2020 President’s Report
2020 Rising Above, Going Beyond
The year 2020 will forever be etched in our collective memories as a year like no other. Unprecedented, alarming, overwhelming? Resoundingly yes! And yet, we also experienced a year that was innovative, productive and enlightening. As we navigated the unfamiliar landscape of 2020, we were called upon to rise above the challenges and go beyond our previous experiences to find creative solutions to unique problems. Despite the unusual circumstances, we forged ahead and accomplished great things. I am pleased to share some of those highlights in the following pages of this report. As one of the state’s leading public institutions, the University of North Georgia continues to attract highly motivated, academically talented students. They have earned some of the nation’s most prestigious scholarships, including the Boren Award, Gilman Scholarship, Rangel Fellowship and the Fulbright U.S. Scholarship program, for which UNG has been named a Top Producer for four consecutive years.
“As we navigated the unfamiliar landscape of 2020, we were called upon to rise above the challenges and go beyond our previous experiences to find creative solutions to unique problems.”
We have leveraged our designations as a State Leadership Institution and The Military College of Georgia to expand high demand programs in areas of national significance. We are designated an Academic Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the NSA and Homeland Security. Among UNG’s 12 language programs, we offer five national critical interest languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Russian, and we are an ROTC Chinese Flagship Program. We continue to earn recognition as a regional leader in academic quality and affordability, and we rose to 15th among Top Public Regional Universities in the South on the U.S. News and World Report 2021 Best Colleges rankings. Likewise, we routinely earn high marks from Forbes, Money, Kiplinger and others for value and affordability, underscoring our commitment to student success. UNG develops leaders who know the importance of teamwork, selfless service and commitment. Throughout the highs and lows of the past year, I am proud that we met the opportunity in 2020 to rise above and go beyond, firmly united in our shared mission of providing the best possible educational experience for students and helping them fulfill their potential. I look forward to seeing all that our students, faculty and staff will accomplish in the year ahead. Sincerely,
Bonita C. Jacobs President
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The University of North Georgia is a leading regional university that helps fuel the economic momentum of one of the fastestgrowing areas of the state. Our emphasis on leadership, innovation, collaboration and exploration prepares UNG graduates to make a meaningful impact in the workforce and in the communities they serve.
#15
AMONG
PUBLIC REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES IN THE SOUTH U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT 2021
1ST
PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN GEORGIA WITH
CAMPUS COMPACT
CIVIC ACTION PLAN
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$12.7M+ EXTERNAL GRANTS FOR
RESEARCH & OUTREACH (2018-20)
TWICE EARNED THE
MACARTHUR AWARD AS TOP ARMY ROTC PROGRAM (2017, 2019)
FULBRIGHT
TOP PRODUCER FOUR
CONSECUTIVE YEARS
TWO-TIME
WINNER OF NSA
CODEBREAKER CHALLENGE (2019, 2020)
UNG provides an educational experience that empowers students to achieve their goals and make a difference for others.
ACHIEVEMENT
LEADERSHIP
UNG prepares students who are innovators and explorers, trail-blazers and servant-leaders. Our students amassed a record $576,000 in competitive scholarships for 2020 and nearly $3 million since 2015, from some of the nation’s most prestigious opportunities, including the Fulbright, Rangel, Truman, Goldwater, and Gilman scholarships.
Designated a State Leadership Institution and The Military College of Georgia, UNG prepares students for military, professional and civic leadership in Georgia and throughout the world. Opportunities are plentiful for students to grow as leaders through campus clubs, student government, community engagement and a variety of leadership development programs.
ENGAGEMENT
RESEARCH
Along with the impact of its 13 academic centers and institutes serving our region and state, UNG holds the prestigious Community Engagement Classification from The Carnegie Foundation, indicating our institutional commitment to regional stewardship.
UNG faculty and staff have garnered more than $12.7 million in external grants since 2018 for research, and more than $2 million in presidential seed grants to pursue their scholarly interests, enrich teaching and high impact practices, and expand community partnerships.
SERVICE
AFFORDABILITY
UNG students engage in a wide variety of activities to support our local communities, everything from fundraising to volunteering with area nonprofits. Efforts start early with a service project and volunteer fair during freshman Weeks of Welcome.
Nationally recognized for value and affordability by U.S. News and World Report, Kiplinger, Forbes and other national publications, UNG is committed to ensuring finances are not a deterrent to a transformational education.
