Ready for the Classroom

READY FOR THE

CLASSROOM

Nursing students on the front lines Visual Arts celebrates 50 years

Mask up

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Features 18 Classroom ready

College of Education model prepares teacher for real world.

22 Best for business New facility to make UNG the best place in Georgia to study business.

26 Challenge accepted

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Nursing students and alumni serving on the pandemic front lines.

32 Growing poultry

New programs, partnerships expand poultry science program.

36 The big 50

Visual Arts celebrates milestone anniversary.

Departments 4

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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AROUND UNG

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CORPS OF CADETS

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SPORTS ROUNDUP

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CLASS NOTES

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IN MEMORIAM

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UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA MAGAZINE

University of North Georgia Magazine is published semi-annually by the University of North Georgia.

E D I T O R I A L S TA F F Sylvia Carson, APR, editor Edie Rogers, writer J.K. Devine, writer Clark Leonard, writer Jill Johnson, contributor David Jones, designer Peggy Cozart, photographer Nikki Nicholson, intern C O N TAC T Division of University Relations 82 College Circle Dahlonega, GA 30597 706-864-1950 universityrelations@ung.edu

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Where will your talent lead you?

Whether you’re an employee or an entrepreneur, just getting started or planning a career change, UNG alumni continue to have access to Career Services offerings.

CAREER CHANGE

JOB SEARCH

HIRE A NIGHTHAWK

Our career specialists are skilled at helping career changers explore their options. Schedule a consultation with one of our specialists available by phone, in person or virtually.

Career Services offers online access to a broad range of job boards, career fairs and search tools, resources for employer research, and information on job search strategies.

Finding fellow Nighthawks to fill your open positions is easy with Handshake, UNG’s job search engine. You can post jobs and internships and search posted resumes to find prospects for your opportunity.

Snap for Alumni Career Services

Snap to Post a Job or Internship

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An unwavering commitment to student success The immense challenges facing our society today require leaders and problem-solvers who can think critically, communicate effectively, and work comfortably across cultures. At UNG, outstanding teachers and leading scholars have inspired generations of students to fulfill their potential as leaders who serve our nation and build the fabric of our region.

The past year has been different from any we have ever experienced, and we learned how truly amazing the UNG community is. Challenges turned into opportunities. Resilience, innovation, creativity and dedication underscored our efforts to support our students in every way possible.

“Challenges turned into opportunities.

Resilience, innovation, creativity and dedication underscored our efforts to support our students in every way possible.”

We did not allow the pandemic to shake our unwavering commitment to student success. As highlighted in the news and profiles in this edition of UNG Magazine, our students can count on guidance from strong mentors, resume-building experiences, and service with leadership opportunities.

I frequently hear from our graduates about the impact that a particular faculty or staff member made in their life, sometimes changing their trajectory forever. Importantly, our alumni and donors play a tremendous role in student success, too. Your invaluable support of our mission enables UNG to provide students with exceptional and transformational educational opportunities, and we are very grateful.

Sincerely,

Bonita C. Jacobs, Ph.D. President

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University plans for return to normal in fall

Fulbright names university topproducing institution for fourth time

UNG plans for fall 2021 to mark a return to in-person classes and on-campus student experiences.

UNG plans for a return to normal operations this fall, based upon guidance issued from the University System of Georgia in consultation with the Georgia Department of Public Health. UNG will continue to follow guidance from the Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Our safety protocols and the operational changes have mitigated the spread of COVID-19 on our campuses,” UNG President Bonita Jacobs said. “However, with vaccine availability expanded for more

members of the UNG community, I am optimistic about fully resuming on-campus operations and activities by this fall.”

UNG plans for fall 2021 to mark a return to in-person classes and on-campus student experiences, including activities, events and recreational opportunities. UNG will maintain some hybrid and online courses.

Operations for the summer 2021 semester will continue much as spring semester, including a mix of in-person and hybrid courses.

Communication major named Newman Civic Fellow Justin Bray, a junior pursuing a degree in communication with a concentration in public relations, was selected as one of 212 Newman Civic Fellows from 39 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico in the 2021-22 academic cohort.

Those selected for the yearlong program are community-minded student leaders on their campuses who demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities locally, nationally and internationally. Since 2013, nine

UNG students have been Newman Civic Fellows.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program has designated UNG as a top producer of Fulbright students for the fourth consecutive year. UNG, UGA and Emory, were the only universities in Georgia included on the 2020-21 top-producers list for the Fulbright Student Program.

UNG secured the distinction based on five alumni being selected as Fulbright finalists for the 2020-21 academic year.

“UNG’s consistent recognition by this esteemed program is a testament to our students’ abilities to earn placement into these transformational overseas experiences, the outstanding mentoring provided by our faculty, and the dedication of our Nationally Competitive Scholarships Office to prepare students for these opportunities,” UNG President Bonita Jacobs said.

The Fulbright is a prestigious, highly competitive fellowship that enables recent graduates and graduate students to pursue research, earn a graduate degree or teach English overseas. It is designed to increase mutual understanding between U.S. citizens and residents of more than 160 foreign countries.

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Eight win Gilman International Scholarships

College of Education earns high marks for teacher preparation UNG’s College of Education scored Level 4, or exemplary, in the Preparation Program Effectiveness Measures (PPEM) for the third year in a row. UNG was the fifth largest program to receive a 4, which is the highest possible rating, with 226 graduates evaluated.

PPEM was formulated for program improvement, to hold teacher education programs accountable

Eight UNG students have been awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. The program enables students who are eligible for the Pell grant to study or intern abroad for at least three weeks and gain skills critical to national security and economic competitiveness.

The recipients are: • Kimberly Burns, pursuing a degree in East Asian studies, chose to study in Taiwan.

• Makae Bythewood, pursuing a degree in elementary and special education, chose to study in New Zealand.

for the quality of educators they produce, and provide transparency to the public, including the K-12 education community.

“It’s very valuable for us because we get to see how we are really performing,” Dr. Sheri Hardee, dean of UNG’s College of Education, said.

Developed by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, the PPEM includes a performance-based assessment of teacher candidates, the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators, a system of classroom teacher evaluations, an employer survey, and a survey of teachers at the end of their first year in the classroom.

More than 200 UNG education graduates were evaluated by state commission.

UNG has $723 million impact on region

• Caleb Brooks, pursuing a degree in film and digital media with a media studies concentration, chose to study in Japan.

• Stephanie Castillo, pursuing a degree in psychology, chose to study in Australia.

• Sisters Haley and Hannah Menees, each pursuing a degree in biology, chose to study in Peru.

• Maggie Simmons, pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Chinese, chose to study in China.

• Philip Weed, pursuing a degree in cybersecurity, chose to study in Jordan.

Students interested in learning more about nationally competitive scholarships, including Gilman, should contact ncs@ung.edu for more information. Students interested in learning about study abroad opportunities through various programs may email global@ung.edu.

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UNG made an economic impact of nearly $723 million on northeast Georgia during fiscal year 2019, according to the most recent report conducted on behalf of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. The impact includes more than $699 million in spending and jobs and an additional $23.9 million impact attributed to capital construction projects.

“These reports reaffirm the extensive and positive impact UNG makes on our communities and for the futures of our students,”

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President Bonita C. Jacobs said.

“We continue to expand access to higher education and produce graduates who are globally competitive for a vast array of careers and service opportunities. At the same time, we continue to create jobs for thousands who serve our students and the communities in northeast Georgia.”

The annual study of the USG's economic impact measures direct and indirect spending that contributes to the university’s service region.

A new, natural direction in cancer research

Art professor earns statewide recognition

Dr. Ramneet Kaur, left, researches breast and prostate cancer treatments.

Based on research on natural products’ effects on cancer cells, Dr. Ramneet Kaur applied for and received a 2020 Presidential Incentive Award.

Kaur, a biology lecturer, received a mini-grant in 2017 to test natural products, such as turmeric, ginger, lemon peel, grapefruit, and the herb ashwagandha and the effect on triple negative cancer cells. She discovered that these natural items were the best at killing the cells.

She used her 2020 award to test

if the natural elements had the same effect on prostate cancer. This research marks a new direction in the field of cancer biology.

“Breast cancer and prostate cancer are related,” she said. “The drugresistant cells may be killed with the natural products based on my previous findings with triple negative breast cancer cells.”

Kaur and her students presented their work at the Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference in 2020.

Two professors honored by University System Humbled, appreciative and grateful were how Dr. Michele Hill and Dr. Caroline Muñoz felt when the University System of Georgia awarded them two separate and highly prestigious honors.

“Tears welled up in my eyes when I read the email,” said Hill, associate professor and associate head of the Department of Psychological Science, who received the Felton Jenkins Jr. Hall of Fame Faculty Award.

“It’s exciting to be recognized. It validates my work,” said Muñoz, associate professor of marketing in the Mike Cottrell College of Business, who was given the Regents’ Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Award.

Dr. Chaudron Gille, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, said it is an honor for a faculty member to be selected as an institution’s nominee for the award.

“To have two of UNG’s nominees selected as winners this year is a tribute to the caliber of our faculty. Huge congratulations to both Dr. Hill and Dr. Muñoz,” Gille said.

Dr. Michele Hill

Erin McIntosh, assistant professor of visual arts, was named the 2020 Higher Education Art Educator of the Year by Georgia Art Education Association (GAEA).

The GAEA is a professional organization of art educators in Georgia affiliated with the National Art Education Association. Its mission is to advocate for the highest quality visual arts education and provide for the advancement of knowledge through service, leadership and research.

Dr. Pamela Sachant, retired head of visual arts at UNG, applauded the award.

“Erin is an excellent artist educator and her award is well deserved,” Sachant said.

