The Red & Black | May 15, 2024

‘Glory, glory’

Andy Mathis

Excitement and anticipation filled the air on Friday, May 10 as friends and family from all over came to support their Bulldog graduates. More than 6,000 undergraduates gathered at the University of Georgia’s Sanford Stadium to mark the culmination of their academic journeys. Known as the high school class that graduated in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these college seniors experienced their first graduation ever on Friday night.

A total of 6,627 undergraduate students met requirements to graduate. An additional 1,691 graduate students participated in their ceremony on May 9 at Stegeman Coliseum, with a total of 8,318 students eligible for graduation this spring.

UGA Air Force ROTC Cadets kicked off the ceremony with a Presentation of the Colors. This was followed by a performance of the national anthem sung by Samantha Mishima Friedman, a doctoral student of musical arts in vocal performance student at UGA, who also graduated soon after her performance.

Lindsay Atkinson, the lead associate director for the UGA Wesley Foundation, led the ceremony’s invocation before University President Jere W. Morehead congratulated graduates himself.

“We come from various faiths and spiritual traditions to honor the hard work and accomplishments of our graduates,” Atkinson said.

The university then honored the academic excellence of 127 students who were designated as First Honor Graduates, having maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout their coursework at UGA. Afterward, students graduating summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude, who kept a GPA of 3.9 or higher, 3.75-3.89 and 3.6-3.74, respectively, were recognized for their accomplishments.

Trent Nesbit, who earned his bachelor’s degree in economics on Friday and is a former Clarke Central High School graduate, was chosen by his peers to be the student speaker for the evening. Nesbit reflected on the challenges and triumphs faced by the class of 2024, their struggles through COVID-19 and how they came out the other side “a little stronger and a little wealthier” – with a College Football Playoff National Championship to show for the first time in 40 years.

Nesbit left the class of 2024 with three pieces of advice: be rich, be lucky and be a Dawg. He said that nothing is more important than your relationship with others. He emphasized taking risks to set up future success and be a team player.

“Thank you for making Athens the best hometown anyone could ever dream of,” Nesbit said. “Thank you for being some damn good Bulldogs.”

The ceremony’s commencement address came from tentime Olympic medalist and Georgia alum Allison Schmitt. Schmitt graduated from Georgia in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and later earned a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University. However, she is most renowned for her Olympic triumphs and advocacy for mental health.

“The journey is well worth it if you embrace it with an

open mind and an open heart. In finding your reason why, you ultimately discover your truest self,” Schmitt said. “With empathy and compassion, you will be kind to yourself, you will lead by example, you will embrace failure and you will find your why.”

She also referenced her time at Georgia, how it helped shape her and what it means to be a Bulldog. She challenged graduates to be kinder to themselves and to those around them and go out into the world with a mindset that it’s okay to fail. She ended her speech by “calling the Dawgs.”

Shortly after, Madelynn Elizabeth Alexander, who majored in music therapy at UGA, performed “Georgia on My Mind,” a tradition at Georgia commencement ceremonies. The UGA Jazz Ensemble I and UGA Faculty Jazz Quintet also contributed live performances throughout the graduation ceremony.

President Morehead spoke throughout the ceremony as well, congratulating and thanking graduates for all their hard work and accomplishments during their time at UGA.

He recognized the UGA faculty and staff as well as the family members and friends who made the occasion possible.

“To our graduates, you represent tangible and inspiring evidence of the wisdom and foresight of those who drafted the charter of the University of Georgia,” Morehead said. “You leave here this evening as the next generation of leaders of our state, nation and world.”

Morehead also acknowledged the deaths of both Morgan Delaney and Birkley Heynen, who would have graduated during the ceremony. Morehead asked all in attendance to hold a moment of silence in their honor. Both the faculty and President Morehead awarded Delaney and Heynen their degrees posthumously.

C. Lee Zell, the 78th president of the UGA Alumni Association, then welcomed graduates to the alumni family, which is now more than 355,000 alumni strong and has more than 80 chapters across the country.

The height of the ceremony arrived when the much-awaited conferral of degrees finally took place. Morehead awarded the degrees following the historical order in which UGA’s colleges and schools were founded. Each college’s dean introduced the graduates. Morehead then led them to move their tassels from the right side of their cap to the left, and they officially joined the vast network of alumni.

As the ceremony concluded, the sky lit up with fireworks while the melody of the Georgia Alma Mater filled Sanford Stadium. Graduates embraced, savoring the special moments together before venturing forth to uphold the Bulldog legacy around the world.

“Whatever your future holds for you, your time here has prepared you for life and citizenship,” Morehead said to the new class of Bulldog graduates.

A graduate smiles on Friday, May 10 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.

PHOTO/LANEY MARTIN

Scenes from the University of Georgia’s Spring 2024

Friday, May 10 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. PHOTO/LANEY MARTIN

Two graduates hug on Friday, May 10 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. PHOTO/LANEY MARTIN

Graduates smile on Friday, May 10 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. PHOTO/LANEY MARTIN

A graduate yells on Friday, May 10 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. PHOTO/LANEY MARTIN

A graduate wipes a tear on Friday, May 10 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.