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UNG develops culturally competent leaders who are prepared to succeed in our global society. To complement their classroom experiences, UNG encourages students to study abroad, seek international partnerships and join service-learning trips — experiences that broaden a student’s world view and enhance their ability to interact with people of different cultures and beliefs.
In 2020, UNG participated in the American Council on Education’s Internationalization Laboratory program to focus on strategies for increasing domestic and international cross-cultural engagement.
Preparing leaders for global challenges UNG is designated a National Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense Education and a Chinese Language Flagship program. Five of the 12 languages offered at UNG are deemed critical languages by the Department of Defense. These advantages ensure UNG graduates receive a world-class education in subject areas of national and international importance in both military and civilian fields.
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MARIA MARQUEZ Cybersecurity Champion Maria Marquez hopes to inspire others who may follow her lead. As a first-generation college student and Latina pursuing a degree in the male-dominated cybersecurity field, she is blasting through barriers. Marquez was part of the UNG team that dominated the 531 colleges and universities competing in the 2019 NSA Codebreaker Challenge — a contest the team won in commanding fashion. She was one of only 50 students in the nation to complete all seven tasks in the competition.
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Thanks to the global pandemic, 2020 was nothing if not an exercise in resilience, patience, creativity and flexibility. UNG transitioned more than 200 classes to fully online, distributed more than $6.8 million in CARES Act funding, and modified services to students along with classroom and work spaces to accommodate social distancing requirements for the fall return to campus. Staff reimagined virtual and in-person events, from wellness groups to drive-in movies, to help students stay socially connected while remaining physically distanced.
Commencement in the time of COVID-19
One of the most treasured rites of passage for a college student is graduation. UNG found a truly innovative way to safely give students a live commencement celebration with more than 90 mini ceremonies that brought families through the arena in small groups.
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Dr. Mark Causey ’06 3D-Printed Mask Designer When the pandemic temporarily closed his orthodontic practice, Dr. Mark Causey turned his attention to helping healthcare workers by developing a mask that could be readily available through 3D-printing. He posted a video about how to print the masks and also partnered with UNG’s maker-bot lab to print masks for local medical professionals.
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World-class faculty play a pivotal role in helping students achieve their potential and deepening knowledge of their discipline through research and professional involvement. In addition, undergraduate research is an important part of students’ academic development at UNG, providing experiences that prepare them for high-demand careers or graduate programs.
UNG received more than $4.2 million in external research grants in 2020, an increase of 82% since 2014. The Presidential Incentive Awards program established by President Bonita Jacobs in 2013 has invested more than $2.1 million to support faculty and staff research and scholarly activities that impact students’ educational experience or enhance professional practices. Since 2013, the Faculty/Undergraduate Summer Engagement program has awarded $461,000 in grants that encourage faculty/student research collaborations. UNG’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities has awarded more than $200,000 since 2012. The program awards up to $2,000 to student-led teams and their faculty mentors in all academic areas.
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Dr. Gregory Feiden Director of the North Georgia Astronomical Observatory UNG’s newly completed observatory, equipped with 24-inch and 28-inch state-of-the-art telescopes housed inside two domes, enhances research opportunities for students and faculty, like Dr. Gregory Feiden. The Department of Physics and Astronomy has been recognized as a top-producer of physics graduates twice in the past five years by the American Institute of Physics.
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Intellectual curiosity and a leadership mindset are the hallmarks of a UNG education. Our students routinely win many of the nation’s most prestigious awards, including the Fulbright, Boren, Gilman, Newman, and McNair scholarships. They amassed a record $576,000 in competitive scholarship awards in 2020 and nearly $3 million in the past six years. Students set themselves apart as campus leaders, participating in student clubs and organizations, internships and community service opportunities that provide hands-on experience and leadership opportunities.
For the fourth consecutive year, UNG was named a national Top Producer of Fulbright students and one of just two universities in Georgia to earn this designation for 2020-21.
Jelma Flores-Mota
Andre Davis Brown
Caitlin “Cat” Corrales
A Political Science/ Prelaw major and self-proclaimed introvert, Flores-Mota stepped outside her comfort zone to become the first president of the unified Student Government Association for all five UNG campuses in 2020.
A cadet pursuing a degree in International Affairs with an East Asian concentration, Brown is president of the Black Student Union at the Dahlonega Campus and a leader in Sigma Nu fraternity.
During Corrales’ summer internship, the Environmental Spatial Analysis major designed and developed a GIS app for Chattahoochee Riverkeeper volunteers to rate the safety of water testing access points on the river.