Dr. Caroline Muñoz

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Students spend spring as legislative interns Giselle Simental, a senior from Gainesville, Georgia, and Naumi Vate, a junior from Dawsonville, Georgia, worked as interns at the state Capitol during the 2021 legislative session. The pair were selected for the highly competitive Georgia Legislative Internship Program (GLIP).

Dr. Stephen Northam, lecturer of political science and international affairs and UNG’s coordinator of GLIP, said being selected is quite a feat and honor.

“It is only open to juniors and seniors, and they are selected from schools throughout the University System of Georgia,” he said.

Since the 2017 Georgia legislative session, UNG has had 12 candidates selected as legislative interns.

Two named finalists for Critical Language Scholarship In late March, two UNG students were named as finalists for the Critical Language Scholarship that funds American undergraduate and graduate students to complete intensive language study abroad in the summer. Three others were named alternates for the highly competitive national program.

Finalists are Bailey Pieplow, a senior pursuing degrees in Spanish and modern languages with a Chinese language and literature concentration, and Zoe Rumbaugh, a senior pursuing degrees in East Asian studies and modern languages with a Chinese for global professionals concentration.

Naumi Vate

Giselle Simental

Alternates are:

New Blue Ridge Campus program provides educational opportunities for older adults

• Corps of Cadets member Roderick Selman, a senior pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Arabic.

• Corps of Cadets member Daniel Shearer, a junior pursuing a degree in East Asian studies and a minor in leadership.

As the population of Fannin County, Georgia, continues to grow older, Dr. Pamela Elfenbein, director of UNG’s Institute for Healthy Aging, understands the benefits of engaging with older adults through activities and educational opportunities, as well as tapping into their wisdom.

She has joined forces with Sandy Ott, director of UNG’s Blue Ridge Campus, to create a Personal Enrichment, Action and Knowledge Series (PEAKS), using UNG’s newest campus to facilitate those opportunities.

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“PEAKS will establish UNG as the region’s premier resource of educational opportunities and enrichment for older adults,” Elfenbein said.

The PEAKS program launched its first series virtually this spring to allow for broad participation throughout UNG’s service region.

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• Maggie Simmons, a junior pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Chinese for global professionals, and a member of the Chinese Language Flagship program.

Dr. Victoria Hightower, assistant director of the nationally competitive scholarships office and associate professor of history, said having multiple finalists and alternates shows the strength of UNG’s language programs, the mentorship of its faculty, and the encouragement students receive.

Cyber summer academy for high schoolers returns; NSA grant expands to add program for teachers UNG’s popular GenCyber Warrior Academy for high school students will return this summer, and the university will hold its first-ever cyber program for educators.

The student academy is set for June 10-19, while the teacher event is set for June 7-11.

Dr. Bryson Payne, director of the Center for Cyber Operations Education and professor of computer science, is the director of both camps.

“We want to open the eyes of students in rural and urban areas to cybersecurity,”

Payne said. “For teachers, this training will allow for the advancement of GenCyber education in schools across north Georgia. “ The cybersecurity educational opportunities are funded by a $169,000 grant from the National Security Agency’s GenCyber Program.

Learn more here

Cyber expertise leads to second NSA Codebreaker Challenge win

Senior Brenna Durham was one of the students who helped UNG secure first place with a commanding 323,150 points.

UNG emerged victorious in the National Security Agency (NSA) Codebreaker Challenge for the second year in a row.

The challenge provides students with a hands-on opportunity to develop their reverse-engineering / low-level code analysis skills while working on a realistic problem set centered around the NSA’s mission. UNG students,

faculty and staff tallied 323,150 points, while second-place Georgia Tech finished with 74,010.

The challenge created a fictional scenario that required students to call upon physics, drone hacking, reverse engineering, and signals analysis skills to locate and recover a journalist kidnapped overseas.

Eighty-nine UNG participants

completed the first six tasks of the challenge. No other school had more than seven people finish that many tasks. UNG also had 27 participants complete the seventh task, with the next-closest school having four competitors reach that point. UNG’s team had 168 participants complete at least one task.

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Department head wins Education Innovator Award

Computer science program earns accreditation

Accreditation for the computer science program requires renewal and a continuous improvement plan.

Dr. Susan Klappa, department head and professor in UNG’s Physical Therapy Department, was awarded the Physical Therapy Learning Institute’s Education Innovator Award for her research presentation at the American Physical Therapy Association Educational Leadership Conference in 2020.

Klappa shared her findings from a pro bono stroke survivors’ camp she started while working at Briar Cliff University in Iowa.

She aims to help UNG Doctor of Physical Therapy students connect with a stroke survivors’ camp once the COVID-19 pandemic improves.

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The computer science bachelor’s degree program at UNG earned accreditation from ABET, a nonprofit, nongovernmental agency that accredits programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.

“This accreditation demonstrates that our computer science program meets the highest standards for the discipline and is among the best programs in the world,” Dr. Mary Gowan, dean of UNG’s Mike Cottrell College of Business, said.

Dr. Yong Wei, professor of computer science, said the ABET committee’s in-person evaluation of the computer

science program affirmed the quality UNG is providing.

The accreditation is not a one-time accomplishment. In addition to renewal every five years, the recognition requires a continuous improvement plan, which features three elements: • Course evaluations by students.

• A comprehensive field test as a measurement to gauge the education quality the program gives students.

• Formation of an industry board of employers and potential employers of students to provide feedback on the program’s educational offerings.

$1.4 federal grant will boost Appalachian region UNG was awarded a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to provide workforce development in six counties in northeast Georgia: Dawson, Fannin, Forsyth, Gilmer, Hall, and Lumpkin.

“This three-year grant is expected to have an immediate impact on career opportunities for the high school students in these counties, and provide a foundation that will boost the economic development of the region for decades to come,” Bobbi Larson, director of community engagement and economic

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development at UNG, said.

The grant will fund the “Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities” project, which seeks to accelerate the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region.

“We’re very excited about the grant’s potential to build a foundation for workforce development that could act as a catalyst for long-term economic development in the region,” Sandy Ott, director of UNG’s Blue Ridge Campus, said.

DoD funds $1.475 million for cyber institute

UNG along with the nation's five other senior military colleges received approximately $1.4 million each in federal money to establish cybersecurity institutes as pilot programs on their campuses.

Included in the 2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act, the funds are part of a $10 million Department of Defense appropriation to the National Security Agency (NSA) for these institutes.

“This grant and the scholarships it provides will give more students a chance to pursue their degree in cybersecurity without having to worry about working more or taking out loans to pay for

tuition,” said Dr. Bryson Payne, professor of computer science and director of the Center for Cyber Operations Education.

UNG is designated by the NSA and Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.

“We are excited to be able to expand what we already are doing in developing a pipeline of professionals who can serve in military or civilian jobs to tackle cyber issues that touch virtually every aspect of society,” Dr. Mary Gowan, dean of UNG's Mike Cottrell College of Business, said.

Military Friendly designation recognizes support for veteran, active-duty students UNG was named a Military Friendly School for 2021-22. It is one of 70 schools to earn silver award status and one of 750 total schools honored.

Nighthawk Engagement and Student Transitions (NEST) leads UNG’s efforts to engage veteran and military-connected students, and offers dedicated space on both the Dahlonega and Gainesville campuses.

“The Military Friendly designation acknowledges that we as an institution value and put forth effort to serve our veteran and military-connected student populations,” Darcy Hayes, NEST director, said.

Institutions earning the Military

Friendly School designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey from Viqtory, which is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to employment and educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs and Military Friendly brands.

Geospatial intelligence certificate earns national accreditation UNG’s geospatial intelligence certificate program within the Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis (IESA) recently earned an accreditation that puts it among 19 such programs in the nation.

The designation from the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) puts UNG in the company of schools such as the University of Southern California, Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy.

“It is an honor for UNG to be among the few selected institutions to have received accreditation of its geospatial intelligence program by USGIF,” Dr. Jeff Turk, director of IESA, said.

“The accreditation further validates our programs, and we look forward to a very productive relationship with the USGIF community, including geospatial intelligence events, student scholarships, and expanded student career opportunities associated with an accredited program.”

UNG’s certificate program combines spatial sciences, engineering and technology with intelligence tools and techniques to prepare students for leadership roles in security, disaster response, and humanitarian efforts.

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Pandemic keeps training on-campus for senior commissioning cadets Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, training for seniors in UNG’s Corps of Cadets transformed from a summer event at Fort Knox, Kentucky, to a semester-long program on campus during the fall.

Operation Agile Leader was the Army- mandated replacement in 2020-21 for Advanced Camp, which cadets must complete to be commissioned in the military.

The training assesses cadets’ proficiency as future officers. They are tested on areas that include rifle marksmanship, hand grenades, first aid, Army combat fitness, and land navigation.

UNG’s senior cadets completed their major Operation Agile Leader efforts with a field training exercise in November at UNG’s Pine Valley Recreation Complex.

Operation Agile Leader replaced Advanced Camp that usually takes place each summer at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Corps recognized by AUSA

UNG was the best among 270 ROTC companies nationally in company-sponsored activities.

UNG’s Corps of Cadets earned the 2020 Most Active Company of the Association of the U.S. Army, a distinction which is based on the most company-sponsored activities.

This honor ranks UNG, which is one of six senior military colleges in the nation, atop the 270 ROTC companies nationwide.

“I am extremely proud of our cadets and all that they have accomplished, and I appreciate all of our faculty, staff and alumni who help mentor these students,” UNG President President Bonita Jacobs said.

This year, the award was accepted by Jacobs; retired Col. Joseph Matthews, commandant of cadets; and cadet Col. Benjamin Danko, the Corps of Cadets brigade commander.

“I’d like to express my appreciation to the hard-working cadets of the Boar’s Head Brigade, who devote so much time to their character and leadership development,” Matthews said.

