chaired the Development Committee Marsha Anderson Bomar, assistant general manager for Capital Program Delivery at Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), now serves as board secretary.

C. Norwood Davis, the board’s new treasurer, also will chair the Finance and Audit Committee. He is CFO of 12Stone Church.

In other committee news, Greg Shumate, CEO/Managing Partner of Capital City Home Loans, LLC, now chairs the Development Committee.

New trustee Jay Dennard, COO of Northside Hospital Duluth, will serve a three-year term.

The following departing trustees were recognized for their service.

Matt Cole has been a trustee since 2016, and chaired the Development Committee and Committee on Trustees. He is the retired executive headmaster of Major Gifts and Planned Giving for Wesleyan School.

A trustee since 2012, Terri Jondahl served as board secretary and Strategic Planning and Initiatives Committee chair. She was instrumental in developing the foundation’s current strategic plan. She is the CEO of CAB Worldwide Holdings, Inc. and CAB Incorporated.

“ The Foundation’s strength lies in its members’ broad perspectives and experiences.”

– Jennifer Hendrickson

Dr. Gordon Tanner has been a trustee since 2015, serving on the Committee on Trustees. He is a managing partner at Gastroenterology Specialists of Gwinnett.

A trustee since 2015, Phil Wolfe was instrumental in the early partnership between Gwinnett Medical Center and GGC’s nursing program and served on the Finance and Audit Committee. He retired as president and CEO of Gwinnett Medical Center.

Attending the GGC Foundation Board of Trustees’ June hybrid meeting in person were George Low, Perry Taylor, Glenn White, Norberto Sanchez, Norwood Davis, Don Balfour, Jose Perez, Bartow Morgan, Terri Jondahl, Lee Tucker, Ron Garrard, Phil Wolfe, Sasha Ruiz and Jennifer Hendrickson.

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College News

Grizzlies Celebrate Championship Spring

Members of the GGC baseball team celebrate their 2021 Avista NAIA World Series Championship – the team’s first national title. Photo by August Frank/Lewiston Tribune.

The Grizzlies have now captured 14 NAIA national championships since their inaugural 2012-13 season.

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hree more national championship trophies now stand in GGC Athletics’ expanding trophy case after success on the tennis courts and baseball diamond capped a challenging 2021 season.

While it has been customary for the men’s and women’s tennis teams to bring home national titles each May, the baseball team captured its first national championship with a clean sweep at the 2021 Avista

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National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) World Series in June.

Softball, women’s soccer and baseball all competed in their NAIA national tournaments after earning Association of Independent Institutions conference tournament titles. Men’s soccer hosted a NAIA Opening Round, and all six teams were nationally ranked throughout the season.

26 doubles, 89 runs scored, and 89 runs batted in (RBI). His 18 home runs set a single-season school record.

GGC’s tennis teams also celebrated national championship efforts – the seventh straight title for the men’s team and the sixth title for the women, their fifth consecutively.

The baseball team came into the World Series in Lewiston, Idaho, as the No. 5 seed among 10 finalists. The Grizzlies outscored opponents by a 52-30 margin, defeating the Nos. 1-, 2- (twice), 4- and 6-seeded teams.

An 8-4 victory over Central Methodist University of Missouri completed the climb to the summit.

“This championship took a total team effort from everybody on the field and in the dugout. They had an unbreakable bond that was revealed in everything they did this season,” said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger. “I had a front row seat to watch the best college baseball team in the country play.”

The Grizzlies hit nine home runs across the five World Series games to capture the title in their first championship round appearance. The program had been a semifinalist in 2019 and 2018.

Starting pitcher Hunter Dollander, ’21, exercise science, completed his collegiate career by striking out nine batters and scattering five hits across seven innings in the championship game. He was named the World Series’ Most Valuable Player, ending the season with a 12-1 record and his GGC career, 28-2.

“It is surreal to end my career as a national champion. Everybody trusted me to get the job done. I just wanted to go out and compete to give my team a chance,” said Dollander.

The team had a collective .367 batting average, with eight players hitting .342 or higher. Griffin Keller, ’21, business, led the way with a .469 batting average,

“The men’s seven-peat is incredible, and to increase our winning streak to 147 straight matches makes it even better,” said Head Coach Chase Hodges.

“Meanwhile, our women’s team continues finding ways to win matches. The championship match was a hard-fought win, and I’m super proud of the players’ efforts to support the team.”

Both teams defeated Keiser University of Florida to capture their titles at the Mobile Alabama Tennis Center in Alabama, with the men winning 4-1 and the women coming back for a 4-2 victory.

Luis Gomar, ’24, business, held serve and clinched the title with a 6-4, 6-4 win.

“I have dreamed about this final match, but it was so much better in reality,” said Gomar. “I played each point today for everyone who is and ever has been a Grizzly tennis player. We’re a family and have a strong connection. It was a team effort.”

Meanwhile, the women’s team battled back from a 1-0 doubles point deficit to win its national title.

Iryna Lysykh, ’24, information technology, won her first six games to tie the match.

A victory by Marta Maestro, ’24, psychology, put the Grizzlies on the brink of the championship, and another freshman, Ale Ferrer, ’24, criminal justice/criminology, rebounded after dropping her first set 6-3 to claim the next two by 6-2 and 6-1 to capture the title.

Lysykh was named the championship tournament's most outstanding player.

