University of Georgia Magazine Spring 2024

THE MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

SPRING 2024

AIEverywhere is

Advancing UGA research from outer space to ocean depths

HARRIS ENGLISH

PGA Tour Professional & UGA Alum

DOWNTOWN ATHENS • 146 E. Clayton Street OnwardReserve.com

Authentically Athens ™

BRENDON TODD

PGA Tour Professional & UGA Alum

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CONTENTS

UGA shells out best practices for coastal ecotourism, p. 16.

THE MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA SPRING 2024

INSIDE 5

The President’s Pen

7

UGA to Z

President Jere W. Morehead discusses UGA’s Rhodes Scholars.

Highlights from across the UGA community.

36 On the Bulldog Beat

For more than 50 years, the International Coffee Hour has been serving up hot beverages to generations of UGA students.

38 Bulldog Bulletin

News for UGA alumni in Georgia, across the country, and around the world.

40 Class Notes

UGA alumni are making their marks at internationally respected brands like National Geographic and Sony Music, as well making their own entrepreneurial way at companies they founded.

56 Faculty Focus

Get to know William D. Lastrapes, Bernard B. and Eugenia A. Ramsey Professor of Private Enterprise, Terry College of Business.

Glass is ubiquitous in research laboratories. See where UGA’s glassware is made and meet the woman behind the flame, p. 24. elisa fontanillas

FEATURES

ON THE COVER

16 Shoring Up Ecotourism

An award-winning UGA program trains ecotour guides to give enriching experiences without disturbing the Georgia coast’s fragile ecosystems.

20 Editorial Stance

Through one-on-one engagement, the student staff in UGA’s Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing are taking some of the stress

cover photo illustration by lindsay robinson

out of preparing those papers.

Data and code are a large

24 Glass Act

part of artificial intelligence across UGA’s campus. As it

UGA’s Scientific Glass Blowing Shop creates one-of-a-kind

moves down the cover, this

glassware and the everyday essentials scientists and students

illustration shows how AI is

need to conduct groundbreaking research.

used in studies from outer space to the deep ocean.

30 AI is Everywhere

Red lines also cross in the background, representing

There is nothing artificial about the University of Georgia’s

the connection and

research and development work in AI. UGA continues to make

movement of data during

strides in this growing frontier.

analysis.

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Feel the Mist HERE IS A SERENE PHOTO OF HERTY FOUNTAIN, one of the iconic spots on North Campus. The fountain isn’t always this calm. First-year students traditionally dive in just as they arrive on campus. Students will take another dip just before they graduate. It’s one of those unwritten, yet beloved, traditions at the University of Georgia.

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SPRING 2024

VOLUME 103

ISSUE NO. 2

GEORGIA MAGAZINE

Editor · Eric Rangus MA ’94 Associate Editors · Aaron Hale MA ’16 and Leigh Hataway MA ’17 Staff Writers · Erica Techo AB ’15 and Jayne Roberts Art Director · Lindsay Robinson ABJ ’06, MPA ’11, MA ’22 Advertising Director · Kipp Mullis ABJ ’93 Photo Editor · Peter Frey BFA ’94 UGA Photographers · Andrew Davis Tucker, Dorothy Kozlowski BLA ’06, ABJ ’10, and Chamberlain Smith ABJ ’18 Contributing Writers · Elizabeth Elmore BBA ’08, ABJ ’08, Clarke Schwabe ABJ ’08, Johnathan McGinty ABJ ’00, Heather Skyler, Alexandra Shimalla MA ’19, and Ireland Hayes AB ’23 Contributing Designers · Andrea Piazza ABJ ’12, MA ’19, Whitney Mathisen, Justin Patton ABJ ’15, and Amy Gunby BFA ’20 Editorial Interns · Navya Shukla, Cassidy Hettesheimer, and Caroline Kostuch Design Intern · Elisa Fontanillas

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Vice President · Kathy Pharr ABJ ’87, MPA ’05, EdD ’11 Senior Director for Integrated Media Communications · James Hataway MA ’10 Senior Executive Director for Operations & Fiscal Affairs · Fran Burke Project Manager · Brittney Wurdeman

ADMINISTRATION

President · Jere W. Morehead JD ’80 Senior VP for Academic Affairs & Provost · S. Jack Hu VP for Finance & Administration · Ryan Nesbit MBA ’91 VP for Development & Alumni Relations · Jill S. Walton BSA ’99, MPA ’03 VP for Instruction · Marisa Anne Pagnattaro PhD ’98 VP for Research · Karen J. L. Burg VP for Public Service & Outreach · Jennifer Frum PhD ’09 VP for Student Affairs · Michelle Cook VP for Government Relations · Kevin Abernathy AB ’99 VP for Information Technology · Timothy M. Chester

Change your mailing address by contacting e: records@uga.edu or ph: 888-268-5442 Find Georgia Magazine online at news.uga.edu/georgia-magazine Submit Class Notes or story ideas to gmeditor@uga.edu ADVERTISE in Georgia Magazine by contacting

Kipp Mullis at e: gmsales@uga.edu or ph: 706-542-9877 FINE PRINT

Georgia Magazine (issn 1085-1042) is published quarterly for alumni and friends of UGA. POSTMASTER | Send address changes to: University of Georgia 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North Athens, GA 30602 andrew davis tucker

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The University of Georgia does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or military service in its administrations of educational policies, programs, or activities; its admissions policies; scholarship and loan programs; athletic or other University-administered programs; or employment.

Inquiries or complaints should be directed to the Equal Opportunity Office 278 Brooks Hall, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602. Telephone 706-542-7912 (V/TDD). Fax 706-542-2822. https://eoo.uga.edu/

THE PRESIDENT’S PEN

A Remarkable Rhodes Record

UGA’s world-class learning environment fosters exceptional achievement University of Georgia students routinely win the nation’s most prominent awards and scholarships, such as the Fulbright, Goldwater, Truman, Udall, and Boren. They have performed particularly well competing for the world’s oldest and most celebrated international award: the Rhodes. Established in 1902, the Rhodes Scholarship funds postgraduate study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom in a wide range of fields. Rhodes Scholars are chosen for their intellectual distinction, their concern for others, their energy to lead, and their commitment to public service. The University of Georgia is proud to count 28 Bulldog students and alumni among this extraordinary community of international scholars.

“The University of Georgia’s remarkable record of Rhodes Scholars reflects our institution’s focus on preparing students to realize their greatest ambitions.”

UGA’s first Rhodes Scholar dates back to 1904, the first year the competition was open to students in the United States. Most recently, and for the fourth time in our institution’s history, UGA had back-to-back Rhodes Scholars in 2023 and 2024. The University of Georgia was the only school in the Southeastern Conference and one of only five public universities in the United States, in addition to the nation’s service academies, to have a Rhodes recipient this year. What makes the University of Georgia so competitive for the Rhodes? Our world-class learning environment — including experiential learning opportunities, support from dedicated faculty and staff, and amazing students.

UGA attracts some of the best and brightest students in the nation, thanks to our reputation for innovative education and scholarship programs such as the Foundation Fellowship. Once here, students can conduct research starting their first semester; build professional knowledge in their field through internships; expand their global awareness through Language Flagship programs and travel-study; develop close mentoring relationships with faculty; and gain inspiration from the numerous lectures, performances, and other events taking place on our campus every day.

The University of Georgia’s remarkable record of Rhodes Scholars reflects our institution’s focus on preparing students to realize their greatest ambitions. UGA’s Rhodes Scholars have gone on to become leaders in medicine, law, science, and other fields while working at renowned organizations ranging from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to the CIA and the World Bank. Their exceptional achievements are vivid illustrations of UGA’s unwavering commitment to our students and to making a positive impact on the world.

Jere W. Morehead President

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2024 BULLDOG 100

TOP TEN 1. ALTERA INVESTMENTS

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2. JETSET WORLD TRAVEL

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SEE THE FULL 2024 LIST + NOMINATE A BUSINESS FOR THE 2025 BULLDOG 100

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UGA Z to

Highlights from across the UGA community

FLY THE FL AG

UGA a National Leader in Study Abroad Participation UGA ranked No. 6 overall in student study abroad participation and No. 3 for short-term study abroad program participation among U.S. doctoral institutions according to a 2023 report from Open Doors. The report was compiled by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the Institute of International Education.

A total of 2,324 UGA students studied across 72 countries. More than $580,000 in scholarships was awarded to students for their international experiences by UGA’s Office of Global Engagement.

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UGAtotoZ Z UGA SCHOL ASTIC SUPERSTARS

Two UGA Students Awarded International Scholarships RHODES SCHOLAR Mariah Cady, Midland, GA Majors: Russian, International Affairs Minors: German, Geography, TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

Selected from a pool of more than 4,000 applicants, Ashni Patel is the eighth student from UGA to receive the Schwarzman scholarship, which she will use to pursue a one-year master’s degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University in o ro Beijing in the fall. th y ko zlo At UGA, Patel is a Security Leadership wsk i Program Fellow with the Center for International Trade and Security, a UGA Foundation Fellow, and a teaching assistant and peer mentor for first-year Honors students.

Last spring, she interned with the U.S. Department of State through UGA’s Washington Semester Program.

As a Schwarzman Scholar, Patel will examine China’s approach to diplomacy and development in the Indo-Pacific and Africa, continuing her undergraduate focus on connecting people, strengthening communities, and protecting the vulnerable through advocacy, diplomacy, and policymaking.

Patel wants to understand how the United States and China can work as partners in conflict mediation and stabilization, and she plans to eventually pursue a career as a U.S. Foreign Service officer with the U.S. Department of State.

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Mariah Cady is one of 32 students nationwide and the only student from an SEC school to earn the prestigious 2024 Rhodes scholarship.

Cady is a Morehead Honors College student, a UGA Foundation sp Fellow, and a Security Leadership ec ial Program fellow in UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs. Her research covers regional and international issues such as refugee crises and settlement, the balance of regional and national identities in southern Germany, the Russian diaspora, and the treatment of indigenous tribes.

From April through September, she studied in Germany on an international student exchange. This academic year, she is in Kazakhstan as a part of the UGA Russian Flagship Program.

As a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, Cady plans to pursue master’s degrees in linguistics, philology, and phonetics, as well as refugee and forced migration studies, exploring how governments can enhance refugee settlement policies.

SCHWARZMAN SCHOLAR Ashni Patel, Douglas, GA Majors: International Affairs, Economics Minor: Chinese Language and Literature

GIF T OF THE ART

Georgia Museum of Art Receives Largest Ever Grant The Georgia Museum of Art recently received a $1,085,000 grant from the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation to reimagine and reinstall the museum’s permanent collection galleries. It is the largest single gift in the museum’s history.

“The foundation’s investment in the museum will enable us to think deeply and broadly about contemporary art and museum practice and to act boldly to implement researchbased, meaningful change in the galleries,” says museum director David Odo. The grant will fund new acquisitions of contemporary art to be installed in the galleries alongside the museum’s existing collection. A portion of the grant also will extend the museum’s work with UGA students.

The Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation’s grant is nearly $1.1 million. special

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UGA to Z COMMON INTERESTS

U.S. Senators Visit UGA to Talk Political Civility

dorothy kozlowski

DEGREES OF SUCCESS

Fall Commencement Celebrates Nearly 3,000 New Grads UGA’s annual Fall Commencement celebrated the 2,966 students—1,626 undergraduates and 1,340 graduate students— who met the requirements to call themselves alumni of the University of Georgia.

Harold Alonza Black BBA ’66, the first African American man to enroll as a freshman and complete his undergraduate degree at UGA, delivered the keynote address at the Dec. 15 ceremony. His granddaughter Haley Rose BBA ’23, BSEd ’23 was among the happy graduates.

Black, an emeritus professor of finance at the University of Tennessee, shared some advice that came from his parents, encouraging the graduates to focus on their objectives and shut out the other noise.

“Work hard. Find your limits, and then go find someone to help you get past them,” he said.

In 2022, the university honored Black and two other African American graduates—Mary Blackwell Diallo AB ’66, MA ’73 and Kerry Rushin Miller BS ’66, who also entered as freshmen and earned their degrees at UGA—by naming its newest residence hall, Black-Diallo-Miller Hall, for them.

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The conversation between Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (left) and former Republican Sen. Roy Blunt was civil. The duo visited the UGA Chapel in November to honor the legacy of the late Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson and his dedication to communicating with respect.

To honor the legacy of the late Sen. Johnny Isakson BBA ’66 (R-GA), UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs hosted Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and former Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) for a symposium on bipartisan government problemsolving.

Moderated by SPIA Dean and Arch Professor Matthew Auer, the inaugural Johnny Isakson Symposium on Political Civility took place on Nov. 10 in UGA’s Chapel. The two leaders discussed Isakson’s impact on the Senate and their perspectives on bipartisanship.

“It takes a bipartisan approach to get most things done,” said Blunt, who served as chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee and Senate Rules Committee during his 12 years in the Senate. “In fact, if you miss that opportunity, you really create a great target for one side if you can’t get anybody else on the other side to work with you.”

To celebrate Isakson’s legacy of statesmanship, SPIA created the Johnny Isakson Legacy Fund to support programs and scholarships that advance political civility and encourage common-interest problemsolving. Isakson died in December 2021.