Olmsted Foundation continues support of cadets UNG has received a $26,000 grant from the Olmsted Foundation that continues its support of international opportunities for cadets from UNG and three historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

While the COVID-19 pandemic

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has restricted travel and limited UNG to just one Olmsted-funded trip since spring 2020, unused funds may be used when restrictions are eased.

The Olmsted Foundation, UNG and Georgia State University entered an agreement in 2018 to provide

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international opportunities for cadets and three Atlanta-area HBCUs. Through the end of 2020, 33 cadets have been part of the overseas immersion opportunities funded by Olmsted.

Cadets honored for academic, military achievement

From left, Garrett Wilson, Eva Sykes and Derek Whitmore were all honored as Distinguished Military Students. Wilson and Whitmore were also recognized as Distinguished Military Graduates.

Nine UNG cadets have earned honors as Distinguished Military Graduates (DMG), including two who placed in the top 10% of Army ROTC graduates nationally.

Roommates Derek Whitmore and Garrett Wilson topped UNG’s list of DMGs for 2020-21.

DMGs finish in the top 20% of Army

graduates on the national Order of Merit List by achieving superior grade-point averages, strong performance in the Army Combat Fitness Test, and proving their worth as exceptional leaders in their college ROTC training. UNG’s other DMGs are Ryan D. Abrahams, 2nd Lt. James C. Heriot, Zachary A. Lewis, 2nd Lt. Jared H. Pate, Nikulaus G. Pujals,

Karch R. Swaylik, and 2nd Lt. William H. Walters.

UNG also had 24 cadets selected by Col. Joshua Wright, UNG’s professor of military science, as Distinguished Military Students (DMS) for 2020-21.

To be selected as DMS, a cadet must be in the upper half of the academic class, the upper third of the ROTC class, and the upper third of UNG’s Order of Merit List. All nine DMGs also earned DMS recognition. The other DMS honorees are Holden J. Armstrong, Makayla L. Chastain, Lauden J. Ernst, 2nd Lt. Samantha D. Ethridge, Alex D. Fernandez, Morgan A. Gaynor, Desmond C. Henderson, Michael J. Laun, 2nd Lt. Zachary M. Rodriguez, 2nd Lt. Thomas R. Schwind, Roderick A. Selman, Joshua Shackelford, Eva L. Sykes, Brandon K. Weiss, and Penda K. Welcher.

“We are proud of both our DMG and DMS cadets,” Wright said. “They have shown great leadership both in the corps and in the classroom. These honors are well-earned.”

Parker, ’93, takes on new role at Pentagon Brig. Gen. Charles “Rob” Parker, ’93, thrives on the work he gets to do every day at the Pentagon.

As deputy director for command, control, communications, and computers/cyber systems, Parker serves as a senior leader on the Joint Staff informing technology-related policy, requirements and acquisition.

Promoted to brigadier general in July 2020, Parker began his latest role at the Pentagon in January 2021.

“It’s exciting to play a significant role in something so important to our national security and the collective ability of our armed forces to deter adversaries and win in conflict,” Parker said. “Each day, I rely on the valuable adaptive leadership skills that I learned as a cadet at UNG and have continued to refine over my career to

bring together representatives from disparate organizations and align them toward common goals.”

Parker earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at UNG before commissioning in the Army.

His role as an Army leader allows him to meet many recent UNG alumni.

“With each engagement, it reaffirms my personal belief that UNG remains a national treasure as a leadership incubator for the military, government and commercial industry sectors while consistently producing respected, honorable and trusted leaders,” Parker said.

Parker previously served within the Headquarters Department of the Army as the director of joint and integration for Force Development and as chief of the Mission Command Division.

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Plunkett promoted as new athletic director Mary Rob Plunkett was named as UNG’s new athletic director to succeed Lindsay Reeves, who retired at the end of 2020.

“Mary Rob is passionate about using intercollegiate athletics as a vehicle to educate and inspire, and I am confident that she will provide the vision and commitment to sustain the successful momentum of our athletic programs,” UNG President Bonita Jacobs said.

Plunkett has been on staff with the Nighthawks athletics department since 2016 and previously served as UNG’s associate athletic director for business, senior woman administrator and Title IX deputy coordinator.

“I am excited for this opportunity to lead one of the nation’s top Division II athletic programs,” Plunkett said. “I am excited to continue to serve UNG, our exceptional student-athletes, coaches and staff and look forward to building on Lindsay Reeves’ legacy of success to achieve new heights for Nighthawk Athletics.”

Plunkett also serves as the chair to the Peach Belt Conference Senior Woman Administrator Council. She is a member of the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Regional Advisory Committee and is a

member of Women Leaders in College Sports and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

Plunkett earned a master’s degree in exercise and sport science, sport administration from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is pursuing an MBA from Georgia Tech. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgia College and State University, where she was a four-time letterman and team captain on the women’s soccer team. She was selected as a NSCAA third-team AllAmerica, as well as a first-team Academic All-American in 2009.

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The NCAA awarded hosting duties for five Division II championship events to UNG for the 2023-26 seasons.

UNG will serve as the primary host for a regional championship event in men’s and women’s cross-country, and will assist with hosting national championship sites for women’s rowing and softball: • 2023/2025/2026 NCAA Division II Softball National Championships in Chattanooga, Tennessee • 2023 NCAA Division II Men’s & Women’s Cross-Country Southeast Regional in Oakwood, Georgia • 2026 NCAA Divisions I, II and III Women’s Rowing National Championship in Gainesville, Georgia “UNG’s selection to be involved with the NCAA championship experience speaks volumes to our university’s commitment to serving,” Lee Glenn, associate athletic director for external operations, said. “Specifically, we are honored to draw nearly 300 cross-country student-athletes to UNG’s Gainesville Campus in 2023 and serve them with hospitality, as our end goal is to provide them a first-class experience.”

UNG will collaborate with Lee University and Chattanooga Sports in hosting the softball events.

Basketball player named to NCAA committee on diversity, equity Men’s basketball player Zach Brown has been named as one of four additions to the NCAA Committee to Promote Cultural Diversity and Equity.

Brown, a red shirt junior from Princeton, N.J., majoring in marketing, joined the committee that reviews, endorses and makes recommendations regarding diversity and inclusion matters. The committee reports to the NCAA Board of Governors, which is the highest NCAA committee level.

In August, Brown was named the Peach Belt Conference representative to the Division II national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), making

UNG to help host five NCAA title events through 2026

him the third UNG student-athlete to hold a spot on the national SAAC.

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Women’s basketball team wins PBC, reaches Sweet 16 The women’s basketball team won the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) tournament title for the third time in four years and reached the 2021 NCAA Division II Sweet 16.

“It was the most challenging, yet rewarding year of my coaching career.

Adversity was expected, and our players were resilient,” Head Coach Buffie Burson said. “It’s a year I know that will help them later on in life. Our four seniors left an incredible legacy and I believe the best is yet to come for our program.”

UNG, which finished 18-2, defeated Lander University on the Bearcats’ home court on March 6 to The women’s basketball team earned the top seed in the NCAA South Regional and finished 18-2. win the PBC championship.

The Nighthawks then hosted the NCAA South Regional as Regional final. a predetermined host. They were the No. 1 seed for the regional The season marked UNG’s fourth consecutive NCAA and defeated fourth-seeded Union University on March 13 after tournament bid, and UNG has reached at least the Sweet 16 in a first-round bye. UNG fell to Lander on March 15 in the South three of those years that the tournament was played.

2015 softball team part of latest class inducted into Athletics Hall of Fame

Rifle team wins 3rd SoCon title

UNG has now won the SoCon overall title in three of its five seasons in the league.

The 2015 national championship softball team was one of six 2021 inductees for the UNG Athletics Hall of Fame.

The UNG Athletics Hall of Fame honors those who have earned outstanding athletic achievement or made substantial contributions to the university.

The 2015 softball team advanced to its first-ever Division II Championship and secured the university’s first-ever national title. The Nighthawks finished the season 54-8.

Individual honorees in the 11th induction class were Jason Gibson, ’96 (men’s basketball); Ricky Glasper, ’82 (men’s basketball); James Robertson, ’78 (men’s tennis); Cicely Taliaferro Gordon, ’15 (women’s soccer); Jeanine Dorminey Webster, ’06 (women’s basketball).

The UNG rifle team defeated seven Division I rivals to earn a third overall Southern Conference (SoCon) championship during five years in the league in a March event hosted by Virginia Military Institute.

Senior Kimberlee Nettles won the air rifle individual title and freshman Morgan Frank earned the smallbore individual championship. UNG won the team air rifle title with 2,330, the highest score earned in the conference since the SoCon resurrected rifle as a sponsored sport for the 2016-17 season.

Nettles was named smallbore athlete of the year, and freshman Jaden-Ann Fraser was named co-air rifle athlete of the year. The SoCon championship match was UNG’s final rifle team competition of the year.

Also in March, Nettles was the first UNG rifle-student athlete to compete in the NCAA championships. She earned an individual spot in the air rifle discipline, where she finished 36th out of 44 competitors.

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Where I lead: Promoting justice

BIO

ANGELA DUNCAN, ’91, was appointed as Superior Court judge in Gwinnett County, Georgia, in 2020. She previously served as Gwinnett County Magistrate Court judge and in the U.S. Army Reserves.

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How would you define leadership?

Leadership is being an example. One of the things I learned in the military is being ready, able and willing to do what you would ask anyone else to do. Many look at others in leadership roles as having a lot of power, and that having power or authority is an enviable position. If you are a true leader, the position is not about power, it’s about doing for others. I try to encompass all the people who are members of my team. For me, it’s about everyone and accomplishing whatever our mission is. They are not just team members, but they’re family members. That’s allowed me to have such a close working relationship with the people we work with in Gwinnett County.