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Nataly Morales Villa McNair Scholarship Recipient When Nataly Morales Villa received her B.S. degree in political science from UNG, she was the first in her family to earn a college degree. Scholarships, such as HOPE, Pell, Goizueta and the prestigious Gilman International Scholarship, were invaluable resources in funding her education, including study abroad experiences in Spain and Peru. Her research in the McNair Scholars Program, which prepares students for post-graduate studies, led her to graduate school at Harvard University.
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The University of North Georgia is one of only six senior military colleges in the United States. UNG is home to the Boars Head Brigade — twice recognized with the prestigious Gen. Douglas MacArthur Award (2017, 2019) as the top Army ROTC program among senior military colleges. The UNG Corps of Cadets prepares students to be strategic thinkers and culturally competent officers who are well-equipped to understand and adapt to an ever-changing global dynamic. Alumni generals currently in military service include the commander of U.S. Africa Command and the commander of Operation Inherent Resolve, a post twice held previously by UNG alumni.
3-TIME QUALIFIER
SANDHURST INTERNATIONAL MILITARY SKILLS COMPETITION (2018, 2019, 2020)
2400 HOURS OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT STUDIES WHILE IN THE CORPS
TWICE AWARDED
MOST ACTIVE COMPANY BY AUSA
(2019, 2020)
Boar’s Head Brigade Values Courage Respect Integrity Service Loyalty Truth Wisdom 12
Angel Rosemond Project Global Officer Scholarship Recipient Angel Rosemond has always loved learning languages and felt called to serve her country. She combined her two passions at UNG, where she is pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Arabic. In the Corps of Cadets, Rosemond is squad leader for Delta Company and hopes to attend the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. Participating in UNG’s Summer Language Institute for Arabic supported that goal, as did her study abroad trip to Morocco, funded by a Project Global Officer scholarship.
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UNG student-athletes are the triple-threat as dedicated athletes, academic stand-outs and campus and community leaders. Despite a pandemic-abbreviated season, the Nighthawks had 24 All-Conference or All-Region honorees. In the classroom, student-athletes collectively earned a 3.29 GPA for the 2019-2020 season, the highest in department history. UNG athletes have a long-standing tradition of supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation, raising nearly $200,000 since 2010, and topping the NCAA Division II donor list for five consecutive years.
33 ACADEMIC
ALL-AMERICANS FOR 2019-20
$1 MILLION GIFT IMPROVED ATHLETIC FIELDS AT
LYNN COTTRELL PARK
9 WISHES FULFILLED THROUGH THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION
Standout facilities earn national acclaim UNG’s Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium was named the 2020 NCAA Division II Field of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and, with a $1 million gift from Lynn Cottrell, UNG installed LED video boards at the baseball, soccer and softball fields.
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Zachary Brown National SAAC Representative Zach Brown is applying the leadership skills he learned as a student-athlete to representing his fellow athletes off the court. A forward on the men’s basketball team and a senior pursuing a degree in marketing, Brown was appointed in 2020 to the NCAA Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), representing the Peach Belt Conference. Brown also was recently named to the NCAA Committee to Promote Cultural Diversity and Equity.
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Over the course of a challenging year, UNG has remained laser-focused on meeting the needs of students — from finances to housing to programming. An ongoing priority for UNG is scholarship support for students to ensure that financial concerns are not a barrier to them meeting their educational goals and achieving their career aspirations.
2,437
SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED IN 2019-20
Paying it forward In February 2020, Tommy Bagwell met with the inaugural recipients of the Chantal and Tommy Bagwell Scholarship, which provides $5,000 annual renewable scholarships for students from Forsyth and Hall Counties. The Bagwells’ only request to students: after graduation, be generous in their communities or with scholarship support for future students.
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22%
INCREASE IN SPENDING FOR
SCHOLARSHIPS & RESEARCH
Mike and Lynn Cottrell Steadfast UNG Donors Mike and Lynn Cottrell committed $10 million to the Cottrell Center for Business, Technology and Innovation, an eagerly awaited expansion of facilities for the Mike Cottrell College of Business, scheduled for completion in 2022. Their wide-ranging generosity in the form of scholarships, community-based program sponsorships and capital projects has provided transformational support for UNG students and graduates to be regionally and globally competitive business leaders. “I have been fortunate in my life, worked hard, and achieved a measure of success. I am able to give back to the community, and I want to make a difference,” Mike Cottrell said.
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With five campuses serving the north Georgia region, UNG plays a pivotal role in expanding educational access and attainment for students. Their academic success subsequently makes an impact on community prosperity. North Georgia is the fastest-growing region in the state, and UNG is uniquely positioned to support the thriving communities in its region.