“When I got [to the Senate], I found out that there were more people working against each other than there were working with each other. So I was looking for respite, and I found Johnny Isakson,” said Manchin, who announced his retirement from the Senate one day before appearing in Athens. He is currently chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

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UGAtotoZZ UGA

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ADVANCING AGRICULTURE

LEGAL TENDER

Ribbon Cut for New Poultry Science Building

School of Law Tops Value Ranking

A new $54.1M Poultry Science Building on South Campus is supporting the next generation of students, scientists, and leaders in Georgia’s booming poultry industry.

The 70,000-square-foot facility opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in October, thanks to the support of state funds and private donors. It’s now home to the Department of Poultry Science in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and features laboratories, meeting spaces, and classrooms—all furnished with the latest technology.

Gov. Brian Kemp BSA ’87, who attended the ribbon-cutting, said the poultry industry has become an essential part of Georgia’s economic success thanks to UGA’s work with poultry producers.

“To secure that continued success,” Kemp said, “our state and this university have invested in this new facility that will serve as a home to cutting-edge advancements for both agriculture and poultry science.”

MUSICAL CELEBRATION

PAC Hosts Local Students for World Music Performances On Nov. 1, the Grammy-nominated ensemble Mariachi Sol de Mexico headlined on-campus festivities to celebrate Día de los Muertos. Nearly 875 elementary and middle school students from across the area packed the Performing Arts Center for the show.

Mariachi del Sol played music from across Mexico and spoke about the significance of the holiday, which is celebrated by many people of Mexican heritage to honor deceased family members.

The concert was part of the Piedmont Athens Regional Performances for Young People series. Seven performances hosted by the Performing Arts Center on weekdays across the 2023-24 school year bring local students to watch musical groups from around theworld. The next show, slated for March 1, features the five-time Grammy-winning choral group from South Africa, Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

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For the fourth time in six years, the University of Georgia School of Law has been named the nation’s best value in legal education as l ci a ranked by National Jurist. spe Metrics that contributed to this success include: • The lowest tuition and fees among the top 20 law schools ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

• A 95% employment rate for full-time, long-term, barpassed required jobs within 10 months of graduating for the class of 2022.

• A nearly 99% bar passage rate for class of 2020.

• A perfect record of first-generation college graduates and veterans receiving aid.

School of Law Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge says that a worldclass, affordable law degree allows students to “pursue legal careers based on their passions, not their wallets.”

“This professional freedom has the power to make them better legal leaders and to maximize their contributions to state and society,” he says.

Mariachi del Sol was one of seven music and dance acts to grace the Performing Arts Center stage in 2023-24 as part of a series geared toward local schoolchildren.

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UGA to Z DAMN GOOD DAWG

Remembering Uga X Former University of Georgia mascot Uga X died peacefully at his home in Savannah on Jan. 23. He was 10 years old.

Uga X, known as “Que,” retired following the 2022 season as the most decorated of all the Bulldog mascots.

After taking over as the UGA mascot in November 2015, Uga X compiled a record of 91-18, presided over the 2022 and 2023 College Football Playoff national championships, two SEC titles, and seven New Year’s Six bowl appearances.

He passed the torch to his son Uga XI, known as “Boom,” in a collaring ceremony prior to the G-Day spring game in April 2023.

Like all of the Ugas before him, Uga X will be interred in Sanford Stadium.

The Uga line of mascots began in 1956 under the ownership of Frank and Cecelia Seiler. The Seiler family, led by Charles Seiler, has continued its loyal dedication to the mascots for nearly 70 years.

DAWGS OF INVENTION

Two Faculty Join National Academy

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S. Jack Hu, UGA’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, and Holly Sellers MS ’93, PhD ’98, a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, have been elected Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors.

The academy describes Fellows as investigators who “show a spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society.”

In addition to his role as provost, Hu is a UGA Foundation Distinguished Professor of Engineering in the College of Engineering. His research in advanced manufacturing has generated patented technologies that enhance quality and productivity in the automotive industry. He is the inventor or co-inventor of record for 10 U.S. patents and two foreign patents.

Sellers’ research in clinical and molecular virology led to the development of diagnostics and vaccines for combating diseases in poultry. Sellers holds seven U.S. patents, and royalties from her inventions have brought more than $1.6 million to UGA.

Uga X retired in 2023 as the most successful Bulldog mascot in history.

submitted photo

GROWING PROGRAMS

20 Years in, Regenerative Bioscience Center Still Making Strides The Regenerative Bioscience Center is launching a new regenerative bioscience doctoral program, the first in its field in the state of Georgia.

The new degree, along with the regenerative bioscience undergraduate major established in 2022, is advancing research and education in regenerative medicine. Both degrees are offered through the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Doctoral students will investigate areas such as stroke, heart disease, musculoskeletal disease, peter frey Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s, while participating in interdisciplinary training opportunities.

Under the direction of Steven Stice, D.W. Brooks Distinguished Professor and GRA Eminent Scholar, the RBC has overseen 20 years of groundbreaking medical research that led to the formation of biomedical startup companies while preparing students for academic or entrepreneurial bioscience careers.

Those careers are in high demand. Georgia saw a 150% increase in new job creation by bioscience companies in 2022, according to the Georgia Life Sciences Steven Stice, D.W. Brooks Industry Trends and Impacts Distinguished Professor and Report.

GRA Eminent Scholar. andrew davis tucker

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UGAtotoZ Z UGA GET TING THEIR KICKS

Georgia Soccer Wins its First SEC Tournament Title Georgia soccer won its first SEC tournament title in November, upsetting the top-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks 1-0 to lift the tournament trophy for the first time in its 29-year program history.

The Bulldogs then played their way into the NCAA tournament’s round of 16 for the first time since 1998. Their season ended in penalty kicks against No. 1 seed Clemson, who would lose a semifinal match to eventual national champion Florida State.

However, the Bulldogs continued to show progress under second-year head coach Keidane McAlpine, who came to Athens after eight seasons and one national championship at the University of Southern California.

Georgia finished the year 13-4-6. Nicole Vernis and Hannah White tied for the team lead in goals with six, and midfielder Croix Bethune was named to the 2023 United Soccer Coaches All-America Second Team.

In January, Bethune was selected No. 3 overall by the Washington Spirit in the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League draft.

photo courtesy of the sec

QUALITY CONTROL

Clean Water Regulations Miss Key Pollutants

TEN-PEAT

UGA Receives National Diversity Award for 10th Consecutive Year UGA was once again recognized as a leader in higher education for promoting a diverse and welcoming environment. For the 10th consecutive year, Insight into Diversity named UGA a recipient of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award.

The university was one of 109 institutions to receive the 2023 HEED Award. The process to earn the recognition includes a rigorous review of student and employee recruitment, retention of students, and campus culture, among other criteria.

Recent UGA initiatives to bolster diversity and inclusion include the ALL Georgia program, which provides students from rural parts of the state with a network of resources, including leadership and service programs, mentorships, and summer internships.

In addition, UGA partners with leading national organizations to foster inclusivity in the STEM disciplines through programs such as the Peach State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation.

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special

When rivers began catching on fire across the U.S., the government knew it was time to act. So Congress passed the Clean Water Act of 1972.

The act remains the guiding legislation for regulating America’s water quality. But new research from the University of Georgia suggests parts of it may not be working.

Relying on 10 years of data from national waterbody assessments, the study found that Clean Water Act regulations haven’t significantly reduced the amount of nonpoint source nutrient pollution—a catchall term for contamination not discharged from pipes—in America’s waterways.

It includes things like agricultural and residential chemical runoff, bacteria from pet and livestock waste, and chemicals and oil from urban areas.

The Clean Water Act has been massively successful at reducing pollution from specific sources, such as the implementation of wastewater treatment protocols that have greatly reduced sewage pollution. But the regulation of nonpoint source treatment pollution, much of which is voluntary, remains a serious issue.

“The Clean Water Act set incredibly ambitious goals for water quality improvement in the United States,” says Laura Naslund, co-author of the study and a doctoral student in UGA’s Odum School of Ecology. “It said that we want all streams and rivers, all waters of the U.S. to be fishable, drinkable, and swimmable in a little over a decade. We have failed to meet those goals.”

Building a New Century of Success At the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, we have conducted transformational poultry research, instruction and Extension outreach for decades. Our new, state-of-theart Poultry Science Building better equips our students and faculty, the Georgia communities we support, and the nation’s poultry industry for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Use the QR code below to learn more or make a gift.

Donor naming opportunities are still available.

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BULLDOGS GIVE BACK

how a little

BECOMES A LOT

Recurring giving changes students’ lives a few dollars at a time

G

ive 50 bricks to a builder, and they can make part of a wall.

Give them 10 bricks every month, and in a few years, you could have a building. And if 100 people all give five bricks a month, then soon, you could build a second Tate Center.

This is what makes the concept of recurring giving powerful: magnifying private giving’s impact through consistent, widespread donations. Not only does it provide reliable funding for important initiatives at the University of Georgia, it allows any Bulldog to take part in driving significant change for the university and its students. In fiscal year 2023, donors contributed $1.1 million to UGA through recurring gifts that averaged just under $35 per gift.

Recurring giving is the act of making a regular, ongoing donation rather than a one-time gift. For donors, it’s a convenient way to provide sustained support with great cumulative impact through a single action. For nonprofits, it’s a steady revenue stream that doesn’t require repeated solicitation of donors, saving them time and money to focus on their core mission.

Donors can contribute monthly, quarterly, or annually to any UGA fund. In FY23, 3,250 donors supported UGA through recurring gifts, and the university hopes to introduce more people to this convenient style of giving that makes a transformational impact.

In fact, there are fundraising programs on campus solely focused on recurring giving. For instance, The 2005 Society—named for the year the College of Public Health was founded— recognizes donors who make a monthly gift L SPECIA of $20.05 to the college. One of the most prominent UGA recurring giving programs is the “Ten for Terry” program within the Terry College of Business.

The brainchild of the Terry Young Alumni Board, Ten for Terry launched in 2018 to create a pathway for younger donors to support the college. Through gifts of $10 per month or $120 per year, recurring gifts account for roughly $100,000 in annual contributions to the Terry Excellence Fund, supporting academic programs and scholarships for students.

“I choose to give back because I simply would not be where I am today if it weren’t for Terry,” says Muhammad Iqbal BBA ’14 (right).

“Years after graduation, Terry continues to play a critical role in my career.”

The Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication launched its “High Five” program last year, giving L CIA donors a new way to support the college by S PE committing $5 per month or $60 per year to any Grady departmental fund. High Five donors are removing financial barriers to extracurricular learning, supporting internship opportunities, helping fund the purchase of cutting-edge technology, and more.

“There were numerous alumni who were generous with their time, advice, and financial support of the college while I was a student, so I want to continue that generosity and pass the benefits to the next generation of Grady students,” says Brooklyn MacKenzie ABJ ’17 (left). “It’s important to me to ensure that today’s students are set up for success in the same ways that I was.”

BACKGROUND PHOTO BY CHAMBERLAIN SMITH

UGA supporters looking for a convenient, highimpact way to build Georgia’s future can set up recurring donations at GIVE.UGA.EDU/ALWAYSADAWG

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I give back to UGA because the institution gave so much to me.

The community, professional development opportunities and educational experience I had at UGA was second to none. I will do anything I can to give a fellow Dawg the same thing.”

—Kelsey Coffey AB ’20

SP EC

IAL

For the cost of a meal, you can join Ten for Terry and start building your legacy as a contributor to the success of the Terry College of Business. It’s a great opportunity to make a small personal commitment that will result in a significant impact to Terry’s future.” —Clay Huffman BBA ’06, MACC ’07

IT ALL ADDS UP

IAL SPEC

A few dollars may not sound like a lot, but it can quickly become a life-changing amount thanks to the size of the Bulldog Nation.

UGA’s class of 2022 boasted more than 10,000 graduates. If just 5% of that class gave $5 a month, in a year’s time, that group would have given more than the full cost of a year’s attendance for a Georgia undergraduate student ($30,000).

In fiscal year 2023, more than 71,000 donors gave to UGA. If 2% of those donors gave $10 a month, their giving would be enough to pay for meal plans for 35 students for an entire year ($170,000).

The University of Georgia has more than 355,000 living alumni.

If 1% of all the Bulldogs in the world gave $6 a month, the 12-month total would exceed the amount needed to establish an endowed professorship to attract leading educators who will shape generations of Bulldogs ($250,000).

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shoring up ecotourism An award-winning UGA program trains ecotour guides to offer enriching experiences without disturbing fragile ecosystems.

WRITTEN BY AARON HALE MA ’16 PHOTOS BY CHAMBERLAIN SMITH AB ’18

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n a clear sunny day on the Georgia coast, ecotour charter captain Rene Heidt maneuvers her skiff through the hairpin turns of a narrow marsh waterway. Cordgrass reaches overhead, and there’s no building, power line, or cell tower in sight.

This is Jack’s Cut, a winding creek coursing through grassy marshland on Little Tybee Island. Unlike Tybee Island, its better-known big sister to the north, Little Tybee is protected by the state from development.

In these grasses, Heidt points out, a million fiddler crabs per acre feed; shorebirds and diamondback terrapins then eat the crabs. When the creek widens, Heidt, co-owner and a captain for Tybee-based Sundial Charter Tours, steers tour guests to an undisturbed beachhead.

After anchoring the boat, she sets up a tripod-mounted spotting scope. It’s in an ideal location for visitors to view a nearby mudflat, where a revolving cast of birds, including the pink Roseate Spoonbill and the elegant brown Whimbrel might come to eat, rest, and nest.

In this setting, it’s easy to appreciate why the state has done so much to protect its barrier islands from development.