How did UNG prepare you to be a leader?

UNG gave me a lot of tools. It prepared me for the bigger picture of what life is like. My education at UNG helped me see how everything fits together in the community and society. You think beyond your initial action into what’s going to happen as a result of that action. How is it going to affect other people?

How long have you known you wanted to be a judge?

My dad was an attorney. Since I was in seventh grade, I knew I wanted to be in law enforcement or be an attorney. I earned a criminal justice degree at UNG. In my second year of practicing law, I served as a part-time judge for the city of Chamblee, Georgia, and I fell in love with it.

Do you consider yourself an example for the LGBTQ+ community?

I’m a little too shy to consider myself a role model, but that has been suggested. The reason it’s so important is because it means others who are similarly situated see that you can work hard and be successful, that your sexuality is not a detriment.

I respect everybody’s right to have their own opinion. People in the LGBTQ+ community thanked me for being fearless and not letting that be a deterrent. It’s very humbling.

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The College of prepares teachers

By J.K. Devine Photos by Peggy Cozart

UNG aspiring teachers spend at least two years working side-by-side in the classroom with experienced teachers developing the skills to become confident, creative educators who are wellprepared to take the helm in their own classrooms.

This specialized approach has proven successful based on UNG’s exemplary rating by the state for teacher preparation, and the high percentage of graduates who remain in the profession.

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When Christina Wilkins was accepted into the College of Education (COE), she became immersed into a world designed to make her a successful and well-prepared teacher poised to lead her own classroom.

“Being in a placement is where all of the experience is,” the 28-year-old from Jefferson, Georgia, said. “By being in schools for two years and learning how it works, that’s half the battle. You learn the vocabulary they use and learn how to communicate and collaborate with others.”

To supplement the instruction they receive from UNG faculty, all COE students are given field “placements” in different schools and grade levels to learn the ropes from professional teachers and assist them as needed. Placements happen during students’ junior and senior years and occur before their required clinical work, commonly referred to as student-teaching. Placing UNG students in schools as soon as they enter the education program, which gives them more classroom hours than their peers, makes the university’s program unique.

This education model crafted by UNG administrators in partnership with area school systems gives UNG students the skills, tools and resources needed to exceed expectations as teachers.

“They experience the K-12 classroom from their first day in the program,” Dr. Sheri Hardee, dean of the COE, said.

“That way they know what to expect in their own future classrooms and hopefully become well-rounded, well-prepared educators.”

The program also exceeds the current state requirements. Georgia requires students to complete a placement followed by their student teaching, but each has a different time frame. Georgia recommends at least one yearlong placement or field experience while it requires only one semester of student teaching.

Putting in the hours to succeed UNG’s teacher education students spend one and half years in schools, when they may engage in activities such as intermittently teach a lesson, work with students in small groups or assess a single pupil’s reading abilities, before spending their final semester as a student teacher.

“Our students definitely get more hours than required for clinical experience,” Hardee said.

The hours devoted to field and clinical placements differ based on the program, but the average for COE students is 1,058 hours in the classroom. Students pursuing degrees in elementary and special education collect the most with more than 1,700 hours, Dr. Cristina Washell, head of elementary and special education, said.

“That model lends itself to having high levels of success once they get in the classroom as teachers,” Washell said.

“We have high standards, and we have amazing faculty and

Education model for real world ABOVE LEFT: UNG senior Christina Wilkins conducts her student-teaching requirement at Sugar Hill Elementary School in Gainesville, Georgia. It was not her first time in a classroom. Wilkins was placed in Chicopee Woods Elementary during her junior year to get more hands-on training before her studentteaching assignment as a senior.

RIGHT: Alexandria Wilbanks completes her student-teaching placement at the Academies of Discovery at South Hall.

She and other UNG students received more hands-on training by working in classrooms before their studentteaching assignments.

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and part-time faculty and supervisors in multiple degree programs under one department,” Hardee said. “By dividing teacher education into three departments, we can give each subset of teachers and degree programs the focus they need to meet their goals and missions.”

For example, students planning to teach in a high school now are in a different department than students aiming to teach in elementary schools.

A solid foundation

UNG’s aspiring teachers receive more hands-on training because they are placed in classrooms as sophomores and juniors where they develop their capabilities in preparation for their student-teaching experiences, which typically occurs in their senior year.

partner schools who are supportive of our students.”

The majority of UNG students learn and receive mentorship through placements within seven school systems in Georgia, including the counties of Dawson, Forsyth, Hall, Habersham, Lumpkin, and White, as well as Gainesville City Schools. A few programs, such as Educational Leadership, serve students in other counties such as Cherokee, Cobb and DeKalb.

The approach produces excellent results. UNG beats statewide trends for retention of new teachers in kindergarten through 12th grade after six years in the workforce. Statewide, about 67% of new teachers remain in the education workforce. The six-year retention rate of UNG graduates is 75%.

The COE also scored Level 4, or exemplary, in the Preparation Program Effectiveness Measures (PPEM) for

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three consecutive years. The PPEM includes a performance-based assessment of teacher candidates, the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators, a system of classroom teacher evaluations, an employer survey, and a survey of teachers at the end of their first year in the classroom.

Hardee also credits the program’s high rankings to the design of the COE’s programs, which gives students a foundation upon which to build a successful career. In fall 2019, the COE reorganized to create more targeted departments that fit the degrees and faculty expertise.

Before, the college was split into only two departments: kinesiology and teacher education. Kinesiology is joined by three new departments: elementary and special education; middle grades, secondary and science education; and social foundations and leadership.

“Previously, we had over 60 full-time

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The education mission remains the same: to teach students how to become educators and leaders. It all starts with three foundational courses that focus on the sociology, philosophy, history, and psychology of education and explores current issues in education.

“We require three pre-service education courses to be taken before our students are admitted to the College of Education,” Hardee said. “Students need to understand the theoretical concepts first, and then the in-program courses explore how to apply these theoretical concepts in their classrooms. These courses also provide students with a glimpse into what it means to become an educator. It gives them a good sense, early on, as to whether this is a field in which they want to move forward.”

Once COE students take these courses, they select their focus areas.

Elementary and special education is a dual-major program in which students earn certification in both areas. The program also has an embedded reading endorsement.

Middle grades, secondary and science education is geared for students who desire to teach a specific subject in sixth through 12th grades.

“With the secondary education students, these students are technically in another department but they earn their certification with us,” Hardee said.

For example, English teachers earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with teacher certification.

The kinesiology program also features a degree program with a teacher certification, along with other avenues to sports medicine, exercise science and health and fitness.

Student-teaching at Sugar Hill Elementary School in Gainesville, Wilkins gains real-world experience in areas such as lesson planning, teaching techniques and classroom management.

Placements and collaborations Once education students select their degree program, they are introduced to mentor teachers, who are active educators in Georgia. They instruct and guide students through the classroom experience.

In addition to a survey, mentor teachers give feedback through a mentor teacher advisory board.

The COE also has an advisory council that includes superintendents, teachers and administrators, community members, UNG faculty and staff, and current UNG students. The advisory council meets three times a year to discuss the mission, vision and goals and to engage in strategic planning.

“It is our largest stakeholder board,” Hardee said. “They give us feedback on any new initiatives and trends developing nationally and within our state.”

The COE also meets regularly with its school system partners. This consistent communication allows all institutions to collaborate efficiently and effectively produce teachers.

“Our school system partners hire the bulk of our students, so it’s a nice reciprocal relationship,” Hardee said.

Patrice Pendergast, director of recruitment and retention at Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS), agreed.

She said Gwinnett County has a need for special education teachers in the district and UNG’s COE program helps supply them with teachers.

“We hire many UNG student-teachers as they are well-prepared for both regular and special education opportunities,” Pendergast said. “Many of our GCPS principals specifically request UNG students because of the outstanding teacher preparation program recognized at the state level.”

Professional development UNG continues to educate novice and veteran teachers through certificate programs and endorsements such as autism, gifted and English to speakers of other languages. Advanced degrees, including educational leadership programs within the Department of Social Foundations and Leadership Education, are also available.

UNG also has several master’s degrees and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.). All four departments in COE have advanced degrees or certificate programs. All of the graduate programs are fully online.

All of these elements from the undergraduate to doctoral levels focus on providing students the ideal education to succeed as a teacher.

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The best place in Georgia to study business New facility creates state-of-the-art space for applied learning.

Rendering courtesy of Flynn Finderup Architects

By Clark Leonard

During the groundbreaking for the Cottrell Center for Business, Technology & Innovation on the Dahlonega Campus last year, UNG celebrated a game-changer in its efforts to prepare graduates for careers in business and computer science.

“This building and its modern resources will enhance the world-class education we provide our students,” UNG President Bonita Jacobs said. “The generosity of Mike and Lynn Cottrell places UNG on the cutting edge and will enable our graduates to become globally competitive leaders in business and technology.”

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Scheduled to open for classes in fall 2022, the new, 86,483-square-foot home for the Mike Cottrell College of Business (MCCB) will serve as the hub for business and computer science programs. Specialized labs, student engagement spaces and high-technology classrooms are designed to enhance student learning.

“This new home for the MCCB will signal to students that we are providing them with an innovative learning experience that prepares them for success in the workplace,” Dean Mary Gowan said. “The Cottrell Center design is competitive with the design of the best business

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school facilities in the state. The Cottrells’ generosity enables us to move forward much more quickly than we otherwise would have been able to do.”

A $10 million gift from Mike Cottrell, the college’s namesake benefactor, and wife Lynn Cottrell, along with $21.8 million in state funds for design and construction, paved the way for the new building.

Mike Cottrell is excited by the momentum facilitated by the project.