Enrollment by Campus
228
Blue Ridge
1,373
Cumming
7,322
Dahlonega
7,529
Gainesville
2,615
Oconee
726
Blue Ridge Dahlonega Cumming
Gainesville
Atlanta
Oconee
Online
Campus construction & expansion
In the five years since the Blue Ridge Campus opened, enrollment has grown 766%. To support continued growth, UNG opened a new stand-alone campus in fall 2020. In addition, renovated facilities at the Gainesville Campus are expanding spaces for student services, new classrooms, labs and study areas.
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Armando Tercero-Escobar Former Upward Bound & Blue Ridge Scholars Participant When Armando Tercero-Escobar’s mother was diagnosed with cancer in his senior year of high school, his grades spiraled downward. With help from Upward Bound, a program that provides college preparation support and a summer residential college experience in Dahlonega, he got back on track. Tercero-Escobar wanted to honor his mother’s sacrifices in leaving her native Guatemala for the chance of a better life in the U.S. “I decided to go to college to make my mother proud,” he said. Tercero-Escobar was selected for the 2018 cohort of the Blue Ridge Scholars program. Now a junior on the Dahlonega Campus pursing a degree in kinesiology, he looks forward to the day his mom, now in remission, will cheer him on at his graduation.
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The Mike Cottrell College of Business has experienced significant enrollment growth and developed a variety of new programs that respond to industry needs. The college now enrolls more than 4,700 students and accounts for 29% of the university’s overall enrollment. UNG broke ground in 2020 for the new Cottrell Center for Business, Technology and Innovation. Scheduled to open in fall 2022, the new facility will strengthen current and emerging programs to ensure the college experience of UNG’s business students remains among the very best.
UNG’s Mike Cottrell College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, a mark of excellence earned by less than 5% of the world’s business schools.
Providing hands-on experiences
A $10 million gift from Mike and Lynn Cottrell put the wheels in motion for the new Cottrell Center for Business, Technology and Innovation, with the goal of making it the best place in Georgia to study business. The 86,483 square-foot facility will feature a cybersecurity range, computer science lab, professional sales lab and a logistics/trading lab.
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Betsy Wilcauskas Cottrell Ambassador Betsy Wilcauskas, a junior honors student pursuing a double major in supply chain management and paralegal studies, is leading outside the classroom, too. Among her many activities, Wilcauskas is a student representative to the local Chamber of Commerce and was named a Cottrell Ambassador, a competitive scholarship program with a volunteer service requirement.
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UNG makes a significant impact in northeast Georgia in many ways. Our five campuses are a valuable asset to surrounding towns and counties. UNG attracts more families to the region and provides a wide variety of academic and cultural programming that enriches community life. The university serves as an expert resource on a broad array of topic areas and contributes to community prosperity as a leading economic force in the region.
$723M ECONOMIC IMPACT IN
SPENDING & JOBS IN FY19 UP 24% OVER FY18
1ST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY
IN GEORGIA TO EARN
CARNEGIE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CLASSIFICATION
$1.4M
FEDERAL GRANT FOR
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH GEORGIA
More than 20% of UNG students are first-generation college students. The university’s GEN 1 program offers targeted programming and connects students with faculty and staff mentors who are themselves first-generation college graduates to help them succeed. By removing potential roadblocks, more first-generation graduates will enjoy the expanded career opportunities accompanying a college degree. Approximately 80% of UNG students hail from northeast Georgia. The large majority remain in their home state after graduation, contributing their drive and expertise to helping local communities throughout Georgia continue to thrive and grow.
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Ruben Boling Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation encourages emerging businesses and spurs continued economic development in northeast Georgia. The center’s new storefront presence, The Launch Pad, provides the space, education and mentorship to help students, employees, alumni and community members develop and grow new ventures.
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Our Mission
The University of North Georgia, a regional multi-campus institution and premier senior military college, provides a culture of academic excellence in a student-focused environment that includes quality education, service, research, and creativity. This is accomplished through broad access to comprehensive academic and co-curricular programs that develop students into leaders for a diverse and global society. The University of North Georgia is a University System of Georgia leadership institution and is The Military College of Georgia®.
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The University of North Georgia will be a regional and national leader for academic excellence, engagement, educational opportunity, and leadership development.
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Leading where it counts Blue Ridge • Cumming • Dahlonega • Gainesville • Oconee UNG is designated as a State Leadership Institution and as The Military College of Georgia®.