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Leadership

GGC Reaffirms its Commitment to Inclusivity 18

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or the last seven years, Georgia Gwinnett College has been named the most ethnically diverse Southern regional college by U.S. News & World Report magazine.

It is a distinction of which campus leaders have been particularly proud, as it reflects the rich diversity of Gwinnett County and the greater Atlanta region.

In addition, GGC usually enrolls students from about 120 nations and a majority of U.S. states.

The resulting rich kaleidoscope of races, ethnicities and backgrounds enriches the educational experience and enhances students’ preparation for careers in the global workforce.

However, after national social unrest following the death of George Floyd, Dr. Jann L. Joseph, GGC’s president, reached out to reassure the campus community.

“As we look to build and move forward, the campus as a whole has to be involved in a renewed commitment to our inclusive environment. That includes everyone,” Joseph said in a letter cosigned by 23 members of GGC’s leadership.

“We cannot necessarily control what happens in the world, but we can and will control what happens on our campus, in our classrooms, and in the interactions that take place between students, faculty, and staff,” she said.

“To everyone who may feel targeted, or undervalued, or hated, based on nothing more than the color of your skin, your disability, your national origin, or anything else that makes you ‘different,’ remember that your GGC family values you and appreciates you for who you are.”

Jarmon DeSadier, executive director of Diversity and Equity Compliance, also knew he had to do something to support inclusivity at GGC in the midst of what felt like a more divided world. He wanted the campus community to know that “difference” doesn’t equal “division.”

DeSadier worked with his team to create the One GGC campaign, an initiative designed to bring the campus community together and reaffirm its open, inclusive, welcoming environment.

“Everything we do at GGC that relates to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) works toward that common goal of communicating that we’re one GGC in everything we do,” he said, noting that diversity extends beyond what one can see.

I am different.

I am GGC. You are different.

You are GGC. We are all different.

We are One GGC. “DEI goes well beyond race. We want to promote understanding, acceptance and belonging,” he said.

“We want members of our campus community to know they belong – that they’re accepted. We want people outside of campus to know that GGC will embrace them for who they are.”

To launch the One GGC initiative earlier this year, the college released a video celebrating the differences of the GGC family. It may be viewed at www.ggc.edu/ OneGGC. DeSadler’s office created a Diversity Advisory Council (DAC), which includes 30 employees from across the college. Many work directly with students and can gather their input.

Other One GGC activities include continued establishment of community partnerships, expansion of campus training and courses, GGC’s first DEI campus climate survey and enhanced communication with internal and external stakeholders.

Even with these efforts in place, DeSadier said DEI is an ongoing process with constant evaluation.

“We have to constantly work at it and be open to alter – and even reinvent – our efforts to meet the changing needs of our campus,” he said. “In fact, that’s what we ultimately do as a college. We meet changing needs.”

Check out a video celebrating the differences of the GGC family at www.ggc.edu/OneGGC

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Advancing GGC

AlumniPlans Board for the

Future

Sasha Ruiz, GGC Alumni Board chair

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he GGC Alumni Association Board has been busy lately – adding new members, expanding its reach into other states, and completing a 10-year strategic plan.

“We are proud to welcome several new board members who have wealth of experience and skills,” said Sasha Ruiz, ’11, business, who serves as board chair. “They also expand our reach geographically, representing Colorado, Delaware and Massachusetts, which is reflective of how our alumni population has spread well beyond Georgia.”

The new members include James Durden, ’18, Tyler Fasnacht, ’18, Ashley Flagg, ’17, Ashley Forrester, ’20, Michael Griffin, ’16, Cole Hembree, ’19, Jonathan MacFarlane, ’16, Iram Mehal, ’14, Shalaya Morissette, ’12, Janaki Patel, ’19, Crystalynn Rodriguez, ’16, and Michelle Samson, ’19.

“We are excited to begin working toward implementing our strategic plan, which forms a detailed framework for the next decade,” said Ruiz. “Together, we will bring a mature focus on fulfilling our commitment to providing meaningful activities and services for the Grizzly family as it continues to grow and spread across the nation and world.”

Alumni are encouraged to connect with board members and each other on NetworkGGC.com.

“We look forward to our alumni’s support and participation in helping us make their Alumni Association successful,” Ruiz said.

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engage.ggc.edu

The GG C Associa Alumni t is comm ion itted to :

• Alignm ent with the deve of the c lopmen ollege, t strateg y • Contin uous rev ie w , assessm and exp ent, cha erimenta nge tion, • Buildin g partne rships w commu ith its bu nity con siness a stituents nd , • Engag ing the fa culty an the Alum d staff in ni Assoc furtherin iation’s g strategic • Innov atively in plan, te g rating te outreac chnolog h and en y into gageme nt activit • Divers ies, ity and b uilding a environm n inclusiv ent that e reflects our alum • Being the com ni, munity our alum of choic ni, and e to sup port • Provid ing a su p portive that enc alumni e ompass nvironm es involv ent commu ement, o nication pen s , a spirit o pride in f collegia GGC, loy lity and alty via and an a continue ppropria d giving te recog , nition sy stem.

The Gallery

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Office of Public Relations 1000 University Center Lane Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043

Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) provides access to targeted baccalaureate- and associate-level degrees meeting the economic development needs of the growing and diverse population of Gwinnett County and the northeast metropolitan Atlanta region.

GGC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404.679.4500 for questions about the accreditation of Georgia Gwinnett College. Visit www.ggc.edu.

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