“The Cottrell Center for Business, Technology & Innovation will put our college on the map. When we gave the naming gift in 2006, we saw the potential for having a first-rate business school in north Georgia,” he said. “This new, transformative home provides the right space to continue to establish the college’s reputation as the best place to study business in Georgia.”

Elite accreditation MCCB already is well on its way to accumulating a pedigree of excellence. U.S. News and World Report has ranked it among the top public universities in Georgia for undergraduate business programs and for part-time MBA programs. The college also is among the less than 5% of the world’s business schools to have earned the hallmark of excellence with accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, and the computer science program recently received accreditation

by ABET, the premier accrediting body for such programs.

A cybersecurity range, computer science lab, professional sales lab, and logistics/trading lab will provide spaces for students to apply the knowledge and skills they are learning in their classes.

“Students and the business world are changing.

Students now are lifelong learners and want to learn

by doing and applying their knowledge to real-world situations,” Dr. Mohan Menon, department head of management and marketing , said. “They need experiential learning in addition to resource-based learning.”

Networking and engagement Menon said the new building’s labs will provide spaces that bring together students with faculty and industry professionals in an environment that invites networking and feedback opportunities. He also appreciates the way classrooms will be designed for more engaged learning.

Abi Causey, a sophomore from Cleveland, Georgia, pursuing a degree in marketing, said the designs for the new building have her eager to take advantage of it in her final semester or two. She is excited to see the MCCB have a space of its own, particularly with the opportunity to attract business leaders to campus.

“Having someone come in and talk to you about the real world will help us be better prepared for our jobs when we graduate,” Causey said.

Houstoun Hall, a sophomore from Athens, Georgia, pursuing a degree in cybersecurity, has gained some real-world experience through cybersecurity competitions. He believes those opportunities will only grow with the Cottrell Center.

“This will give us more equipment and the ability to gain hands-on cybersecurity experience,” Hall said.

Dr. Ash Mady, department head of computer science and information systems, looks forward to the well-organized layout.

“This new facility will offer spaces tailored to each program we offer with advanced technology and well-designed learning environments,” Mady said.

“The building promises a cutting-edge ecosystem of the learning environment we aspire to have.”

Naming opportunities available within Cottrell Center The Cottrell Center for Business, Technology & Innovation at UNG’s Dahlonega Campus offers an opportunity for the Mike Cottrell College of Business’s (MCCB) corporate partners, alumni and friends to have their name prominently displayed in the center.

Naming opportunities range from $10,000 to $1 million, and gifts can be given over multiple years. These gifts will enable UNG to continue to build and elevate signature programs that set the MCCB apart as the place to study business and computer science in Georgia and beyond.

If you would like more information, including a naming opportunity list, reach out to Dr. Mary Gowan, MCCB dean, at mary.gowan@ung.edu or Kim Vickers, MCCB development officer, at kim.vickers@ung.edu.

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Where I lead: Being a role model for Latinx success

BIO

XIMENA LUNA, a senior pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Spanish language and literature, is originally from Mexico. Now a Flowery Branch, Georgia, resident, she is part of the McNair Scholars Program, which prepares students for post-graduate studies through research and scholarly activities.

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What has been your most meaningful leadership experience at UNG? As a first-generation college student, navigating college was overwhelming in the beginning. Becoming a member of the Latino Student Association (LSA) made my transition easier.

Last year, I served as LSA vice president and began organizing events embracing the diversity of Latin America. Through LSA events, I realized the importance of inclusion and diversity. I felt encouraged to continue promoting diversity and inclusion for Latinx students at UNG. How do you help others succeed?

I like being a role model. If I’m going to do something, I’m not just doing it for myself. I’m doing it to help others also. I studied abroad in Spain and won a Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship (which helps students study abroad to gain skills critical to national security and economic prosperity) to fund that trip.

I am an alternate for the Fulbright Student Program. These experiences made me want to encourage other students to seek out these opportunities and support them during the process.

How has being part of the McNair Scholars Program influenced you?

The program taught me how to do research and apply for graduate school. I applied with eight programs, and it was a challenging process. So far, I have been accepted to three programs. Dr. Efren Velazquez, my mentor and a UNG assistant professor of psychological science, has helped me look for funding and prepare for the process. I like to tell other Latinx students, “If I can do it, you can do it, too.”

How have your Mexican roots affected your experience and determined your goals?

I’m proud of where I came from. Coming to the United States, I struggled with the language and culture. However, those struggles helped me get where I am now. I am a mix of two beautiful nations that inspire me to show others the strength of living and embracing multiple identities and cultures.

As a Mexican American student, I understand the need for representation in higher education. I plan to complete a Ph.D. in Hispanic studies, and, eventually, I hope to teach Spanish at the university level. My goal is to continue supporting students in higher education who, like me, did not think that they could reach their fullest potential.

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Hope Gandy gained clinical experience at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville and also was one of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing students to administer COVID-19 vaccines during the spring semester.

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CHALLENGE ACCEPTED Nursing students & alumni answer the call to help combat pandemic.

By Clark Leonard Photos by Peggy Cozart

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While student nurses are assisting with vaccines in the community, nursing faculty like Dr. Carolyn Desandre have given vaccines on-campus.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the calling to help others has grown stronger for many UNG nursing students, while alumni say their education and experiences here helped them face unprecedented challenges.

About 200 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students from the College of Health Sciences and Professions administered vaccines during the spring semester, some of them at public health departments in the northeast Georgia region and others through WellStar Health System.

Lynden Huffman, a senior from Gainesville, Georgia, who is scheduled to graduate in May 2021, said giving vaccinations increased the urgency to take her place on the front lines of the COVID-19 fight.

“This pandemic made my desire to be a nurse even greater,” Huffman said. “It allows me to help in more ways than I thought possible.”

Marquise Pruitt, a senior from Suwanee, Georgia, who is also scheduled to graduate in May 2021, echoed that sentiment.

About to begin her career as an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse, she is eager to pass her National Council Licensure Examination, the required test to enter the nursing profession.

“I want to start as soon as possible so I can help as many people as I can,” Pruitt said.

Hope Gandy, a senior from Fayetteville, Georgia, experienced two sides of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her clinical

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placement in the surgical trauma ICU at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Gainesville allowed her to assist patients battling the virus.

Then administering vaccines in Union County (Georgia) helped her see hope for the end of the pandemic. Some of the vaccine recipients were World War II veterans who shared their war stories and gratitude for gaining back some of their ability to engage with others.

“It’s reassuring, and it feels like we’re on track to some kind of normal,” Gandy said.

Hannah Cilli, one of the faculty members helping students get clinical experience through administration of the vaccine, has been grateful for the response of UNG nursing students to the pandemic.

“We need people to be able to give vaccines. We’re trying to get as many of the vulnerable people in the community vaccinated as quickly as possible,” Cilli, who earned a master’s in nursing education from UNG, said. “Our students immediately jumped on the opportunity to serve their community. People want to help, and people want to beat this thing.”

Clinical experience has not always been easy to find during

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“Being a student during the pandemic has been hard. My heart wants to be in the hospital helping people. Being able to give vaccines, it felt like I was able to do my part.”

the pandemic, but UNG’s faculty “Not only does it take pressure off members actively sought opportunities our staff,” Mashburn said. “It gives the for students to prepare for future jobs. nursing students a real-world experiWhen local public health departments ence they would not have otherwise.” reached out to Dr. Sharon Chalmers, Kaley Pitts, a senior from Buford, head of UNG’s nursing department, Georgia, expressed gratitude to UNG’s to see if the BSN students could help nursing faculty. administer the vaccine, she called “As someone who has that passion upon Nina Myer, a lecturer of nursing and calling to take care of people, being who earned a master’s degree in a student during the pandemic has been education from UNG, to spearhead hard,” Pitts said. “My heart wants to the effort. Her population health class be in the hospital helping people. Being requires 42 hours of clinical service, able to give vaccines, it felt like I was and all the other nursing education able to do my part. I was very thankful.” classes have their own set number of Pruitt said her experience assisting Kaley Pitts, BSN Student clinical hour requirements. with vaccines in Lumpkin County was UNG nursing students were welimpactful. comed as they mobilized into the northeast Georgia counties “It was really eye-opening seeing how a lot of them were very of Hall, White, Lumpkin, Union, and Dawson to administer brave coming in to get the vaccine,” Pruitt said. “They wanted to COVID-19 vaccines at the local public health departments. get out. They felt like they had been trapped in their own homes.”

Leyna Mashburn, immunization coordinator for District While students in Myer’s class and senior lecturer Milka 2 Public Health, said most of the smaller communities’ public Andjelkovic’s class aided public health departments with vachealth departments have only two nurses, so the assistance cines, students in Cilli’s pediatric nursing class worked during of students from UNG and other schools has provided a major the spring semester with WellStar Health System to administer boost in the vaccination effort. vaccinations.

Above: UNG nursing lecturer Nina Myer (far right, red scrubs) helped train BSN students (from left) Alexis Nowak, Laura Miller, Marquise Pruitt and Hope Gandy on vaccines. Myer’s students were among those from UNG who administered COVID-19 vaccines at public health departments.

Left: BSN student Jacob Martin, a junior from Dahlonega, assisted with vaccine administration at a public health department in White County during spring semester.

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“It was really eyeopening seeing how a lot of them were very brave coming in to get the vaccine. They wanted to get out.

They felt like they had been trapped in their own homes.”

Marquise Pruitt, BSN Student

Nursing alumni serving on the front lines UNG alumni have provided care to COVID-19 patients in hospitals during the pandemic. Wilson Pierce, ’17, a nurse in the emergency department at NGMC Gainesville, said community support has been invaluable, as has his time as a BSN student at UNG. “The simulation lab, as well as my experience working for Recreational Sports as an intramural official and eventually a supervisor, provided leadership opportunities and chances to learn on the fly,” Pierce said. “These experiences at UNG prepared me to serve in such a unique situation, and I’m thankful for my time as a student there.”