PHOTO/LANEY MARTIN

Words of wisdom

Olympic swimmer and student speaker address graduates at Commencement

At the University of Georgia’s 2024 Spring undergraduate Commencement ceremony, Olympic swimmer Allison Schmitt and UGA student Trent Nesbit delivered speeches to the newest graduating class.

Schmitt is one of the most decorated Olympians of all time, with 10 Olympic medals in swimming. She debuted her Olympic career at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, swam in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and graduated from UGA with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2013. After her graduation, she participated in the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics.

When UGA approached Schmitt with the opportunity to speak at the spring commencement ceremony, Schmitt said she was shocked and honored.

“I’m through the roof with excitement,” Schmitt said. “Georgia [is] home, and once you are a Bulldog, you’re always a Bulldog. I always bleed red and black so to be able to come back and speak in front of the graduating class is such an honor.”

Schmitt has set herself apart from other athletes by excelling not only in the pool, but also by advocating for mental health. Schmitt has used her education and her professional-athletic experience to deliver motivational speeches across the country. Schmitt said her commencement speech was different than any she has ever given.

“I still get to share my lessons and my journey, but it’s in a different way because it’s for the graduates, and it’s all about them on that day,” Schmitt said.

Kat Niemann, the president of UGA club swim, graduated on Friday, May 10 with a degree in interior design and a minor in landscape architecture. Niemann said that if she could have chosen any commencement speaker for her graduation ceremony, she would have chosen Schmitt.

When Niemann was 12 years old, she attended “Swim Across America,” a charity swim event that raises money for childhood cancer care. It was at this event that Niemann first met Schmitt, who signed her swim cap and took a photo with her. Niemann hung the cap up in her childhood bedroom until her senior year of high school.

“This [is] the most full circle moment of my entire life,”

Niemann said. “When I heard she was going to be our speaker [at graduation], I knew I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

Swimming has become a huge part of Niemann’s life through participating in UGA club swim and her time as the club’s president in her senior year. She said that she expected Schmitt’s speech to not only apply to swimmers, but the class of 2024 as a whole.

“She has so much wisdom and knowledge,” Niemann said. “Her speech will also translate to everyone else in that stadium. It doesn’t just have to be in the pool, but also be with schoolwork and everything.”

Schmitt was not the only one delivering words of wisdom to the latest UGA alumni on Friday.

Every year, the Student Government Association chooses a student speaker from a group of applicants. This year, SGA selected Trent Nesbit, a senior graduating with a degree in economics from the Terry College of Business. Nesbit’s promotional football videos grace the big screen at Sanford Stadium every Saturday during football season, and on Friday, Nesbit addressed his peers as they graduated on the very same field.

“I grew up here in Athens, I care so much about the city and all the people and UGA,” Nesbit said. “I thought [speaking at graduation] would be a really cool way to leave Athens because this place means so much to me, so I just went for it.”

Nesbit’s father, Ryan Nesbit, is UGA’s vice president for finance and administration. Trent Nesbit’s roots in Athens run deep, and he began his videography endeavors in collaboration with his high school football team: the Clarke Central Gladiators. The hype videos have elevated the school’s spirit as well as the team itself, securing extra funding for the team. Trent Nesbit worked his way up to video assistant for the UGA football media team during his senior year at UGA.

Above all, Trent Nesbit said he has learned the importance of relationships and the beauty of taking risks during his time at UGA.

“[Taking risks] is how the football thing happened for me, that’s how the speech happened for me,” Trent Nesbit said. “I was thinking there’s no way I’ll be able to do this, but I’m gonna try.”

An unprecedented class 4 things that make the class of 2024 unique

As the class of 2024 embarks on their post-graduate

help but reflect on the experiences

reasons

1. Starting college in the face of adversity

Unlike any class before them, the class of 2024 started their college journey amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While other classes had their college years interrupted, the class of 2024 was the only class to begin college in such uncertainty. For many students who graduated high school in 2020, their college graduation will be the first that they experience, after festivities were canceled due to public health concerns four years ago.

These students displayed remarkable resilience and adaptability during their freshman year of college — from virtual orientations to socially distanced gatherings, they navigated the challenges of entering adulthood with grace and determination. Freshmen in 2020 had to form bonds with other students and find their place on campus in a setting where face-to-face interaction was highly restricted. Despite these obstacles, the class of 2024 made it through a mainly virtual first year of college, overcoming a particularly difficult introduction to college life.

2. Champions on campus

The class of 2024 entered UGA during a remarkable period of athletic triumph. The student body rallied behind the football team as they earned not just one, but two national championship titles. Although the team did not maintain this winning streak during the 2023 football season, they finished at No. 6 in the final College Football Playoff rankings. The team’s dominance not only united the campus community but also anchored students in UGA’s history

as witnesses to an incredible period for the university’s athletics. Students during this time of athletic victory will reflect on the games, celebrations and pride years down the road, as only a few classes were here for the back-to-back championship wins.