Heidt’s charter company offers ecotours and fossil hunts for visitors looking to experience Georgia’s wild coast. Heidt is a 15-year industry veteran. And much of what she shares on the tours comes from her experiences.

But more recently, a certificate program designed to support ecotour guides like Heidt helped her refine the information she shares with clients and how she takes them through sensitive ecosystems.

The University of Georgia’s Coastal Awareness and Responsible Ecotourism certification program, or CARE program, promotes sustainable water-based tourism on the Georgia coast, including paddle outfitters and charter boat companies.

The program offers up-to-date educational material and training to professionals like Heidt and provides certification that confirms their commitment to preserving the habitats they share with the public. Ultimately, the program works to help sustain tourism on Georgia’s coast, contributing to the state tourism industry’s annual $54 billion economic impact.

Rene Heidt (inset and left) leads a small group on an eco-excursion at Little Tybee Island, an undeveloped beach off Savannah.

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Georgia’s Unique Coast

Why CARE?

“Georgia is a very special place,” says Katie Higgins, a faculty member and educator at UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, a UGA Public Service and Outreach unit based on Skidaway Island.

Higgins helped launch the ecotourism program in 2020 through a partnership with Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, the environmental nonprofit Manomet, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

So what makes the Georgia coast different?

For starters, 11 of Georgia’s 14 barrier islands aren’t connected to the mainland by bridges. And shorelines aren’t as builtup with hotels, roads, and seawalls as in other eastern states.

That lack of development comes with advantages beyond the spectacular, unobstructed views.

Georgia’s barrier islands have the flexibility to weather tropical storms and hurricanes, protecting the mainland from storm surges. It also means that coastal ecosystems are intact and support abundant wildlife, including crabs, sea turtles, and tens of thousands of migrating shorebirds.

“We’re unique along the eastern coast as far as the diversity of habitats for wildlife,” she says.

But without infrastructure, the only way to witness many of these ecosystems is by boat. For visitors to the coast, ecotourism provides this access while—when done well—preserving these fragile habitats.

Before the certificate program launched, there was no formal training for waterbased ecotourism on Georgia’s coast.

The 14-week course is conducted primarily online and brings UGA faculty and other experts together to teach tour guides about local coastal ecosystems.

To build the curriculum, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant worked with Manomet, an organization focused on science education and preserving coastal ecosystems and bird populations in the Western Hemisphere.

While program participants learn about Georgia’s natural resources, they also discuss how to visit these sensitive areas responsibly.

Though Heidt has always been careful, she says she still had plenty to learn.

“They changed the way I give tours. They helped me to be more mindful of a charter boat’s impact on the very thing we are trying to teach people about.”

In practice, that has meant small changes in how she operates her boat and where she lets her clients venture.

While the sustainability of these habitats is a significant part of the program’s curriculum, the region’s economic health also plays a role.

The course encourages economic and community engagement by requiring service and continuing education for recertification.

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Shorebirds stand undisturbed on a section of Little Tybee Island.

“Responsible ecotourism takes into account not only stewardship of natural resources,” Higgins says, “but also contributions to the local economy and local people.”

While the program is new, 44 guides from 23 organizations have already completed the course. These guides have shared program content with approximately 14,500 tour guests.

In October 2023, the National Extension Tourism Network recognized the program with the Excellence in Tourism Collaboration Award. The award noted Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s collaboration with Manomet and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

For the Birds A major emphasis of the Coastal Awareness and Responsible Ecotourism certification is understanding, appreciating, and protecting shorebirds, which offer the most obvious and sometimes colorful evidence of a diverse ecosystem.

Roughly 300,000 shorebirds flock to Georgia’s coast annually. They range from the rare (piping plover and gull-billed tern) to the elegant (the great egret and tricolored heron) to the fierce (bald eagle, osprey, and the peregrine falcon, the world’s fastest bird).

Some bird lovers say it can be hard to appreciate the appeal of birding until you’ve really spent some time observing these animals and their behavior. But once you’ve found an interest, you’re hooked.

That was the case with Kathryn Lapolla, the co-owner of Savannah Coastal Ecotours. Lapolla spent her entire career as a reference and school librarian before retiring to the coast with her husband, Fran, and falling in love with Georgia’s wild beaches.

The Lapollas started their business to spend more time on the water. But as much as Kathryn loved being in nature, she didn’t find anything particularly special about the birds.

That changed when she completed the CARE program in 2021 and began learning more about the shorebirds that pass through Georgia—some traveling remarkable distances—and how to spot them in their natural environment.

“I learned to pay more attention to them,” Lapolla says. “I was dazzled to learn about their 5,000-mile journey.”

“Responsible ecotourism takes into account not only stewardship of natural resources but also contributions to the local economy and local people.”

— Katie Higgins, faculty member and educator, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant

Why it Matters When Lapolla gives kayaking tours through the Intracoastal Waterway and barrier coastal islands, she provokes an atmosphere of quiet reverence for the ecosystems she’s showing off. She paddles delicately across the water, barely disturbing the surface.

When she passes her binoculars to help a guest see a bald eagle high in a tree or shares a fact about marsh grass, her voice doesn’t rise above a whisper, a skill she must have perfected in her previous career.

Lapolla grew up in Atlanta, unaware of the natural beauty of the Georgia coast. Her family had always visited the well-developed beaches in South Carolina and Florida.

Now that she’s discovered it, she wants others to know about it.

Getting certified through the CARE pogram also has advantages for her business, Lapolla says. Her Savannah Coastal Ecotours website prominently displays a seal verifying her certification right across from a TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice award.

But mostly, the program allowed her to learn more about this environment. And that’s knowledge she passes along to her guests.

“It’s a gorgeous coast,” she says. “And it’s important to share it with others to help them see: This is worth protecting.” GM

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Editorial Stance UGA’s Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing is creating a culture for writing on campus.

WRITTEN BY ERIC RANGUS MA ’94 PHOTOS BY CHAMBERLAIN SMITH AB ’18

Under the inspired leadership of Director Rebecca Hallman Martini, the future of the Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing is looking bright.

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“We have the opportunity to ask students about their goals and how we can best support them in reaching those goals. That’s at the heart of what we do.”

— Rebecca Hallman Martini, associate professor of English and director of the Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing

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on’t look for any red pens at the University of Georgia’s Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing.

“The bulk of our work is really about relationships with student writers,” says Rebecca Hallman Martini, associate professor of English and director of the center. “It’s a collaborative space, and it’s a non-evaluative space. We aren’t grading students. We have the opportunity to ask students about their goals and how we can best support them in reaching those goals.

That’s at the heart of what we do.”

The Center for Writing is based in Park Hall and housed in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, but it is a resource for the entire campus. The center also offers writing and tutoring space in the Miller Learning Center, the main library, and the McBay Science Library.

Martini is an expert in the study of college writing centers and student composition in general. Her first book, Disrupting the Center: A Partnership-Based Approach to Writing in the University, came out in 2022.

Her current research focuses on the student experience with writing centers.

Since coming to UGA in 2019, Martini has transformed the center, starting with the space itself. She and several students repainted it, secured some donated furniture, and worked with UGA’s Facilities Management to fill in the rest.

While the buzz of one-on-one tutoring sessions is nearly constant, it’s not uncommon for students to visit on their own to focus on their work. Martini recently applied to have the center recognized as a UGA Well-Being Hub, focused on the community’s mental health.

Martini also formalized the center’s academic approach. She created an upperlevel English class, Writing Center Theory and Practice, that’s cross-listed for both graduate and undergraduate students and is a prerequisite for the center’s writing consultants.

At its core, the course is experiential learning. The curriculum includes studying the scholarship around writing centers; prospective consultants must submit some of their own work, and one month into the class they start tutoring writing students.

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Students who visit the Center for Writing benefit greatly from the one-on-one attention provided by writing consultants like Yuliia Kabina.

“Every session is unique, and it’s always rewarding when writers start thinking critically about their own work. That tells me the session went well.”

— Yuliia Kabina, writing consultant and doctoral student in English A Trusting Relationship Writing center consultants don’t copy edit, proofread, or mark up papers. They don’t hand out ready-to-go essays if a student needs one for class that afternoon.

And they certainly don’t consult ChatGPT. Instead, consultants evaluate a student’s writing on a big-picture level. And they teach writers how to self-evaluate. They coach, they challenge, and they offer suggestions. Most importantly, they build trust and confidence.

“Every time you come in, you don’t know what to expect,” says Yuliia Kabina, a doctoral student in English who is in her second year as a writing center consultant.

“Every session is unique, and it’s always rewarding when writers start thinking

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critically about their own work. They identify what can be improved and make corrections as we go through their writing.

That tells me the session went well.”

The center employs more than a dozen master’s and doctoral students as consultants, and three additional doctoral students serve as assistant directors. Before Martini arrived, the center didn’t have any undergraduate consultants. Now there are 16, all of whom are students from the Writing Center Theory class.

The undergraduates aren’t all English majors either. The cross-disciplinary experience ensures that writers from across UGA can find guidance at the writing center.

Kabina was invited to join the staff when she started her doctoral program. An experienced researcher who had also taught

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English as a foreign language and literature in groups, she wasn’t necessarily sure she was ready to work with students one on one.

“You need to be knowledgeable about different kinds of writing, but you also need to explain how a client can tweak their writing depending on the genre,” she says.

“The first sessions were tough, but you get truly invested when you see the results.”

For instance, Kabina helped one client with applications for graduate programs in physical therapy. She got into six of the seven schools to which she applied.

Every consultant has similar success stories. They work with students on preparing applications to UGA colleges and programs, lab reports, literary analyses and class essays and presentations. The assignment is as varied as the day.

Center Support Jill Willis AB ’84 earned a degree in English from UGA and then embarked on a decades-long career in journalism, publishing, fiction writing, and public relations. She is also a supporter of the teaching of writing.

Willis and her husband, Marvin, both raised in Decatur, are parents to one UGA alumna, Julia Willis Grove BS ’16, and one almost-alumnus, Marvin IV, who will graduate from the Terry College of Business in December. And they are recent Bulldog benefactors.

In April 2023, Jill and Marvin designated a $1 million gift to the center, which now bears their name.

“Marvin and I are firm believers that a student who graduates college as a confident writer will have a stronger chance of success in their career path than one who hasn’t honed that skill,” Jill says. “Marvin, who graduated from Georgia State with an accounting degree and a good writing foundation, will be the first to tell you that an accounting job isn’t just adding up columns of numbers. It’s also writing reports, proposals, and letters to clients.”

Jill Willis keeps in contact with Martini and offers support when she can. “After meeting with Dr. Martini, we realized the center has the potential to reach many more students with the proper funding.

She has the background and drive to implement the kinds of changes that will truly make a difference.”

Nowhere are those changes more visible than in the center’s facilities.

While Park Hall remains its headquarters, the center has received the green light to expand its satellite locations into full-service writing centers. That larger footprint, Martini says, is the most effective way to reach students across the entire campus.

“The gift is huge,” Martini says. “At some other schools, writing centers are closing down, but I think this is a recognition that we are going to be here for a while.” GM

The Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing is headquartered in Park Hall. Following the Willis gift, the center received the green light to expand its satellite locations in the main library, the McBay Science Library, and the Miller Learning Center into full-service writing centers.

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GLASS ACT The need for glass in research is ubiquitous. Glass holds chemicals and houses reactions, and it’s durable and easy to clean when the experiment’s over. But where does all that glassware come from?

At UGA, the Scientific Glass Blowing Shop creates one-of-a-kind glassware and the everyday essentials scientists and students need all across campus.

WRITTEN BY LEIGH HATAWAY MA ’17

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Annalee Pickett, manager of UGA's Scientific Glass Blowing Shop, provides a variety of glassware, ranging from flasks and beakers to combustion tubes, for UGA researchers and community members.

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t all started with glass beads.

Those unassuming but pretty craft store staples that serve as the foundation of many a homemade necklace.

Annalee Pickett loved the little round pieces of glass, and she found herself making all sorts of trinkets for her family and friends. When Pickett’s high school art club teacher received some unexpected funding, she noticed her students’ interest in the baubles and ordered a kit to make the beads, complete with glass rods and a small torch.

Pickett was hooked. So hooked that she asked her parents for one for Christmas so she could make the baubles at home too.

At the time, the Illinois teenager wasn’t thinking this would be the start of her career. She just thought the glass pieces she crafted were a beautiful and easy way to create gifts for herself and her loved ones.

But then fate stepped in.

Pickett’s aunt, a hairdresser, cut the hair of Dave Perry, the scientific glassblower at the University of Illinois. He noticed all the glasswork in the studio and asked who made it. When Aunt Bonnie told him, Perry invited Pickett to come to his shop.

“As soon as I went there, I knew that glass was so much more than art,” Pickett says. “I just loved all the machines, the different kinds of tubing.”

Pickett had found herself a career.

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Annalee Pickett works at the bench in UGA's Scientific Glass Blowing Shop, fusing together two pieces of glass. peter frey

Perry’s assistant had gone to Salem Community College in New Jersey, the only school in North America with an accredited scientific glass technology program. And Pickett soon followed in his footsteps, graduating from the program in 2011 and immediately heading off to Colorado to join the industry of scientific glassblowers after that.

In 2020, the University of Georgia came calling.

The previous scientific glassblower had left, and the shop in the Chemistry Building sat empty. Having always respected the community of university-based glassblowers, Pickett took a risk and headed south.