He said nurses are always on the front lines of health care, but facing the pandemic has increased those challenges as families often are unable to be in the room with sick loved ones.

Kim Canupp, ’17, another NGMC emergency department nurse and BSN graduate from UNG, said her time in school paved the way for her to excel in this unusual year.

“My BSN program focused on critical thinking and being adaptive. I can’t think of anything else I’ve carried with me so long, especially during a pandemic,” Canupp said. “My clinical experiences were great. They really set the groundwork to prepare me for something like COVID-19.”

Canupp is glad current BSN students at UNG remain energized to enter the field during such a difficult time.

“It’s worth it. It’s rewarding. It’s a great career,” Canupp said. “Now more than ever, we’re going to need prepared nurses.”

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UNG alumnus Kim Canupp works in the emergency department at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville and has appreciated the chance to assist people battling COVID-19.

Pilot program helps healthcare students practice hands-on skills UNG nursing students Abigail Bourgeois, seated in front, and Alyssa Ahrens work with their nurse preceptor, Tiffany Allen, seated in back.

Some two dozen nursing and physical therapy students are getting hands-on experience this spring through a pilot program at area healthcare facilities.

The partnership provides clinical instruction for UNG students at Northeast Georgia Health System’s (NGHS) Gainesville and Lumpkin County hospitals, as well as Northeast Georgia Physicians Group urgent care and primary care facilities. And it came at just the right time, other opportunities were limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program includes 10 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students, 10 students in the Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner program, and five Doctor of Physical Therapy students.

The designated education unit (DEU) model pairs two UNG

students with one clinical instructor, also known as a preceptor, in most instances. This model helps students because, unlike a traditional clinical setting, they have the same preceptor every week. Working together also means the students can help each other.

“We want to create a stronger, well-rounded student able to enter the current atmosphere with more confidence and a stronger knowledge base,” Dr. Carolynn DeSandre, interim dean of the College of Health Sciences and Professions, said.

Natalie Johnson, a senior BSN student from Douglasville, Georgia, said the consistency of the program has helped her build on her skills each week.

“It’s a great way to continue to practice hands-on skills. The only way you’re going to be able to learn

things is if you’re able to jump in and do them,” Johnson said. “The DEU has helped improve the overall clinical experience.”

Priscilla Kyle, ’94, manager of professional development and competency for NGHS, said the program has allowed the health system’s nurses to grow their expertise through teaching.

“It’s helped stretch our nurses professionally and give them that confidence,” Kyle said.

Kyle, who earned an associate degree in nursing from UNG, said the DEU can also serve as a “long interview.”

“It’s a win-win,” Kyle said. “We want to prepare the nursing students the best we can and encourage them to come work for us.”

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Something to crow about New programs, partnerships strengthen poultry science program in Gainesville.

By J.K. Devine Photos by Peggy Cozart

The poultry science program at UNG has grown exponentially since its relaunch 10 years ago.

The program has capitalized on internal and external collaborations, including connections with the agriculture industry, scholarships and internships, and proximity to Gainesville, Georgia, commonly called the “Poultry Capital of the World.” Each piece has led to a strong Associate of Science degree in general agriculture, avian biology or poultry science.

“Every student who goes through the poultry science program and earns an associate degree, bachelor’s degree or transfers, has 100% job placement after graduation,” Dr. Linda Purvis, assistant professor of biology, said.

This influx of associate or bachelor’s graduates with poultry science knowledge benefits the industry and Georgia’s economy. Poultry is the largest segment of Georgia agriculture and agribusiness, according to Georgia’s Office of Secretary of State. Poultry meat is the largest single agricultural commodity, producing more than $2.4 billion in farm income annually. Eggs represent the third largest.

Helping students enter the poultry science industry started with getting them to apply and enroll in UNG as well as provide them with financial support.

“In 2011-12, I started advocating for scholarships for poultry science students,” said Purvis, who earned her associate degree from UNG in 2000 and bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Georgia (UGA).

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Purvis reached out to the UNG Foundation and the Office of Financial Aid. In 2012, a scholarship account for poultry science was born, and donations, many from the poultry industry, began to flow in.

The U.S. Poultry Foundation also contributed funds for recruitment and educational resources through an annual grant for the past eight years. It is one of many targeted investments from an industry with an abundant supply of jobs.

The business of poultry UNG senior Taylor Phillips aims to earn one of those jobs, especially after she interned at Tyson Foods from May 2019 to January 2021.

“It was a great experience,” she said. “We were on weekly rotations, which allowed us to see every aspect of production. While we were at each area, we worked with supervisors and team members to really understand how the process works.”

After her experience, Phillips wants to become a service technician. She is on her way thanks to a collaboration between the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM) and the Mike Cottrell College of Business (MCCB). The two created a seamless transition for students with an Associate of Science degree in poultry science into the Bachelor of Business Administration degree for students.

Phillips fits that bill. She earned her associate degree in 2019 and now is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in management.

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In fall 2020, the CSM and MCCB also launched the Poultry Science Business Certificate program for students seeking business degrees to learn basic knowledge about the poultry industry.

For UNG students who desire to earn a bachelor’s degree in poultry science,

the university signed an agreement with UGA in fall 2020 to ease the transfer process between the two institutions.

Students will complete core courses at UNG and transfer to UGA for specialized and upper-level courses.

Dr. John Leyba, dean of UNG’s College of Science & Mathematics, said

easing the transfer process will benefit both schools.

“The state has a shortage of animal veterinarians and managerial positions within the poultry sector,” he said.

“With this agreement, UNG and UGA can increase the number of graduates in the poultry science industry.”

Since 2011, more than 40 UNG students have earned associate degrees in the poultry science program.

Thanks to internships with area businesses, students have 100% job placement after graduation.

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Where I lead: Providing career-building experiences

BIO

DR. CAROLINE MUÑOZ is an award-winning faculty member in UNG’s Mike Cottrell College of Business. The associate professor of marketing received the Regents’ Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Award from the University System of Georgia.

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How would you describe your teaching philosophy?

My philosophy is a hands-on, real-life, practical approach.

Through classroom experiences and projects and outside events, I try my best to position students as desirable candidates to potential employers. I try to have my students incorporate real-life experiences and use actual industry technology in the classroom. For example, in the social media class in spring 2021 we are working with eight different businesses. Students are creating three weeks of social media posts and running social media ad campaigns.

What new elements have you incorporated to stay innovative and creative?

This year, because of the pandemic, I have added a current events discussion for my students. We can have conversations about current events and the changes in social media and digital marking concerning technology. Those types of discussions help me to engage more with my students.

What is your favorite part of teaching?

It is working with students, by far. I like to help them realize they have an interest in digital marketing. Helping them become gainfully employed is what excites me the most. I would do anything I can to assist them in getting a job.

What advice would you have for others to cultivate their leadership skills?

Leadership comes down to goal-centered actions that work toward the common good. Establishing clear goals that are driven by your interests and passions and then following through with clear actions and communication are good practices.

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THE BIG

By J.K. Devine Photos Peggy Cozart

Department of Visual Arts reflects on its evolution through five decades.

Nearly 25 years ago, Paul Dunlap enrolled as a non-traditional student at UNG to pursue an art career. At that time, a trio of full-time faculty and a handful of part-time or adjunct professionals taught about 75 students.

Now, the Department of Visual Arts has 35 faculty and staff members, including Dunlap, who educate nearly 500 art majors and 150 art minors in six areas or concentrations.

This expansion is quite an achievement for a program celebrating its 50th anniversary after it was formed with music and theater as the Department of Fine Arts on UNG’s Dahlonega Campus. Two years later in 1973-74, a full-time instructor of art started teaching on the Gainesville Campus in the humanities division.

“Despite our phenomenal growth, we are still small enough to treat each student as an individual and not a number,” Dr. Jon Melhferber, acting department head and professor of visual arts, said. “Having three separate campuses offering visual art courses, each with its own distinct culture and vibe, makes us unique among our peer institutions.”

The three campuses with designated gallery spaces and courses beyond art appreciation are the Dahlonega Campus with the Bob Owens Art Gallery, the Gainesville Campus with the Roy C. Moore Art Gallery, and the Oconee Campus with the Oconee Campus Gallery.

A good fit Art majors aim to display their work in the galleries, but first they must find their fit by exploring the programs, concentrations and focus areas.

Plenty are available from which to choose, such as a Bachelor of Arts degree in studio art and study ceramics, digital arts, drawing, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, textile design, weaving, 3-D design, and fabrication.

Dunlap found his passion in Hank Margeson’s photography class. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in studio art in 2001 and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in photography from the University of Georgia in 2004. He returned to UNG as an adjunct instructor that same year.

The Department of Visual Arts offers several degree programs specializing in digital arts, graphic design, studio art, art marketing, and art education.

Some of the focus areas include ceramics and sculpture; drawing and painting; photography; printmaking and paper arts.

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“The experience at UNG changed my life profoundly,” Dunlap said. “I felt a debt to that department led by Bob Owens and Tommye Scanlin and I wanted to pay them back for it. Then I had the pleasure of watching the department flourish under the leadership of Dr. Pamela Sachant.”

Expansion of degrees and programs In 2011, Dunlap coordinated the department’s efforts to earn accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, the most prestigious accreditation in visual arts education. After four years, UNG earned accreditation in 2015 and joined the 363 schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities with that designation.

That marked only the beginning.

Since then, the Department of Visual Arts has improved its programs, expanded the department, and developed community partnerships.