3. Entering a challenging job market

According to NBC News, employers added 175,000 jobs in April 2024, which was below analysts’ expectations and a sign that hiring is slowing down across the economy. However, an abundance of jobs were created in industries such as health care, retail, transportation and the warehousing sector — industries where a college degree is not always necessary. In the wake of the pandemic and economic uncertainty, the class of 2024 could face further challenges as they embark on their career journeys.

4. Dealing with loss

In February, the UGA community grieved the death of two of its members. Laken Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University, was killed on campus, and freshman Wyatt Banks died that same week. The UGA community took a hard hit during this month and even months after. As Riley’s death became a topic of national discussion and political debate, and as concerns of safety grew on campus, the class of 2024 was confronted with grief, tragedy and fear. In light of the events of this semester, and other student deaths over the class of 2024’s time in college, the UGA community has repeatedly come together to find strength and comfort in times of loss.

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Olympic swimmer Allison Schmitt speaks at the undergraduate Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 10 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. PHOTO/LANEY MARTIN

Ella Jones

Scenes from the undergraduate Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 10 at Sanford Stadium. PHOTO/LANEY MARTIN

Jesse Wood

Trent Nesbit, an economics major, speaks at the undergraduate Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 10 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. PHOTO/LANEY MARTIN

The lost year Class

of 2024 is final class with extra COVID eligibility

Bo Underwood

When the graduating class of 2024 first arrived at the University of Georgia, the campus was a shell of its former self. Classes were held almost exclusively online. Dining halls were mainly serving food to-go. Businesses around Athens were closed. It wasn’t a normal college town.

The reason for that was, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. A striking example of the pandemic’s magnitude on culture in America was the effect that it had on the country’s sports scene. Football stadiums, normally packed to the brim with fans once early September rolled around, were instead empty, had heavily limited capacity or were filled with cardboard cutouts.

Things became more difficult for athletic programs. Georgia football had several players in and out of spring drills because of outbreaks among the team. It became nearly impossible to recruit players the traditional way. Head coach Kirby Smart and his staff received homemade workout videos from recruits — including future All-American and Napa, California native Brock Bowers — since they were unable to visit them in person.

“There’s no magic potion,” Smart said in May 2020. “There’s nobody doing something magically that everybody else isn’t doing. We’re jumping on Zoom. We’re communicating with parents, coaches and recruits. We’re doing everything virtually and that’s really the best we can do.”

The 2020 season was atypical. The football season was kept to conference games only. The men’s and women’s basketball tournaments were held in either Indiana or San Antonio, Texas, respectively, for the first time ever. College sports as a whole just didn’t look the same.

The NCAA’s solution came in the form of an extra chance for the student-athletes affected by the pandemic. In 2020, the NCAA announced that athletes who played during the season could extend their college eligibility by a year. This protected athletes’ eligibility and allowed them to stay for a fifth year to make up for lost time during the pandemic.

That rule only applied to athletes who were playing

Of course there’s things I want to accomplish by myself and I want to see this team accomplish. Those things [were] a big reason why I came back.

TATE RATLEDGE | GEORGIA OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

during that season. The class of 2024, who were college freshmen in 2020, are the last ones remaining from an ancient time of Zoom meetings and empty football stadiums.

Georgia football has a handful of players from the 2020 class taking advantage of their COVID year. Offensive lineman Tate Ratledge is returning for his fifth season as a Bulldog after Georgia’s deflating conference championship loss to Alabama derailed its playoff hopes. Defensive linemen Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson are also using their COVID eligibility to return for a fifth year in 2024.

“I think there was a bad taste in our mouth after last year,” Ratledge said. “Of course there’s things I want to accomplish by myself and I want to see this team accomplish. Those things [were] a big reason why I came back.”

The remnants from the 2020 class are joined by players like Xavier Truss and Dan Jackson, who are returning for their sixth seasons thanks to an extra year of COVID eligibility. Georgia has several key athletes from other sports returning in 2024 via the COVID year. The soccer team’s Hannah White and Tori Penn are both coming back for their sixth and fifth seasons respectively.

Last year, White made the Southeastern Conference All-Tournament team and Penn made the game-winning assist to beat Texas A&M in the conference tournament semifinals. Georgia went on to win the entire tournament.

Three Georgia football players are returning for their fifth season, which was an extra year of eligibility to make up for the 2020 season, a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Volleyball’s Sophie Fisher, the reigning SEC player of the year, is also returning for her fifth year. It’s easy to forget how much the pandemic affected so many aspects of life not too long ago. Georgia Athletics won two football national championships since then, an equestrian national championship, an individual tennis championship and a host of other conference championships. It’s been an incredible period of prosperity for Bulldog fans. After this year, though, Georgia athletics will lose its last few players who remember a very different time.

Georgia defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse high-fives fans at the Dawg Walk on Saturday, April 15, 2023. PHOTO/JESSICA LIN

Congratulations from The Red & Black

CLASS OF 2024

Brooke Bell Blake Campbell

Alexis Derickson

Martina Bessert Tee Dickinson Stephen Goodyear

Katie Hughes

Haley Joffre

Nikita Kondla

Andrew Krajec

Sophia Ralph

Nava Rawls

K.P. Regan

Dawn Sawyer

Jay Shurbutt

Alyssa Spencer

Alice Ware Owen Warden

Lucinda Warnke