Associate Professor Tina Salguero collaborated with the Glass Blowing Shop to design specialized ampules to grow crystals for her lab members to study.

Designing the Perfect Glass Container Beakers littering tabletops, test tubes filling drawers, and other more specialized glassware holding various chemicals and substances. Just about every scientific experiment requires something made of glass.

That glassware has to come from somewhere.

While researchers could just order test tubes from a massive production company, scientists often need something custom, created from scratch to precise specifications to perform a particular task.

That was the case for Tina Salguero, an associate professor of

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chemistry in the University of Georgia’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

Salguero’s lab studies the structure of crystals, analyzing how they could inform the creation of new materials for electronics somewhere down the line.

But first Salguero must grow the crystals.

To do that, she needs the right container.

That’s where Pickett comes in.

“The ampules we use to grow our crystals are all custom-made,” Salguero says. “You can’t buy these, and they’re absolutely necessary for our work.”

She worked with UGA’s previous glassblower, Kyle Meyer, to perfect the design of the tubes her lab uses daily. They’re made of “quartz glass,” a very pure glass with high softening temperature.

When Salguero holds up a tube, it looks like almost any other tube you’d see in a lab.

Except it’s filled with what looks like shards of shiny black glitter. The crystals grow inside the tube, which shields the chemicals from oxygen exposure at high temperatures.

“If we didn’t have a glassblowing shop, we wouldn’t be doing this kind of work,” Salguero says. In fact, many other materials researchers can’t do what Salguero’s lab does because they don’t have access to a glassblower.

Annalee Pickett uses a blowpipe to slowly inflate molten glass into a bubble that she then shapes.

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Annalee Pickett heats glass over a torch. Depending on the ultimate purpose of the glassware, Pickett aims for a temperature that ranges from a little under 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit to over 2,000 degrees. elisa fontanillas

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The Hidden Gem of the Sciences The glass blowing shop is part of UGA’s Center for Applied Isotope Studies, originally established in 1977 to advance nuclear technology. Now the center offers a variety of services to faculty, researchers, and students, ranging from food and beverage authenticity testing to radiocarbon dating.

It’s a bit of an adventure to find the shop right now, due to ongoing construction to update the Chemistry Building, but down the winding halls is a space unlike any other on campus.

Crystal clear tubes several feet long.

A bench with a torch fusing two pieces of glass together. A lathe with a flame so hot protective shades are recommended to shield the eyes from the flare when it touches the glass.

“The University of Georgia Scientific Glass Shop is truly a hidden gem,” says Carla Hadden, the center’s director.

“We are especially fortunate at the

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University of Georgia to have a modern, well-equipped, scientific glass shop that is managed by a skilled artisan who is renowned in her field.”

Pickett is the current president of the American Scientific Glassblowers Society, and her enthusiasm for what she does is contagious. So contagious that fourthyear math and management information systems major Kunal Vohra begged to get into her scientific glassblowing class, offered once a year each spring to mostly graduate chemistry majors.

It’s a small course, with only five slots, but as luck would have it, there was one open.

Vohra was in.

Each week, he learned a new skill. Week one: Make a round-bottom tube. Week two: Create a flat-bottomed tube. Week three: Merge the tubes together.

“Annalee would give us a demonstration for a couple examples, show us the process.

We would ask questions, and then all of us would fail miserably when we tried to do it,” Vohra laughs. “Then we would come back, and we'd all ask more questions.”

Pickett made the techniques look easy, but Vohra and the other students quickly learned they were anything but.

“Why isn't this working? Where did this crack come from? Why is it uneven? Why is it asymmetric?” Vohra remembers thinking.

“If we did not have a glassblowing shop, we would not be doing this kind of work.”

— Tina Salguero, associate professor of chemistry

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In a modern glass shop, a glassblower often uses a glass lathe, a machine that holds and rotates the glass as the glassblower manipulates the piece.

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But soon enough, he started to get the hang of it. And once the semester was over, Vohra wanted to continue growing in the craft.

So Pickett hired Vohra to assist her with some of her simpler orders, like smaller test tubes and ampules.

Vohra doubts he’ll become a professional glassblower. However, he can see himself using these skills for more artistic endeavors in the future.

“In this job, I’m learning really relevant things that will help me use glassblowing as an artistic medium,” he says. “The glass shop’s just really, really cool, and I hope in the future there will be room for more people to get involved with it.”

Pickett agrees, which is why she’s hoping to expand the class and open workshops for faculty and staff in the future.

In the meantime, her goal is to keep doing what she loves: working with UGA researchers to make their experiments possible.

“I’ll never be a scientist, but here, I get to be involved in the science,” Pickett says. “There’s a need we get to fill, a real, definitive use.” GM

BLOWING GLASS

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n artform that has existed for millennia, traditional glass blowing uses a metal blowpipe to inflate molten glass into a bubble that can then be molded and shaped. The blowpipe resembles a very long straw that runs from the piece of glass to the glassblower’s mouth.

First, the glass is heated in a furnace or over a torch. The ideal temperature depends on the type of glass and the ultimate purpose of the piece and ranges from a little under 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit to over 2,000 degrees.

In a modern glass shop, a glassblower will often use a glass lathe, a machine that holds and rotates the glass as the glassblower manipulates the piece (above).

The glassblower uses many specialized tools to pinch and pull the glassware into the right shape, all while rotating and continually reheating the glass as needed. The glassware is then slowly cooled over several hours in a special oven for glass called a kiln to prevent any fracturing.

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AI is Everywhere UGA is advancing the latest technologies while exploring the world of artificial intelligence.

WRITTEN BY ERICA TECHO AB ’15

T

hink of artificial intelligence.

The first things to come to mind might be robots or virtual reality. Perhaps smart home technology and chatbots. The complex algorithms created and honed to expedite data analysis are probably far from the top of the list.

But the truth is that’s the future of AI. AI is powering our latest technology, answering our questions on ChatGPT, and expanding our research capabilities. At the University of Georgia, AI is everywhere.

It’s an opportunity to reach across the world—and even beyond it.

From the depths of the ocean to outer space and from forests to factories, UGA is applying AI to innovate and improve how we all work.

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Adrienne Hoarfrost

Assistant Professor in Marine Biology

Franklin College of Arts and Sciences

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Delving into the Deep Ocean There’s a lot we don’t understand about the tiny living organisms in our oceans. Those gaps in knowledge are what Adrienne Hoarfrost calls microbial dark matter.

“It’s a very dramatic way to describe it,” says Hoarfrost, an assistant professor in the Department of Marine Sciences. “But there’s a huge majority of the microbial world where we don’t know what they are or what they’re doing.”

In fact, about 70% of the microbes pulled from the ocean are a mystery, as scientists seek to understand their functions. And when a milliliter of seawater contains about a million microbes, there is a lot to learn from this “dark matter.”

Enter AI. Hoarfrost and her lab recognize the need to understand the missing links of the microbial world. They take bits of DNA from the environment, apply AI algorithms, and predict the roles of microbes.

Demystifying these microbes provides insight into the global carbon cycle—how carbon moves between the atmosphere,

soil, water, and living things—by identifying how biology interacts with carbon in the deep ocean. This helps us understand how different oceanic factors influence climate and environmental changes, Hoarfrost says.

And they’re already seeing results.

Through existing data sets and AI, Hoarfrost has identified gaps between traditional approaches to marine biology and machine learning predictions. The additional data AI processes are making a difference.

“What that tells me is when we use traditional approaches, we see bias reflected. We’re biasing our whole analysis,” she says.

It’s kind of like using a streetlamp to look for something that falls just outside of the lamplight. While the light is helpful, it’s not illuminating the right area, and you’re not going to find what you’re looking for, she says.

“We’ve seen such big strides in understanding AI’s ability to capture really complex systems and relationships and improve our ability to model processes that have confounded us for a long time,” Hoarfrost says. “And biology is a next frontier for AI.”

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Stephen Kinane

Assistant Professor in Silviculture

Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources

photo credit peter frey

Forest foundations

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including increased efficiency, but it also moves Warnell toward long-term goals.

One example is the ongoing initiative to study the combined impacts of improved forest management techniques with planting seedlings selected for improved growth rates. This project will include data collection over the next several decades, but AI can provide growth estimations even sooner, guiding reforestation efforts in the future.

“We will be able to look at early growth trajectories from years one, two, and so on to make extrapolations over the life of the forest,” Bullock says. “We can look at year 30 or beyond.”

“We can look at something and know it’s a tree.

But in AI, it has to understand that a tree is still a tree whether it’s in sand or a clay soil.”

— Stephen Kinane, assistant professor in silviculture

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While AI provides tools to advance data analysis, human oversight and insight remain necessary parts of the equation.

Stephen Kinane MS ’14, PhD ’20, for example, taught an algorithm to recognize a pine sapling in an image of a forest.

To properly program an algorithm, researchers teach AI to understand different backgrounds and lighting patterns, detailing what differentiates a sapling from other vegetation and the forest floor, and more.

“We can look at something and know it’s a tree. But in AI, it has to understand that a tree is still a tree whether it’s in sand or a clay soil,” says Kinane, assistant professor of silviculture, or the study and cultivation of trees, in the Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources.

This meticulous work is an investment on the front end of a process that can significantly increase efficiency as Kinane and his colleagues study reforestation and the factors impacting forest growth patterns year over year.

Since the 1970s, Warnell’s Plantation Management Research Cooperative has collected data from forests across the

Southeast. Even today, a field team travels miles and miles across the region, taking extensive notes and collecting samples to understand growth patterns. AI can utilize more than 40 years of data collected by the cooperative to further expand our understanding of how factors influence each other and interconnect.

“We’re not removing the forester from the forest,” says Bronson Bullock, director of the cooperative. “We’ve always been data driven and focused on utilizing the best and most current research methods, from statistical models to machine learning and AI techniques.”

This investment in data collection and AI application can have short-term benefits,

Faster Factories AI can improve manufacturing in many ways, but it’s a challenge for companies to implement when trial and error is on the table.

That’s where the UGA Innovation Factory comes in.

This space in the Interdisciplinary STEM Research Building 1 features some of the latest AI technology, as well as simulated factory lines, allowing UGA students and researchers to experience firsthand how different technologies interact with factory operations and meeting goals of research, teaching, and industry engagement, says Beshoy Morkos, an associate professor in the College of Engineering whose research centers on system design and manufacturing.

“We are leading conversations surrounding AI, recognizing the importance of addressing its concerns before collaborating with companies,” Morkos says. “There can be concerns about AI’s impact on jobs and job displacement, and

Beshoy Morkos

we’ve seen what AI has allowed us to do: It’s not job elimination; it’s job transformation.”

Ongoing projects include monitoring assembly stations for down time and work status, as well as integrating a robotic inventory management system, and these are just a few examples of how AI can be utilized in a factory setting. The lab also looks at how these technologies are best introduced to workers and how programs can improve efficiency as well as worker experience.

The ultimate goal, Morkos says, is to understand how technology can take over repetitive or mundane tasks in order to elevate workers to more complex roles.

“It’s our moral obligation as scientists to think about our next generation of manufacturing facilities and what tomorrow’s workplace is going to look like,” he says. “We do that while being socially conscious, and that helps us be technologically relevant and competitive, both in the national and global landscape.”

photo credit

Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering College of Engineering

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Jon P. Mochel

Professor of Systems Pharmacology Precision One Health Initiative Director

College of Veterinary Medicine Research Cooperative

special

Healthier Humans and Human Companions Jon P. Mochel and the newly hired faculty of the Precision One Health Initiative are ready to improve the health of both animals and humans. As the new director of this initiative in the College of Veterinary Medicine, Mochel will connect on-campus resources and partnerships to bridge the

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gap between human and veterinary medical research as part of a larger goal of “one health” integrating research across human, animal, and environmental health.

“The One Health paradigm is trying to, as we say, improve the health of man and man’s best friend at the same time,” Mochel says.

That goal requires more than just looking at diseases that travel between species, such as influenza. It includes finding a cure for diseases that occur in multiple species. An

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example, Mochel says, is benazepril, a drug for congestive heart failure. While this drug was first developed for humans, it has now been used to treat similar disease in dogs.

This crossover is one strength of looking across species, he says.

AI and machine learning can help accomplish this goal.

Medical research creates a lot of data, but there are limitations to how much traditional methods—and human minds— can process.

“The human brain is not able to think of all the possible underlying pathways and all the ways you can actually interpret data in the first place,” Mochel says. “You need something that can take in a large amount of information and guide you toward, ‘This means something.’”

Oftentimes, animal clinical trials utilize relatively small study populations, and that information informs decisions for larger populations. Through AI, however, the wealth of existing information is examined to answer specific questions across a variety of groups. It allows researchers to take a hypothesis, examine large amounts of data, and answer specific questions.

“One Health provides an opportunity to leverage data from a superior animal model to fix the challenges we face in human clinical drug development programs, while AI tools such as machine learning allow us to make the best use of the data we generate,” Mochel says.

Precision One Health is still in the early stages at UGA. But faculty are laying important foundations for future discoveries, and Mochel says the campus is full of collaborative opportunities to improve health.

“UGA has a significant capacity to tackle these questions because the university has invested a considerable amount of resources and hired several talented individuals over the past two years,” Mochel says. “That manpower and expertise is there, now the next step is making sure we can effectively translate our efforts from the lab to the bedside by closely collaborating with our clinician scientists at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.”