• In 2013, the art departments from the Dahlonega, Gainesville and Oconee campuses joined forces to leverage the faculty’s expertise and resources.

• UNG has a collaboration with the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation (OCAF) to provide art education to residents of Oconee County and the northeast Georgia area. The partnership allows UNG students to use the OCAF facilities. And UNG has supported some $70,000 in facility upgrades at the nonprofit arts organization.

• In spring 2016, the Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in digital arts launched in response to the

growing demand for digital artists in the video game and movie industries.

• In 2017, the Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in graphic design launched.

• In 2017, UNG collaborated with MakerBot to open a learning and creation lab, the first MakerBot Innovation Center in Georgia. Shortly afterward, a 3D lab opened at the Gainesville Campus.

Visual Arts Alumni Brittany Fanning, ’04, is a successful painter in South Korea.

Her recent work will be on Artsy through Seoul Auction.

• In 2018, the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree program became available to students who completed the foundation courses in visual arts.

Connor Shields, ’17, works in Utah and fabricates parts for the International Space Station.

“The BFA is considered a professional degree and allows students to focus on intensive work in the visual arts,” Mehlferber said. “The extra time and energy spent developing their expertise and the portfolio of work that reflects this heightened level of skill gives them an advantage when approaching galleries for professional representation or for applying to MFA programs in visual arts.”

Currently, the BFA is offered at the Dahlonega Campus. Once the Gainesville Campus expansion project is complete, visual arts will offer the degree there in fall 2021. The renovations at the Gainesville Campus is a bonus for the department, too.

“The biggest advantage is the space is designed specifically for us. Our students will have more room and access to our state-of-the-art equipment,” Jennifer Graff, professor of visual arts, said.

“This will create growth opportunities in all areas and expand our capacity to compete for students in the region.”

Charles Mitchell Jr., ’06, is a well-known Atlanta photographer. He has worked with musicians such as Lil Wayne, Janelle Monae, Erykah Badu, and NeYo. He returned to UNG for an exhibition of his show “Music is only Skin Deep” in February 2020.

Visual Arts Faculty Paul Dunlap had a photograph of musician Amy Ray featured in Rolling Stone magazine in 2014.

Alex Kraft headed to South Korea for the 33rd annual Icheon Ceramics Festival Inter-Local Workshop in 2019.

Jennifer Graff was selected as a member of the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation board of directors in 2018.

Erin McIntosh was named the 2 0 2 0 H i g h e r Ed u c ati o n A r t Educator of the Year by the Georgia Art Education Association.

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HERE’S TO YOU, UNG DONORS!

Scholarships Awarded

YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

SHEILA TRINH ’23 BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION L. B. Freeman Scholarship Fund

I am the current president of UNG Enactus and was recently named to the President’s List for achieving a 4.0 GPA. I have a heart for business, and a heart for challenging myself and the status quo of society as a woman of color in business and STEM: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Being a firstgeneration Asian-American, I was raised under the disciplines of my heritage, while being immersed in all of the opportunities my American dream has to offer. After graduation, I plan to seek a project manager or leadership position with a strong focus on business and mathematics/engineering. Thank you so much for believing in me and supporting me with your generous donation! Especially during these troubled times, this scholarship has provided me with security and reassurance that my work here at UNG is being noticed.

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2,081 2020-21

ERIC NABETH ’22 THEATRE Hugh M. Mills, Jr. Endowed Scholarship Fund

I am studying theatre with a focus on acting and vocal pedagogy, including singing. I was born in Paris, France, in 2000. My mom is from Russia, and my dad is from France. I have lived in Duluth, Georgia, since I was 2 and fell in love with theatre and music at a young age due to my family’s musical background. My plans after graduation include working as an actor, either in the Atlanta or New York City area, while teaching singing pedagogy on the side. My overall goal is to consistently create great work in the theatre or film industry and move audiences to think in many ways and feel different emotions. Achieving that feeling is what makes the theatre special.

Thank you so much for the generous donation. Without generosity like this, I wouldn’t be able to do what I love doing, and I definitely would not be getting the necessary training and experience needed to grow my skillset in order to succeed in this industry.

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3,807 Donors 2019-20

c/SPC LAURANA BRADLEY ’23 CRIMINAL JUSTICE Jenny Muller Cadet Scholarship Fund

I am a chaplain of Bravo company and a team leader in one of our platoons.

I am also enlisted as a Military Police soldier for the 178th MP unit in the Georgia Army National Guard. I plan to commission in the Army National Guard for six years and then go active as an MP Officer. Eventually, I would like to move into CID, which is the Criminal Investigations Division, or become a chaplain. I am grateful that you have chosen me to receive this scholarship. I never saw myself as being a great scholar until I attended UNG. I have been working hard to get great scores on all my assignments and assessments. I have had a good number of barriers to overcome – medical, financial, and other personal events. When I learned that I received this scholarship, I literally cried happy tears. I knew I was doing something right, and now I know to keep driving and to keep my head up. Thank you again so much for this scholarship award.

Learn how you can make a difference at unggive.org.

c/SFC CHRISTIAN TOLBERT ’22 CYBERSECURITY Colonel Jack Peevy Memorial Cadet Scholarship Fund

OLIVIA SINQUEFIELD ’22 ENGLISH Haines and Carolyn Hill Softball Scholarship Fund

I am involved all around campus in organizations like the Sigma Nu fraternity, Cyber Hawks and the Cyber Unit. After graduating, I plan to join the U.S. Air Force as a cyber operations officer. I want to do this in order to serve and protect my country. I feel like my cyber proficiency, plus my drive to succeed, will propel me forward in the military.

The cyber field has always interested me because of how it constantly changes and grows. It almost requires that I change and grow with it. This keeps me on my toes, while letting me maintain a humble approach to the knowledge needed to succeed.

With this scholarship, I plan to invest more in my cyber-related skills and opportunities. Thank you for opening a door to not only improve my cyber skills, but to also improve myself.

I plan to obtain a teaching certification and teach high school students. I would also love to coach softball for that same high school.

I come from a loving family, where we were taught to treat everyone with the same respect that we would like to receive. I put my faith before anything else, and I take my academics very seriously. Softball is my escape from the world around me, and I love playing it. My career goal is to make an impact in a student’s life. I want to teach students to be OK with who they are. I believe high school is a time that applies a lot of pressure on students. As a teacher I will strive to impact students’ lives positively and to be someone who helps them get through those tough times, while receiving a valuable education. Thank you so much for your donation. It has helped tremendously and is a large part of my success at North Georgia.

RYAN GIORDANO ’21 NURSING Charles Warren Memorial Scholarship

Outside of class I enjoy reading, watching new shows with my friends, and baking with my girlfriend. After graduation, I intend to apply to my hospital of choice for employment.

However, I’m still undecided on which one I’ll choose. I eventually wish to obtain my doctorate and become a nurse anesthetist. I come from a pretty big family, and I am blessed to be the first in my family to graduate college. Everyone is really excited. Thank you for awarding me this scholarship! It eases the financial burden on my family, enabling me to worry less and do so much better in my classes.

WWW. UNG.EDU

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What are you wearing?

Have you ever wondered why robes and funny hats are the norm for commencement ceremonies?

Academic regalia dates to the Middle Ages. The robes and hoods have evolved as ceremonial garments that symbolize the level of degree, academic field and the awarding institution.

Black robes and hoods are traditional for all degrees, but have various characteristics depending upon degree level and discipline, including the use of colors distinctive to the field of study to which the degree pertains.

Learn more about regalia

Master’s degrees

Caps are traditional mortarboards with tassels appropriate to their college and major.

The light brown or “drab” hood color shown here represents the Master of Business Administration.

UNG offers 17 master’s degrees in the fields of business, criminal justice, education, health, and political science and will award degrees to more than 150 master’s candidates in May.

The master’s degree robe has an oblong sleeve, with the rear part square cut and the front part cut away.

Master’s regalia at UNG is faced with blue satin.

Undergraduate degrees The associate degree and bachelor’s degree robes are black with pointed sleeves and at UNG are paired with traditional black mortarboards and black tassels. UNG’s bachelor’s degree candidates further are distinguished with a blue and gold achievement stole emblazoned with the UNG seal. This semester, UNG will award nearly 1,600 undergraduate degrees.

Andres Gonzalzes earned his Master of Business Administration degree in May 2020. UNG grants more MBAs than any other master’s degree currently offered.

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Doctoral degrees

Doctoral candidates wear a velvet hat called a “tam.” At UNG, tams are blue velvet with a gold tassel to represent the school colors.

The light blue hood shown here designates UNG’s Doctor of Education degree. UNG also offers Doctor of Nursing Practice and Doctor of Physical Therapy. A new degree, Doctor of Philosophy in criminal justice, is pending SACSCOC approval.

The robe for the doctoral degree has bell-shaped sleeves and is faced with black velvet trimmed in gold cording and three bars of velvet across the sleeves.

On all UNG graduate regalia, hoods are lined with blue and white to represent UNG and feature velvet in colors appropriate to major.

Both the master’s and doctoral robes include the UNG seal.

Special regalia Modern graduation regalia also may include other distinguishing hoods, stoles and cords that denote traditions of academic achievement.

In May 2020, Dr. Keith Antonia, associate vice president for military programs at UNG, was the first to earn the new Doctor of Education. The pandemic canceled spring 2020 commencement, and both Antonia and Gonzalez had scheduling conflicts that prevented them from participating in the rescheduled ceremonies later in the year.

The photo shoot for this spread was the only time they’ve been able to wear their regalia.

Those who have achieved an academic honor or are members of an academic honor society are entitled to wear special adornments.