Deepak Mishra

Merle C. Prunty, Jr. Professor in Geography Department of Geography Associate Head Small Satellite Research Lab Director Franklin College of Arts and Sciences

peter frey

Streamlined Satellite Communications

UGA’S AI HIRING INITIATIVE

This year, UGA hopes to send its technology into space—again. The launch of MOCI: Multi-view On-board Computational Imager will be the second satellite sent into orbit from the university’s Small Satellite Research Laboratory.

Weighing in at fewer than 16 pounds, MOCI (pronounced mo-chee) will not only capture images but check and process those images, extracting data and deleting images that aren’t needed. The satellite also will use feature detection and matching software to process them and send data back to the research laboratory.

“Whatever the scientists typically run on the machines here in our labs, we want that AI model to run on the satellite,” says Deepak Mishra, Merle C. Prunty, Jr. Professor in Geography and the director

he university continues to invest in the future of artificial intelligence through its AI hiring initiative, which was announced in 2021 and expanded in 2022. The goal to hire 70 new faculty members across 10 interdisciplinary clusters is on track for completion in 2024, with more than 80% of positions filled as of late 2023.

of the satellite lab. “We are really pushing the limit of space AI.” At less than two feet tall and only a few inches wide, storage is limited on satellites like MOCI. Processing data on board not only increases efficiency but also makes the most of available space.

The images the satellite captures are then used to enhance terrain awareness and understand terrain features and phenomena along the Georgia coast.

From sediment plumes to algal blooms, these images and the data collected by the satellite provide insight into environmental changes, coastal development, and other natural events.

“A lot of people are interested in what UGA is doing because we occupy a unique space in the AI conversation,” Mishra says. “We’re not looking up into space.

We’re looking down to Earth.” GM

T

Faculty recruited through this hiring initiative will join UGA’s already robust cluster of scholars who utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning across campus. These researchers use the latest technology to better understand infectious diseases, ethical considerations of data and AI, precision agriculture, utilizing AI to solve educational and teaching challenges, and more.

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ON THE BULLDOG BEAT

BREWING CONNECTIONS UGA’s International Coffee Hour has been bringing students together for half a century WRITTEN BY CAROLINE KOSTUCH PHOTOS BY NAVYA SHUKLA

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Sitting in big circles encourages International Coffee Hour attendees to meet more people and form new friendships.

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Katie Bonilla strikes up a conversation as students continue to filter into the Victor K. Wilson Memorial Hall Ballroom for the coffee hour.

I

t’s a Friday afternoon in the center of campus, and a line of students wraps around the staircase outside the Victor K. Wilson Memorial Hall Ballroom.

The clock hits 11:30 a.m., and the doors open. Scents of coffee and cooking spices fill the air. Upbeat music welcomes the attendees for International Coffee Hour.

International Coffee Hour is a weekly program led by UGA International Student Life, inviting students to learn about new cultures while enjoying coffee, food, and good company. Last year, the program celebrated its 50th anniversary, making it one of the longest-running events of its kind across the United States.

“A lot of international students, they have no way to connect with people from here, so coffee hour is a great way for people who have no chance to connect, to connect with domestic students,” says Thomas Gorissen, an office assistant for International Student Life and a third-year management and international business student.

Stir it up — A student grabs a coffee before settling in for the coffee hour activities.

In mid-November, the Indian Student Association hosted the coffee hour, bringing chana papri chat, a traditional crispy street food with chickpeas, potatoes, and chutney, to share. Flags from around the world draped from a railing above as students snacked and socialized.

Circles of chairs invited conversation and the forging of new friendships.

“I have a few friends who have been coming for a long time. They said it was fun and you get to meet a lot of cool people, so I decided to check it out. They’ve proven to be right,” says Amelia Hunt, a fourthyear student studying animal science and biological sciences.

Coffee hour regulars and first-timers alike settled in together while members of the association led an interactive game quizzing students on their knowledge of India. Continuing the entertainment, music from popular Indian cinema played, and students began to dance in the center of the ballroom. Claps and cheers resonated as attendees from

various backgrounds joined in learning the spirited dance moves. Through moments like this, the program teaches attendees about other cultures while also giving them a space to celebrate their own.

“Because we are international students, we want to find people we can relate to,” says Sakshi Seth, president of the Indian Student Association and a graduate student in computer science.

Each week, a different International Student Life organization signs up to host a coffee hour. Other campus and community partners, such as UGA Student Transitions and the Office of Global Engagement, have also hosted coffee hours, sharing information about their resources and opportunities.

Victoria Euler, a third-year student studying biological sciences, has been an International Coffee Hour regular for more than two years. “My favorite part is how each organization that comes here brings something new, something different,” she says.

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THE NATION

Don’t Miss Out! UGA NIGHT AT THE HAWKS March 23 Join the UGA Atlanta Alumni Chapter for a night at State Farm Arena as the Atlanta Hawks take on the Charlotte Hornets.

Details available at alumni.uga.edu/calendar.

ALTERA INVESTMENTS LANDS AT NO. 1 ON 2024 BULLDOG 100 LIST

2024 DAWG DAY OF GIVING March 26 Join Dawg Nation as we rally together for 24 hours in support of the University of Georgia and its mission, its people, and its promise to the state of Georgia and beyond.

To all those who wear the red and black: Join us for this worldwide day of giving.

More at givingday.uga.edu.

SENIOR SIGNATURE DEADLINE

In February, UGA recognized the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led

by Georgia Bulldogs. This year, Altera Investments, led by Managing Partner and CEO David Fershteyn BBA ’17, CFO Carlos Alcala BBA ’17 and CCO Mitch Reiner BBA ’05 topped the list. The investment firm is focused on lower middle market private

View the full list at alumni.uga.edu/b100.

Chapter Spotlight EMERALD COAST Serves alumni living along the Florida Gulf Coast in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay counties.

Chapter President: Steve Hicks BBA ’85 Number of Local Alumni: 850

March 31 Students graduating at any time in 2024 are invited to make a $30 donation to the university, with $20 of that going to any fund they choose on campus (the remaining $10 supports the Class Gift). As a thank you, students’ names will be included on the class plaque in Tate Plaza, and they will get to vote on the 2024 Class Gift recipient. More at alumni.uga.edu/ seniorsignature.

investments and is based in Atlanta.

This is the firm’s first time on the Bulldog 100 list. Nominations for the 2025 list open this spring.

The Emerald Coast’s mission is simple: build a community around local grads’ love and commitment to the University of

Georgia. The chapter serves local Bulldogs by hosting events and sharing information that furthers the Bulldog spirit in this coastal region.

The Emerald Coast Dawgs are committed to serving the members of their chapter with a positive and fulfilling experience through fun events, communication, and Bulldog spirit.

See these events and more at alumni.uga.edu/calendar.

Find your chapter at alumni.uga.edu/chapters.

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FREE CAREER RESOURCES FOR ALUMNI The UGA Career Center offers UGA graduates free professional development and job search resources throughout the year at career.uga.edu/alumni, including webinars, job search bootcamps, career fairs, and more!

NOMINATIONS FOR 40 UNDER 40 AND BULLDOG 100 Nominations for two of UGA’s premier recognition programs open this spring.

Nominate an outstanding young graduate for 40 Under 40 at alumni.uga.edu/40U40 or a Bulldog-owned business at alumni.uga.edu/b100.

JOIN THE PARENTS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL All UGA parents are invited to join this group of highly engaged Bulldog parents who are making a direct impact on undergraduate student life at UGA. The PLC offers parents a special connection to the university, enriching their parent experience through campus tours, social gatherings, and opportunities to meet

university leadership. Thanks to annual commitments of $5,000 or more, these parents are also investing in student areas of high need, such as scholarship funds, wellbeing services, and other programming that enhances the student experience. Learn more at give.uga.edu/parents.

Alumni trivia 1. How many individuals are employed by UGA? A. 5,200 B. 20,223

C. 7,001 D. 10,856

2. How many living UGA graduates reside around the world?

A. More than 355,000 B. More than 400,000

C. More than 275,000 D. More than 300,000

3. How many UGA students graduate with an experiential learning opportunity, such as an internship, research project, study abroad trip, or field study?

A. 94% B. 100%

C. 92% D. 98%

1: D. As of Fall 2023, the University of Georgia employed 10,856 individuals. 2: A. There are 355,000 UGA alumni residing across the world. 3: B. 100%.

UGA is one of the largest public universities to require all undergraduates to partake in an experiential learning opportunity in order to graduate.

Stay Connected!

YEAR-ROUND, WORLDWIDE, AND LIFELONG.

Check out what's going on for alumni and update your email or mailing address with UGA.

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class notes CLASS NOTES

Compiled by Navya Shukla, Cassidy Hettesheimer, Caroline Kostuch, and Ireland Hayes AB ’23

ALUMNI PROFILE

Interactive Artist

P

icture an old arcade.

There’s a robotic voice yelling in a New York accent, some ethereal music, techno sounds, and a few beeps and boops. Just outside, an ATM quacks.

A few wires hang down from the ceiling, neon paint splashes the walls, and the glow of game monitors lights the room.

None of the games are familiar, though, and they don’t require money to play.

Because this isn’t an old arcade—it’s an art exhibit.

Welcome to The Real Unreal, an interactive artscape experience in Grapevine, Texas. It is one of the art company Meow Wolf’s many exhibits, and it weaves together bright colors, neon lights, hidden doorways, and the story of a family encountering the extraordinary.

Behind the arcade, and many other Meow Wolf exhibits, is one of the company’s creative directors, Caitlin LeMoine BFA ’15. She joined Meow Wolf in 2018 after visiting its flagship art installation in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

“We were actually too cheap to buy tickets for the full-price exhibit, and instead we bought cheap concert tickets so we could get in,” LeMoine says. “I was totally blown away by what Meow Wolf made. It was this amazing mesh of art and space and a chance to experience art in a totally new way.”

Meow Wolf got its name from employees randomly drawing words out of a hat, and its exhibits similarly bring together the unexpected. When a graphic designer position opened, LeMoine saw a chance to change how people experience art. She brought along her graphic design degree from UGA and experience in print and packaging design from freelance work and her time as The Red & Black’s design

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As a creative director at the art company Meow Wolf, Caitlin LeMoine designs interactive art spaces that make the abstract tangible.

One of her most recent projects is called The Real Unreal (pictured) in Grapevine, Texas. special

editor. These roles provided not only technical and time management skills but encouraged a lot of curiosity.

Connecting with other artists, engineers, and leaders at Meow Wolf, as well as her talent and hard work, helped LeMoine climb the ranks to lead graphic designer, associate creative director, and now creative director.

“My personality also lends itself to

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bigger picture things,” LeMoine says.

“I was really lucky that I had a team that wanted to support me, and I wasn’t scared to ask, ‘Is this the best job for me?

Could I contribute in another way?’”

LeMoine has worked on all four of Meow Wolf’s permanent installations, from graphic design on merchandise and posters to supervising design plans. But the Grapevine arcade is a point of pride.

CLASS NOTES

1964-1969 Andrew Ghertner BBA ’65 retired from his position as a real estate broker with Cushman & Wakefield in September.

Douglas Mathews BBA ’67 retired from his position as

associate director of the IT department at UGA after 31 years.

1970-1974 Linda Yawn BBA ’71 is a freelance Christian writer,

editor, and English tutor in Nashville, GA. Ron Johnston ABJ ‘72 released his debut novel, The Seasons of Wick’s Content. The fictional memoir follows Wick Watters on his journey to a writing career.

Jack Butler BBA ’74 was named the 2023 Designer of the Year by the American Institute of Building Design.

1975-1979 Aimee Malik BSHE ’75 retired

Lorem BSES ’14 and Caitlin Ipsum Dolor BBA BFA ’15 ’15 LeMoine

special

Meow Wolf weaves together bright colors, neon lights, hidden doorways, and the work of local artists in all its exhibits.

Visitors are encouraged to wander the spaces as they enjoy the art around them.

She collaborated with indie game designers to push the boundaries on storytelling and highlight the artistry of their work. This faux arcade celebrates experiencing art through action and touch, rather than just looking at a frame behind a velvet rope.

“It was a labor of love, trying to bring different mediums of art into the world we were creating in the installation,” LeMoine

says. “I’m really proud to have been able to shepherd in a new kind of art like this.”

In November, she was included in the Blooloop 50 Immersive Influencer List, which recognizes professionals who develop immersive and innovative spaces in the attractions industry.

As Meow Wolf continues to grow—with a fifth location opening in Houston later this year—LeMoine looks forward to support-

ing new artists, expanding collaborations, and, most of all, inspiring visitors.

“Some of our most successful work comes from us taking the things that bring us joy and the things we’re drawn to and putting that into the world,” LeMoine says.

“It turns out that when you draw inspiration from yourself and your experiences, it becomes a pretty powerful way to connect on a human level.”

Written by Erica Techo BS ’15 GEORGIA MAGAZINE

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CLASS NOTES community retail pharmacist at Colbert Pharmacy.

Alice Murray AD ’81 released her first book, The Secret of the Chimneys, in April.

Billy Durham BMus ’81 is a certified leadership development coach and certified parent and family coach with the John Maxwell Team and Park Avenue Baptist Church in Titusville, FL. Darryl McDonald AB ’81 is the CEO of AmorphousDB. David Chapman BBA ’82 is deputy director of the Deputy Commissioner for Operations Support Program Management Office of the Internal Revenue Service.

Jerry Gay AB ’82 is a realtor at Premier Group Realty in Bainbridge.

Amy Schuman BSEd ’83 founded ARM of Care, a nonprofit using the creative arts to empower survivors of commercial sexual exploitation.

Buzz Law BBA ’83 is president of Creative Financial Group, a financial planning firm in Cobb County, and has been reappointed by Gov. Brian Kemp BSA ’87 as the 7th District representative for the state board for the Technical College System of Georgia.

Jamie Morrison AB ’83 is a producer at NBC News and The Weather Channel.

from her position as a senior paralegal at The Worrell Firm in Atlanta.

Dr. Michael Freeman BS ’75 retired from his position as the senior partner in Southern Orthopaedic Surgeons in Montgomery, AL. He has been a sports medicine boardcertified orthopedic surgeon for 36 years.

Scott Crook ABJ ’76, MA ’79 retired from his position as an English teacher and coach of multiple sports at Woodward Academy after a 45-year

career in education.

Debi Weatherford BBA ’77 was promoted to vice president, internal audit at Piedmont Healthcare in July.

Gordon Green BBA ’77 was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Golden Circle, celebrating 50 years in the video industry.

Janet Wilson BSA ’78 is the owner and manager of Pine Top Farm in Thomson.

Jim Webb Jr. BSA ’79 retired from his position as an

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agricultural credit analyst at Carolina Farm Credit in November 2022 after 35 years.

Peter Stoddard BBA ’79 is CEO of Stoddard Media, where he also works as an author and public speaker talking primarily about the late writer Lewis Grizzard.

1980-1984 Steven Holcombe BSEd ’80 is the owner of Castle Estate Sales in Woodstock.

Victor Proveaux BSPH ’80 is a

1985-1989 Benjamin Marini ABJ ’85 is the chief sales officer at Lucas Systems in Wexford, PA. Lisa Freeman Hanberry AB ’85, MEd ’09 retired from her position as a language arts teacher with Gwinnett County Public Schools.

Thomas Sunderland BMus ’86 started a new position as the minister of music at First Baptist Church in Camden, SC. Lee Simpson ABJ ’87 was elected in June to serve a two-year term on the city council in Amarillo, TX.

CLASS NOTES ALUMNI PROFILE

The Big Picture

W

In her current job as photo editor for National Geographic, Maura Friedman's not behind the camera as often, but she focuses instead on using the photos of others to tell elaborate, visual stories.

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Geographic. Now, Friedman inspects thousands of travel photographs since National Geographic photojournalists, per magazine policy, can’t delete any of their images.

Friedman helps put together the puzzle of a photo story. Which variety of images conveys the right information about a historical city or a natural wonder? She’ll send dozens of emails a day, researching locations, organizing photo assignments, and reviewing the work of photographers in the field.

“I really like working on a team,” Friedman says. “As a freelance photographer, especially, I was on my own.”

Recently, with photographer Andrea Frazzetta, Friedman planned and edited a National Geographic print story on the revitalization of an ancient Italian highway, the Appian Way. “We wanted to make this story feel like a hero’s epic,” Friedman says. “We had these big spreads with photos that would kind of take you to the next region and really give a feeling of traveling along the road.”

hic

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hile traveling the globe on assignment, National Geographic photographers take thousands of photographs, but only a small fraction of those photos make it into the world-renowned magazine.

As a senior photo editor, Maura Friedman ABJ ’13, AB ’13 helps select what makes the cut.

“I’m keeping the 10,000-foot view of the story in mind,” she says.

Originally from Marietta, Friedman edited her first magazine while studying journalism and political science at UGA. As the managing editor of the student-run Ampersand magazine, she wanted to learn more about visual journalism to help the other staff members.

And she found that photojournalism classes didn’t really feel like work.

In a spring workshop, Friedman and her classmates spent a weekend working on projects in Hart County. Friedman photographed the owners of an art gallery, who also invited her into their home with her camera in hand. She felt an immense privilege, being trusted by these near strangers.

“Reporting has always satisfied my drive to learn more about the people and the world around me,” Friedman says. “It also feels incredibly satisfying, personally, when I’m able to make those human connections where people trust me, and there’s that additional layer when there’s a camera involved.”

Friedman’s photography has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Chattanooga Times Free Press, among other publications where she’s worked or freelanced. However, while working as a staff multimedia producer for the Free Press after graduation, Friedman realized what she really enjoyed was looking back through and editing her pictures after being out in the field.

“And not just my pictures—especially other people’s pictures,” she says. “It took me a while to realize that other people didn’t enjoy that as much.”

After working as a photo editor at the Urban Institute think tank in Washington, D.C., Friedman joined National

Maura Friedman ABJ ’13, AB ’13

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Friedman’s work earned her the John E. Drewry Young Alumni Award from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication in April 2023. When she traveled to Athens to receive the honor, Friedman spent a day reviewing portfolios of current UGA photojournalism students, offering advice with her editor’s eye, and she reconnected with faculty whose support has been instrumental in her career growth.

“I stay in touch with [professor] Mark Johnson. He has been an excellent mentor and cheerleader,” Friedman says. “And I answer student emails and offer advice there.”

Written by Cassidy Hettesheimer GEORGIA MAGAZINE

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CLASS NOTES Shawna White BHSE ’87 retired from her position as an associate director with the Alabama Medicaid Agency in June after 25 years of state service.

Suzanne Johnson Miceli BBA ’88 is a parttime attorney at McMichael & Gray in Carrollton.

Kevin Greer AB ’89 is a broker for Keg Realtors.

Mary Beth Rhodes Lukich BBA ’89 retired from her position as field operations director for eligibility programs with the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services after 32 years. She started a new position as a consultant with Change & Innovation Agency.

Shannon Gentry Lanier ABJ ’89, JD ’92 is vice president of investments with Gracestone investment team. She is the co-author of “The Joy Factor” published in Wealthmanagement.com’s 2023 Midyear Outlook, serves the UGA Parents TV hoston Rutledge Wood has built Leadership and is ahimself. trustee(Above) of hisCouncil, career by being Historic Augusta’s Endowment Wood drives his restoredTrust.

K5 Blazer in Peachtree City andfrom (right) Tracie Parker BBA ’89 retired herposes in hisFederated driveway with a homemade position at Mutual Insurancelava lamp he built for a parade in honor after a 33-year career. of his Netflix show Floor is Lava.

1990-1994 Heather Haskell BSEd ’90 started a new position as lecturer at Auburn University.

She was awarded the Outstanding Undergraduate Faculty Award for the College of Science and Mathematics in Spring 2023 and earned the Vivian Ballenger Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence in Summer 2023.

Thomas Johnson ABJ ’90 won two 2023 Silver Telly Awards.

Dr. Brian Levy BBA ’91 is an emergency medical physician in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Maureen Hetrick AB ’91, MEd ’03 was named Teacher of the Year for the 2022-23 school year at Holcomb Bridge Middle School.

Stephani McPherson O’Neil ABJ ’91 started a new position at AbbVie as executive biologic sales specialist in immunology and dermatology.

Kelly Dippolito BBA ’93, MAcc ’94 graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with a Master of Arts. She is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in New Testament Studies at Northern Seminary and is the executive director of the Center for Women in Leadership.

Rick Huffman BLA ’93 is the owner of an environment design and landscape architecture firm, Earth Design.

Todd Looper BSFCS ’94 started a new position as a business manager at JBM Office Solutions in Dalton.

Wenbren Coleman BFA ’94 is corporate senior certified interior designer and project manager at Centra Health and serves on the advisory board for the Radford University Design School.

1995-1999 Katherine Taylor ABJ ’95, MA ’11 is a freelance music journalist and released her nonfiction book, She’s a Badass: Women in Rock Shaping Feminism, in January 2024.

Linda Morse AB ’95 is the chief editor of the New England Journal of History and the chair of the New England History Teachers Association. She teaches history at Foxborough Regional Charter School in Massachusetts.

Natalie Schweers Coghill ABJ ’95, JD ’98 is the founder of Gracestone investment team.

She is the co-author of “The Joy Factor” published in Wealthmanagement.com’s 2023 Midyear Outlook, and serves on the board of directors for both the UGA Foundation and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia.

Tony Gonzalez AB ’96 started his company Peachtree Painters in 2021.

Anthony Williams BSEd ’97, MEd ’99 started a new position as vice president of partnerships at Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber of Commerce and is an adjunct professor in sports management at UGA.

2000-2004 Janet Ward BBA ’00 started the tween footwear brand QUADSis in November 2022.

John Peach Jr. BSEd ’00 was promoted to associate athletic director for compliance at Mercer University.

Jessica Marchand BSFCS ’01 is a registered and licensed dietitian nutritionist and was recently promoted to director of healthcare sales-east for The CBORD Group.

Renna Tuten Redd AB ’03 received the inaugural Clemson University Libraries Outstanding Librarian of the Year award.

Justin Whitford BMus ’01, MMEd ’04 started a new position as the director of information technology at St. Mark’s Episcopal School in Houston, Texas.

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CLASS NOTES ALUMNI PROFILE

Stopping Traffic

Julie Wade AB ’96, JD ’00

Julie Wade found her calling with the opening of Tharros House, a residential treatment center in Savannah for survivors of human trafficking.

H

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uman trafficking survivors aren’t who you imagine they are.

It’s a misconception that most are from other countries. The girls Julie Wade is trying to help are all from Georgia.

Many are runaway teenagers who are in bad family situations, says Wade AB ’96, JD ’00. Researchers say that within 36 to 78 hours after leaving home, girls will be approached by someone about sex.

A common story is a formerly homeless 14-year-old girl living with a 35-year-old boyfriend who has gotten her hooked on drugs and showers her with gifts as long as she sleeps with him and his friends, Wade explains.

“These girls aren’t snatched and put in a white van and driven away,” Wade says.

“They are in our community, and they are controlled through manipulation and coercion. They aren’t necessarily locked in a room.”

In December, Wade opened Tharros Place, a residential treatment center in

Savannah for girls aged 12 through 17 who are survivors of human trafficking.

Growing up outside of Atlanta—a major hub of human trafficking—Wade never imagined she would one day help tackle such a complex and terrible problem.

She met her future husband, Drew Wade BS ’97, AB ’97, in high school, and they both attended the University of Georgia. As an Honors student, Wade created her own undergraduate major, a mix of all the things she loved including history, literature, and political science. She went on to earn a law degree, and UGA President Jere W. Morehead JD ’80, then a professor, read a Bible verse at her wedding. “He was a real mentor to both me and my husband,” she says.

The couple eventually moved to Savannah, where Wade worked on both sides of the court system—first as an assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting criminals, then as a criminal defender. She found the work on both sides frustrating due to the high recidivism.

“It felt like I was banging my head against the wall,” she says.

So in 2017, Wade left her law career to become executive director of Park Place Outreach, an emergency crisis center for homeless youth in Savannah. She saw improvements for some in the program but was also frustrated by its limits, namely that kids couldn’t live at the shelter for more than 30 days.

At Park Place, Wade noticed a subset of teenagers who needed a different kind of care, including longer term housing and intensive therapy. A lot of conversations arose about the need for a facility like Tharros Place, but Wade knew something like that would take a lot of money.

Then came the anonymous check for $20,000. A local philanthropist was distributing her substantial fortune to nonprofits, and she wanted to do something big.

Wade saw an opportunity and put together a proposal for Tharros Place with a three-year plan that would require about half a million dollars. The philanthopist gave her the initial startup funds, and Wade later applied for and received an additional $750,000 operating grant from the Department of Justice.

Her first hire was another UGA graduate: Kate Templeton BSHP ’21, MPH ’22, who came on board as the outreach coordinator. Wade and volunteers have been working around the clock to refurbish the space they found. The former residential care home outside of Savannah will house 12 girls—each referred by the courts.

The walls of Tharros Place are decorated in colorful murals that were painted by Savannah College of Art and Design student volunteers. Each resident will have her own bright room with a window, twin bed, and attached bathroom. They can live here for a year or more. There is a communal kitchen and dining room, a room for online schooling, and a nice, secluded backyard.

Girls will attend school onsite daily, participate in counseling, and work with staff to create a plan for the future.

“I think in a year, with the right team in place, we can really change some lives.”

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CLASS NOTES Elliott Marsh Jr. BSA ’02, MAL’11 started a new position as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Statesboro.

James Elrod BSA ’02 is the finance director of the Stephens County Board of Commissioners.

Porsha Grant ABJ ’02 was promoted to vice president of community engagement and development at WABC in New York City.

Tippi McMichael BSFCS ’02 is a teacher and head coach of several sports at John Milledge Academy in Milledgeville.

Darcey Hans ABJ ’03 is a director and client partner at Slalom in Raleigh, NC. Samuel Laing III AB ’03 is an evangelist and church planter with Grand Strand Church in Myrtle Beach, SC. Rebecca Hamby BSA ’04, MAL ’05, EdS ’11 is a co-founder and board member of Tome Student Literacy Society.

2005-2009 Autumn Amos BSFCS ’05 opened the women’s boutique Ameline Shoppe in Milton in November 2022.

Jennifer Hollis BSFCS ’05 is a controller at McLendon Enterprises in Vidalia.

YOUR CONFERENCE, OUR CAMPUS

Travis Ledwith AB ’05 was appointed to partner at Marque Ventures.

Katherine Holm BSEd ’05, MEd ’08 was named interim dean of the College of Education at Athens State University in Athens, AL. Shanari Brown BSEH ’06 is an environmental health and safety manager with First Quality Print and Packaging.

Foster Stenson AB ’07 is a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy.

Dr. Vasudha Shah BS ’07 is the owner of and podiatrist at Foot & Ankle Health Centers.

Brian Steele BS ’08 is a project manager with Atlantic Coast Consulting in Roswell.

Mackenzie Cole AB ’08 was named chief deputy prosecutor for Teton County, WY. Marie Erickson ABJ ’08 and her husband, Scott, welcomed their first child, Thomas Archie Erickson, in October 2022. Later that year, Marie started PLG Clothing, an online upscale baby boutique.

David Dove AB ’09, JD ’14 joined Troutman Pepper on Feb. 1 to lead the national law firm’s regulatory and economic investment practice. He is also an adjunct professor of law and chair of the SPIA Alumni Board at UGA.

Located in the heart of the University of Georgia campus, the Georgia Center is the perfect place to dine, stay, learn, and meet.

versatile venues

190+ hotel rooms

in-house catering

1197 S LUMPKIN ST, ATHENS, GA 30602 HOTEL.UGA.EDU/CONFERENCE-CENTER (706) 542-2654

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CLASS NOTES

our georgia commitment Heather BBA ’99 and BJ Schaknowski MBA ’04 support student veterans through a scholarship endowment.

H

eather and BJ Schaknowski share a passion and deep gratitude for the Armed Forces, the University of Georgia, and the education they received at the Terry College of Business—a combined admiration that has motivated them to build pathways for others.

The couple created a $1 million endowment, the Schaknowski Military Appreciation Scholarship Fund, to provide scholarship support in perpetuity for student veterans enrolled in the Terry College. The fund will open the door for veterans to develop their skills after they leave active duty, which aligns with Terry’s commitment to serving veterans pursing a business education at the university.

“I had always wanted to attend the University of Georgia, and I absolutely loved my time there,” Heather says from the Denver home she shares with BJ and their two children, Bella and AJ. “My time at Terry was a formative moment in my life personally and professionally. Our family has always felt tightly connected to UGA, and it’s something the four of us love supporting.”

BJ was an enlisted infantry rifleman in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves for eight years, which proved to be an invaluable experience he drew on during his MBA program. Since graduating, both Heather and BJ have found success in their fields. Heather held multiple senior roles in global software marketing, while BJ worked in leadership roles across the software industry for more than 20 years.

“We have always had a strong belief in the importance of giving back to the organizations and communities that

GIVE.UGA.EDU

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helped shape our own success, and we started to think about the things that mattered the most to us,” BJ says.

“For me, that’s joining the Marine Corps, going to Georgia for business school, marrying Heather, and building a family together. This scholarship takes the things that have had the most meaningful impact on me and packages them together beautifully.”

The couple is deeply devoted to

public service and has assisted various nonprofits in fulfilling their missions.

Now, that service comes to UGA, where the promise of their perpetual scholarship will create meaningful outcomes for student veterans.

“Terry is unique in its ability to help veterans build on their military experience and business acumen in the classroom and beyond,” Heather says.

UGA proudly provides learning opportunities to students who have left military active duty. You can also help support UGA student veterans develop their skills in the classroom and beyond by giving to the Terry College Veterans Scholarship Fund (terry.uga.edu/support-terry) or the Student Veterans Resource Center (give.uga.edu/svrc).

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CLASS NOTES Susan Sloan ABJ ’09 is the author of A Seat at the Table: Women, Diplomacy, and Lessons for the World and a senior communications advisor for the United States Department of State.

2010-2014 Abby Dickinson BSW ’10 earned a license in clinical social work and is a primary therapist with the Skyland Trail adolescent treatment program in Atlanta.

She is also a private practice therapist at Sweetgrass Integrative Counseling and Therapy in Atlanta.

Ana Strafford BS ’10 earned a specialist in education degree in elementary education from Georgia Southern University.

Jeff Arthur AB ’10 was promoted to safety and compliance manager at UGA Transportation and Parking Services.

Leona Rittenhouse AB ’10 is a government relations associate with the Georgia Municipal Association.

Lindsay Duncan Schwartz BBA ’11 launched the brand strategy, communications, and creative design agency, Lindsay Schwartz Consulting + Creative, based in Atlanta.

Dr. Mark Conant Jr. BS ’11 is a board-certified vascular surgeon at Bay Surgical Specialists in St. Petersburg, FL. Tanita Gaither AB ’11 started a new position as the managing editor of audience at The Messenger in July.

David Douds AB ’12 started a new position as an appellate attorney for the Georgia Public Defender Council Appellate Division.

Kristina Forbes BS ’12 was named vice president for administration for the Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education.

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Mel Baxter AB ’12 started an executive coaching company, The Mel Baxter Group, with the goal of empowering women in the workplace.

Rachel Flint ABJ ’12 is a graphic designer and social media manager at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health.

Rebecca Ross AB ’12 is a New York Times bestselling young adult fantasy author and released Times bestseller Divine Rivals in April 2023.

Cody Nichelson ABJ ’14 is co-founder and director of operations for Fully Financial, a financial planning and investment management company in Athens.

Taylor Perkins ABJ ’14 is the brand manager for Porsche Classic.

2015-2020 Heath Robinson BS ’15, BS ’15 is a postdoctoral fellow in the

Department of Neuroscience and Behavior at Cornell University.

Megan Tipton ABJ ’15, AB ’15, MPA ’15, MAT ’16 is the founder and director of Saint Thomas More Academy in Oconee County.

Alexander Kent BBA ’16 is the director of Sales at Stord in Atlanta.

Ben Jacobs BSFCS ’16, MS ’16 is co-founder and financial planner of Fully Financial, a financial planning and investment management company in Athens.

Colton Fowlkes BS ’16, BS ’16 is a pediatric dental resident at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Danielle Southern BSFCS ’16 is a campus dietitian at Kennesaw State University and owns the non-diet nutritional counseling practice Southern Nutrition.

Eythan Franklin BSA ’16 is the plant manager at Kerry Foods

CLASS NOTES ALUMNI PROFILE

The Business Builder

Alan Moore BSFCS ’09, MS ’12

A

lan Moore launched his own financial planning firm because he didn’t want anyone to have control over the entirety of his income or his life.

That realization only came after he was let go from a job he moved to Wisconsin for—a life change that he refers to as humbling. The issue, as Moore saw it, was that people without millions of dollars in assets couldn’t access the same resources as wealthier clients.

“The vast majority of Americans who don’t have half a million or more in investable assets don’t get to work with a financial advisor because they don’t meet their minimums,” Moore explains. “I felt like that was a business model problem, not a client problem.”

Moore BSFCS ’09, MS ’12, who now lives in Montana because he can ski and fish in the same weekend, started a company focused on clients who didn’t have to meet the usual requirement of being wealthy to receive advice. Moore also used a fee-forservice model, rather than the traditional one based on percentage of investable assets.

In the first 18 months of running his company, Serenity Financial Consulting, he also answered more than 100 phone calls from fellow financial advisors.

“People were asking very similar questions, but not about financial planning.

They wanted to know how you run a business,” Moore says. “Our degree programs teach us how to do the work, but they don’t teach us how to run a business.”

The conversations led Moore to start another company as a side project. The interest was overwhelming.

“We had no idea the market that we were stepping into,” Moore says.

He sold Serenity to focus on this new endeavor, XY Planning Network, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

Moore is now CEO and co-founder of XY Planning Network and co-founder and executive vice chair of AdvicePay, Inc. XY Planning Network takes the guesswork out of running a business by providing technology recommendations, marketing resources, and coaching to small business owners in the financial planning industry.

Alan Moore didn't want anyone to have control over the entirety of his income. So he started his own financial planning company. Ten years later, the XY Planning Network is still going strong.

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Moore uses his podcast to highlight members’ entrepreneurial journeys.

The members of XY Planning Network follow Moore’s fee-for-service model, which also allows them to connect with a younger generation of clients who are in the process of building wealth. AdvicePay, Inc., launched as an efficient, compliant way for these advisors to get paid.

Moore says the biggest benefit that members receive, though, is the community the platform creates.

“Our mission statement is to help people live their great lives,” Moore says.

“For every advisor we’re able to help start their own business, they can then impact 100 clients’ lives through the work they’re

doing. Now, more than 180,000 consumers have access to financial planning, most of which didn’t have access before.”

Equally important to access is asking the right questions. While working on his master’s at UGA in family financial planning, Moore learned about financial therapy through UGA’s ASPIRE Clinic, where he collaborated with students training to become marriage and family therapists.

“I believe financial planning is a helping profession,” says Moore. “How I was trained at UGA takes a more holistic look at someone’s personal finances. It really puts the person at the center of it and asks them what they want out of life.”

Written by Alexandra Shimalla MA ’19 GEORGIA MAGAZINE

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CLASS NOTES in Banks Crossing.

Gabrielle Markle ABJ ’16 started a new position as multimedia manager for Seacrest Studios at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in Queens, NY. Joseph E. Gresham AB ’16 completed a clerkship with the Hon. Sam E. Haddon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana and is now an associate attorney at Hall Booth Smith in Missoula.

Carolyn Calloway BFA ’17 is a visiting lecturer of photography and new media at UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art. Daniel Seeler BSA ’17, MS ’21 was promoted to senior associate scientist at dsm-firmenich in Columbia, MD. Leah La Rosa ABJ ’17 is a producer for A&E Networks in Los Angeles.

Amari Allen BSFCS ’19 is a program manager at Valley

Health.

Carolina Bieri BSFCS ’19 is a marketing strategist at Amazon in Atlanta.

Semhal Hadgu BS ’19 joined the Institute for Defense Analyses as a research associate in its operational evaluation division.

Kristen Nicolosi BSEd ’20 is completing a women’s health physical therapy residency at the University of Pennsylvania.

Cameron Pittman BSFR ’20 started a new position as an assistant collection manager at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Godswill Nwankwo BBA ’20 was selected to join the Terry College of Business Young Alumni Board and the Black Alumni Leadership Council at UGA. Jarrett Sullivan AB ’20 started a new position as a special projects associate at Stateside Associates, a state and local

government relations firm, in March.

2021-2023 Charis Barnett BSEd ’21, MEd ’23 started a new position as a speech pathology clinical fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia in Augusta.

David Bekore BBA ’21, MS ’21 is assistant vice president and senior analyst for Qualitative Model Validation with Citigroup in New York City.

Eboni Goar AB ’21 completed a master’s degree in global media and cultures at Georgia Tech in 2022 and graduated from IUC Yokohama in Japan in 2023. She started a new position as an English instructor at Berlitz Japan in August.

Heather Hewitt BS ’21 is a doctoral candidate in astrophysics at Arizona State University.

Katelyn Scott BSFCS ’21 started a new position as creative coordinator for the Savannah Bananas in Savannah.

Rashawn Merchant BSES ’21 earned a Master of Arts from Columbia University.

Tony Atchison EdS ’21 is a reading specialist with the Dekalb County School District.

Caroline Bufano BFA ’22 is a graphic designer for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Danielle Obijeski BS ’22 is a part-time pharmacy intern at CVS Pharmacy and is pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at UGA. Evan Walker BSES ’22 is a field scientist at NOVA Engineering and is currently working on the construction of a new academic building at Clarke Middle School.

Quinn Shelt AB ’22 is on the board of directors of the Georgia chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Inspiring the future of Athens

Hospitality • Event, Music, & Sports Management • Marketing • Event Planning • Culinary Experience The Classic Center and The Classic Center Cultural Foundation partner to offer opportunities that will inspire growth within our community.

Scholarships, grants, workforce development programs, and employment are just some of the opportunities designed to provide individuals with the skills and training needed to prosper within the hospitality industry.

ClassicCenter.com/CommunityOutreach | 706.208.0900 | 300 N Thomas Street, Athens, GA

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CLASS NOTES ALUMNI PROFILE

A Personality Matter

Cherry Collier MS ’95, PhD ’98

Cherry Collier helps her coaching clients harness their inner power.

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hen you ask a 5-year-old girl what she wants to be when she grows up, you expect her to say something like firefighter, doctor, or even astronaut.

You don’t expect her to say she wants to be a motivational speaker.

But Cherry Collier wasn’t just any 5-yearold.

Her mom regularly listened to the late Rev. Norman Vincent Peale, who became famous for his belief in the power of positive thinking. And Collier got hooked.

“When I was in the first grade, I was in class telling everybody about the power of positive thinking and what you have to do to be successful. All of my teachers were like, ‘There’s something not right with her. We just want you to know your numbers,’” Collier MS ’95, PhD ’98 recalls with a laugh.

That drive to help people realize their best selves led Collier first to Spelman College for a bachelor’s degree in psychology and then on to the University of Georgia for master’s and doctoral degrees at the urging of Dr. Hamilton Holmes BS ’63, a father figure in Collier’s life and the first African American man admitted to UGA.

peter frey

“When people hear ‘psychology,’ they always assume you’re a therapist, but I use my degrees in organizational and social psychology to understand people,” Collier explains.

While she’s not a therapist, per se, she uses her training to get inside the minds of clients. Collier’s goal is to help those working for these organizations to succeed through executive coaching, leadership training, and talent development.

“I started coaching in 1998 with the belief that people had all of the resources they needed inside themselves to be successful,” Collier says. “As you start to help them connect to those resources, then they are going to become true human resources for their organization, their communities, and their families.”

For Collier, it’s not about just creating the perfect worker. It’s about creating the most effective version of oneself.

That’s why she created Personality Matters, a firm on the 2023 Bulldog 100 list that specializes in coaching, leadership, and team development. As CEO, managing partner, and head coach, Collier and her team work with small businesses and Fortune 500

companies across all types of industries and federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Transportation, and NASA. That team also includes four other doctoral graduates from UGA. “All of them are Black women—five Ph.D. Dawgs in one place,” Collier notes proudly.

The name of the firm also underscores one of Collier’s main messages to her clients.

“You cannot be the same person to everyone,” she says. “There are different strategies and approaches that are necessary for different people. Personality matters.”

When people understand themselves, their personalities, and those around them, Collier says, their communication improves, setting them up for success. It’s all about moving out of your own way. It’s a philosophy Collier believes in so wholeheartedly that she centered one of her 22 books on it.

“The best advice I can give to people is to never bark alone,” Collier says. “We’re social animals, and we need each other. You get to a certain point and start thinking you should be able to do everything all alone. And that is not the way. You need other people. We are better together.”

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CLASS NOTES Alexandria Spencer BSEd ’23 is pursuing a master’s degree in speech therapy at Piedmont University and serves as a human resource specialist with the Army National Guard.

Andre Fedd PhD ’23 is a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Florida.

Morgan Boutwell BBA ’23 is a territory development representative at Varonis.

Ryan Evans BBA ’23 is a financial consultant at Ernst & Young.

GRADNOTES AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Jasper Nkanya MS ’87 retired from his position at the Kenya Government Civil Service.

John Murphy MS ’92 is an adjunct professor at the Perdue School of Business at Salisbury University. He is the owner of InterAmerican Business Associates.

Catherine Garner MHP ’13 was promoted to community development director for the town of Kernersville, NC. David Dobbs MHP ’18 is an architectural historian for the cultural resource management firm TerraXplorations.

ARTS AND SCIENCES Gladys de Barcza PhD ’88 is an artist in Hawaii and has been a faculty member at seven different colleges and universities teaching art survey and studio art courses.

Michael Allen PhD ’97 was named chair of the Mathematics Department at Tennessee Technological University.

Scott Gevaert PhD ’11 was promoted to professor of biology at St. Louis Community College in 2022.

He was appointed to the Botanical Society of America Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and the Society for the Study of Evolution Diversity Committee in 2023.

Deanna Bullins MAL ’14 is a science teacher with Patrick County Public Schools in Stuart, VA. David J. Stanley MM ’20, DMA ’23 was appointed associate director of bands and visiting assistant professor of music at Furman University.

Daniel Boches PhD ’23 joined the McDaniel College faculty as assistant professor of sociology.

Jason Rafferty MFA ’23 started a new position as an applied assistant professor of 2D visual art at the University of Tulsa.

EDUCATION Larry Williams MEd ’83, EdS ’96 is one of the founding members of Agrimissions, a nonprofit international agricultural missions organization.

Garnetta Penn MMEd ’08 is the Fine and Performing Arts Department chair at Benjamin Elijah Mays High School and is a part-time director of choral activities at Clark Atlanta University.

Kelly Causey EdD ’10 is an assistant professor of teacher education at Middle Georgia State University.

Terri Parker MEd ’20 started a new position as a PACS RIS administrator at the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Brittany Swann MMEd ’20 is a music teacher at Blue Ridge Elementary School in Evans and was named Teacher of the Year for the 2023-24 school year.

GROW WITH US! In addition to the gardens and miles of trails, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia offers educational programming for adults looking to learn more about the natural world.

Scan the QR code for more information about our educational programs.

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CLASS NOTES ALUMNI PROFILE

An Infinite Playlist

T

he recorded archives of Sony Music, one of the largest entertainment companies in the world, stretch back more than 125 years. Their value is so high that most of the original production sources are stored in a NORAD-like fortress under a mountain in an undisclosed location.

But Timothy J. Smith has access to everything.

Smith AB ’98 is Legacy Recordings (the catalog division of Sony Music) artists and repetoire director of digital audio research and development. That’s his title, anyway.

But his job is perhaps better described as a musical treasure hunter.

“What we’re trying to do is to make the more classic music accessible on digital platforms and to put it in front of a new generation. Because, to me, so much classic music we have incredible access to is timeless,” says Smith. He and his A&R team comb the back catalogs of Sony artists for rare, undiscovered, unreleased, or previously unknown songs.

It’s an ideal role for a longtime music fanatic.

Smith spent his formative years in South Orange, New Jersey, making mixtapes, and the experience stuck. (He even uses timmys_digital_mixtape as his Instagram handle.)

He played in alternative rock bands, too.

One of them, Astronaut, was good enough to open shows in the early ’90s for arena rock titans like Smashing Pumpkins and Dinosaur Jr. But the band couldn’t quite reach headliner status. So Smith took stock at the ripe old age of 23 and enrolled at UGA. He majored in English but was never far from the Classic City’s vibrant music scene.

In between his full-time studies, Smith played DJ gigs, wrote album and concert reviews for local publications, and even managed a local band. But he knew that if he didn’t step away from performing, he might not ever escape his rock star dreams.

So he channeled that energy in a different way. Smith moved back home to New Jersey after graduating and got a job in Sony Music’s Legacy Recordings division in New York City.

In his 25 years at Sony, Smith’s held var-

Timothy J. Smith AB ’98

Timothy J. Smith works in Sony Music's Legacy Recordings division where he leads a team that combs the company's 125-yearold archive searching for hidden treasures recorded by music's biggest stars.

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ious roles, but he’s spent the majority of his time with Legacy, where he compiles collections of artists ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Billy Joel to Duke Ellington to Ozzy Osbourne to Cheap Trick. He doesn’t often travel in person to the mountain archive, but the knowledgeable staff, with whom he works closely on a daily basis, are never more than a few keystrokes away.

Recently, Smith has branched out into the curation and sequencing of movie and TV soundtracks, an area where he displays a deft hand and ear.

In 2018, Smith earned two Grammy compilation producer nominations for the soundtracks to the Oscar-nominated film Lady Bird and the first collection of the Netflix hit Stranger Things. Smith’s third Grammy nomination came last year for the 2022 soundtrack to Stranger Things season 4.

That collection of early to mid-’80s classics gave Smith perhaps his biggest cultural impact when Kate Bush’s prominently featured song “Running Up That Hill” became

a massive hit more than 30 years after its original release. The single—which was not a Sony song, Smith notes, and was used with permission—dominated streaming services playlists for listeners across generations. Soon after, Bush was, fittingly, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Smith is quick to credit Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers and music supervisor Nora Felder for their creative leadership on the project. But with responsibility for the soundtrack sequencing—as any good mixtape creator knows—Smith is certainly a senior partner in the work.

The whole episode is a case study in digging up an old musical treasure and making it new again.

“That’s always my hope: that there is something musical that may have been originally overlooked that my team and I can put into the universe, and the universe says, ‘This is it. This means something to me,’” Smith says.

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CLASS NOTES ALUMNI PROFILE

The Driving Force

Adam Rasner AB ’97

As vice president of technology operations at AutoNation, Adam Rasner makes car buying easier.

T special

here is no denying that modern cars are leaps and bounds away from the original version invented over 100 years ago. The car-buying process has advanced just as much.

Car dealerships consistently use new technology to cut down on the time we spend wandering showrooms, searching for finance options, and haggling for better prices. Though some people still prefer to buy their cars in person, the process of buying or selling your vehicle today means you might not need to leave your home or even look up from your computer.

Adam Rasner AB ’97 knows all about the ongoing digital evolution of car purchasing. As the vice president of technology operations for automotive retail giant AutoNation, Rasner’s main role is to make the car-buying experience better.

“Ask anybody about buying a car, and people will tell you historically that it’s almost as painful as going to the dentist,” he says. “My job is to manage the infrastructure that ultimately helps make

your time in the dealership shorter, keeps the paper-shuffling to a minimum, and makes the process as convenient as possible.”

AutoNation currently boasts around 350 locations throughout the country and more than 26,000 employees.

Already one of the largest automotive retailers in the nation, AutoNation acquired 40 more dealerships, a financial services company, and a mobile repair company in the last year, so Rasner won’t be taking a break anytime soon.

He currently manages seven different functional areas of technology ranging from support to incident management.

He also oversees the infrastructure the company uses to run the collision centers and auction houses, and set up repair orders at mobile service centers, among other things.

Rasner will supervise all of the new systems that power this new customer experience and integrate AutoNation’s recent acquisitions. While this may seem like a daunting task, Rasner is genuinely excited to get started.

Written by Jayne Roberts

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“I’m a technologist at heart,” he says.

“I started my career at WebMD as a network engineer, and I’ve always loved being around technology. In the last eight years I’ve been here, I think we’ve made massive steps toward revolutionizing how you buy a car.”

When he’s not at work, you can find Rasner in the stands or in front of his television during every Georgia game.

As a booster, Rasner, who lives in South Florida, takes his investment in Georgia football very seriously and recently attended his 30th Georgia-Florida game in a row.

The Rasner family is full of Bulldogs, including both of his siblings and his niece, who is currently a Double Dawg in UGA’s College of Public Health. Rasner has even gotten his wife and daughter to join in on the fun.

“My wife is ‘Georgia-by-marriage,’” he says. “She graduated from the University of Rhode Island, but I took her to a Georgia-Florida game for one of our first dates, and her mind was blown.”

CLASS NOTES

BUSINESS Rich Dippolito MBA ’94 is vice president of Midwest re/development for Brixmor Property Group.

Scott Spence MBA ’00 is the president and CEO of Duck River Electric Membership Corp.

Nicholas Browner MBA ’18 was appointed to the board of directors and chief strategy officer at Radon Medical Imaging.

Giuseppe Sautto MBA ’22 started a new position as an assistant professor at the Cleveland Clinic Florida Research and Innovation Center.

SOCIAL WORK Wayne Welch MSW ’67 is a practicing licensed clinical social worker in Macon.

LAW Valinda Barret Wolfert JD ’84 joined the board of directors of the Young Women’s Preparatory Network in 2022 and will serve as chair of the Governance and Nominations Committee in 2023.

Kelley Martin Robertson JD ’02 was sworn in by Gov. Brian Kemp BSA ’87 as state court judge for Hall County on March 27, 2023.

PHARMACY Michael Brinson PharmD ’74 was reappointed to the Georgia Board of Pharmacy by Gov. Brian Kemp BSA ’87.

Morgan Padron PharmD ’21 is a pediatric pharmacist at the University of Kansas Health System.

Mohamed Kakay JD ’03 is an account planner at fluent360 in Chicago.

Da-Shon Dixon JD ’20 is an associate at Clyde & Co. in Atlanta.

FORESTRY AND NATURAL RESOURCES Sarah Chinn PhD ’21 started a new position as the lead biologist on research of San Miguel Island with California sea lions at NOAA NMFS Marine Mammal Lab in the California Current Ecosystems Program.

KEEP UP WITH THE BULLDOG NATION

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FACULTY FOCUS

William D. Lastrapes Bernard B. and Eugenia A. Ramsey Professor of Private Enterprise Terry College of Business

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illiam Lastrapes didn’t expect to go viral.

And he certainly never imagined having one of his class adventures mentioned on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

But that’s exactly what happened in summer 2020.

A student posted an email she’d written Lastrapes asking to retake a macroeconomics test. The reason? A meatball had fallen on her keyboard and submitted the incomplete assignment before she could finish the test.

Lastrapes’ kind and understanding response resonated with thousands online during the COVID19 pandemic.

“At the time, there was a general sense that times were tough, mistakes would be made, and we should all try to get along as best we could,” Lastrapes says. “I’ll add that when I responded positively to her request, I insisted that she do her retake either BEFORE or AFTER eating dinner.”

Why let the student retake the test? Because Lastrapes’ goal is for students to fully master the material he teaches. And he’s not going to let a little sandwich mishap get in the way of that.

What are some of the things you wish the average person understood about economics and finance?

Economics is based on just a single premise—that people are rational (most of the time) when making choices. They act to maximize benefits over costs; they respond predictably to incentives. This simple and unassailable assumption can go very far in explaining human behavior.

If you could change one thing about the American economic system, what would that be and why?

Although Americans face many challenging economic problems, I would make no fundamental changes to our current system. Perhaps that is because I lack imagination, but it is mostly because I agree with Winston Churchill’s sentiment on democracy.

Applied to economics, that might be paraphrased as “capitalism is the worst form of economic system, except for all the others.” peter frey

Endowed chairs—positions that receive supplemental support generated from private donations—are essential to recruiting and retaining leading faculty who are committed to world-changing research and preparing the next generation of problem-solvers, pioneers, and leaders. Learn more about supporting UGA’s leading faculty at GIVE.UGA.EDU.

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96

%

OF UGA STUDENTS

EMPLOYED OR INOL GRADUATSIEX MSONCTHHSO WITHIN

Thank you!

UGA TOP 25 EMPLOYERS ®

FOR THE CLASS OF 2023 Accenture

Lockheed Martin

ADP

Manhattan Associates

AT&T

NCR Corporation

Bank of America Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

Piedmont Healthcare PricewaterhouseCoopers

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

RSM US LLP

Deloitte

State Farm

Delta Air Lines Emory University EY

The Home Depot The Walt Disney Company Truist

Georgia-Pacific

University of Georgia

Grant Thornton

UPS

KPMG

Data from the UGA Career Outcomes Survey was used to identify the employers that hired the most graduates from the Class of 2023 (public school systems not included). If your company is interested in opportunities to connect with UGA students and graduates, visit hireUGA.com.

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