WWW. UNG.EDU

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ALUMNUS FUNDS CREATION OF ENDOWED CHAIR J.T. Morgan, ’50, wanted to help UNG’s Mike Cottrell College of Business offer real estate courses. The generosity of the late UNG alumnus has made that dream a reality with the establishment of the J.T. Morgan Endowed Chair in Finance and Real Estate.

“He made his career as an investor in commercial real estate, specifically warehouses,” Jeff Boggan, director of estate and gift planning for UNG, said. “He was a loyal UNG alumnus and wanted to give back in a way that would enable other students to learn the type of business that had been so good to him.”

Morgan earned a business degree and was a Distinguished Military Graduate from UNG in 1950, commissioning into the Army. He became a pilot and flew 186 combat missions while stationed in Korea.

Morgan was an active member of the President’s Club and Price-Mills Planned Giving societies within the UNG Foundation. Morgan received the Alumni Association’s Hall of Fame Award in 2008, and he served on the UNG Foundation Board of Trustees from 2008-14, including serving as the vice chair of the foundation’s Capital Campaign Steering Committee.

Morgan was a regular donor to UNG for 44 years until his death in 2017. A trust he established left the UNG Foundation more than $760,000 that made it possible to establish the endowed chair.

“I wanted to show my gratitude for the difference the university has made in my life and in the lives of future generations.”

The individual selected for the endowed chair position will be expected to engage extensively with the real estate community, conduct research focused on real estate and related finance issues, and work with students to prepare for professional careers in real estate.

— J. T. Morgan, ’50

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Your Legacy.

Their Future.

When there’s a will, there’s a way.

You can leave an indelible mark on future generations at UNG with a transformational gift that can be made today, and it will cost nothing during your lifetime.

A legacy gift is a planned donation, also known as a bequest, through your will or trust: You can make a generous commitment to the future students of UNG right away.

Your bequest will not reduce your savings or your cash flow.

Your bequest is revocable, so you can make changes as needed.

Your bequest will allow you to be far more generous than you ever thought possible.

Making a bequest is easy to arrange. Contact us to learn more about leaving a legacy at UNG.

Jeff Boggan Director of Estate & Gift Planning Jeff.Boggan@ung.edu | 678.717.3570

WWW. UNG.EDU

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CONGRATULATIONS University of North Georgia Alumni Association 2021 Award Recipients

Dr. Katherine Adams

Sharrell Canty

Jacob Elliott ’10

MG Joe Jarrard ’88

Caroline Jones

The Honorable William M. Pallozzi ’88

Distinguished Professor Award

Distinguished Alumnus Award

Dot Strother Scholarship

Dot Strother Scholarship

Wesley Thomas ’76

Distinguished Alumnus Award

Distinguished Young Alumnus Award

Hall of Fame Award

Samuel Walley ’20

Ralph Colley Spirit of North Georgia Award

Alison Gaynor

Paul Hutcherson Outstanding Student Award

Dr. Bryson Payne ’97

Distinguished Professor Award

Derek Whitmore

Paul Hutcherson Outstanding Student Award

The UNG Alumni Association annually honors the university’s most outstanding alumni, students and faculty who exemplify exceptional leadership, service and excellence in their roles serving or attending the university.

To nominate someone please visit ungalumni.org/alumni-awards-banquet.

The deadline for award nominations is January 15, 2022.

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Alumni Weekend 2021

UNG held a scaled-back version of Alumni Weekend April 16-18. The UNG Alumni Association awards banquet was held outdoors Friday, April 16. Memorial Retreat and Reunite on the River brought alumni together on Saturday, April 17, and UNG cadets were honored at the Military Awards Review on Sunday, April 18.

CLASSNOTES 1980s John Prosch Jr. ’80, retired in Virginia after 45 years of continuous Army active and civilian service. He and his wife, Jemma, attend and serve at Grace Baptist Church in Woodbridge, Virginia, volunteering for the community and various veteran’s organizations.

Smith joins ILSS advisory board Retired Col. John L. Smith, ’82, is the newest member of the advisory board for UNG’s Institute for Leadership and Strategic Studies (ILSS).

The ILSS advisory board is composed of accomplished experts in leadership and strategic issues who also have a deep understanding about the value of the Corps of Cadets.

Smith commissioned from UNG in 1982 and served as a soldier for more than 30 years. Smith has master’s degrees in education leadership from Florida A&M University and in international strategic studies from the Air War College.

Campbell Hawkins, ’84, has joined Southern Maryland Electric cooperative as senior vice president and chief strategy and innovation officer. He has more than 20 years of utility experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in management from UNG and a master’s degree from Webster University School of Business and Technology.

Louie S. Williams Jr., ’86, was awarded the International President’s Medal from Lions Clubs International, the organization’s highest honor, for outstanding service to the community. He currently serves as Lions of Georgia District 18-I (Northeast Georgia) Global Membership Team Coordinator, responsible for helping Lions Clubs recruit and retain members. He is active in his local Lions and Toastmasters Clubs in Cumming.

Doug Collins, ’88, has joined Oliver & Weidner law firm in Clarkesville, Georgia. Collins, who previously represented the 9th Congressional District of Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives, will specialize in civil and criminal litigation.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! To submit a class note or update your contact information email the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@ung.edu.

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1990s Jamesa Broome, ’92 and ’94, was named Teacher of the Year for Richmond Hill Middle School and 2020-21 Teacher of the Year for Bryan County Schools. She has been teaching and working with students for 28 years.

Broome holds a bachelor’s degree in special education, a master’s degree in interrelated special education, and a specialist degree in curriculum and learning from UNG. Kevin Tanner, ’95, has been named Forsyth County manager. Tanner most recently served four terms as state representative for District 9, which includes Lumpkin County and parts of Dawson and Forsyth counties. His more than 30 years of public service includes five years as Dawson County manager.

Sam Abrahart, ’13, founder and CEO of the Mayfair Group, has pivoted the company to an e-commerce platform, and a sought after fashion brand. The company’s fashion wear has been seen on celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, L.A. Laker Dwight Howard, Bella Hadid, and Sophie Turner. She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from UNG and also was on the UNG soccer team.

Allison Jones, ’17, was chosen as one of seven finalists for the 2021 Teacher of the Year Award for Forsyth County Schools. Jones is a teacher at Cumming Elementary School.

Harrison Murdoch, ’19, is a new officer with the Dalton Police Department.

Officer Murdoch earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UNG and is currently serving in the Georgia National Guard.

2000s Montez Robinson, ’02, is serving as interim head coach of the University of Tennessee at Martin men’s basketball program. Robinson earned a degree in criminal justice from UNG and a master’s degree in transformative leadership from Bethune-Cookman College.

Cass Mooney, ’03, was sworn in as Suwanee, Georgia, police chief.

Mooney has spent 23 of his 26 years in law enforcement working for the city of Suwanee.

[L to R]: Honoree Capt. (Ret.) Edward “Rusty” Hightower, ’66; Carey Mitchell, ’66; Col. (Ret.) Jeff Dill, ’85; honoree Col. (Ret.) Wayne Dill, ’62; Col. (Ret.) Paul Wingo, ’78; Col. (Ret.) Gerald Lord, ’61

Sarah Bell, ’03, is the new president and chief executive officer of the Elachee Nature Science Center. The Gainesville, Georgia, resident has served the Gainesville City School System for 29 years.

Two alums inducted into Georgia Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame

Sam Donley, ’05, is the senior vice president and business banking manager for the new City National Bank in Buckhead, Georgia, and is responsible for the overall success of the business banking group in the Atlanta market. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in management from UNG. Michael Faass, ’13, was recently hired as the new town administrator of Dresden, Maine. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Georgia State University and a master’s degree in public administration from UNG.

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Retired Col. Wayne Dill, ’62, and retired Capt. Edward “Rusty” Holman Hightower, ’66, are the two latest UNG alumni inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame. Dill and Hightower served in Vietnam, and each is an inductee in the valor category.

Dill earned the Army Commendation Medal with “V” and Silver Star in 1966, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star with “V” device in 1969. He also serves on UNG’s Board of Trustees and has served on the Alumni Association board and the Corps Advisory Council.

Hightower was a Distinguished Military Graduate from UNG. His awards included the Silver Star, Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

UNG now has 15 of the 131 inductees in the Hall of Fame since its inception in 2013.

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In Memoriam ALUMNI Mr. James Douglas Akins ’70 October 12, 2020 Mr. James Michael Albanese ’92 October 2, 2020 LTC Thomas Wayne Anderson ’67 February 1, 2021 Mr. Earnest Elbert Arp ’70 November 4, 2020 Mr. William Terrell Baggett ’60 December 20, 2020 Mr. Daniel Edward Barden ’58 February 21, 2021 Mr. Troy Arthur Bledsoe ’57 January 16, 2021 Mr. Laurence Milton Blocker ’81 November 23, 2020 Mr. Stuart Neal Bozeman ’96 March 10, 2021 Mr. Harold Willis Brown ’61 November 11, 2020 Mr. Lemuel Benny Buice ’63 February 27, 2021 Mr. Harry Fredrick Bunkley ’61 February 9, 2021 Mrs. Melbaree B. Cagle ’67 December 1, 2020 Mr. J. McGinnis Caldwell ’62 February 14, 2021 Mr. Hoyt Esten Cannon ’63 February 10, 2021 Mrs. Tonawanda Carter ’61 November 10, 2020 Dr. James Reuben Clay ’50 September 27, 2020 Mrs. Lurlene Rebecca Coleman ’45 February 16, 2021 Mrs. Patricia Shattuck Coleman ’56 December 1, 2020 CPT (Ret.) Ralph C. Colley ’66 January 30, 2021 BG (Ret.) James Monroe Cook ’51 December 10, 2020 Mrs. Brenda Gail Cronan ’82 December 16, 2020 Mrs. Elizabeth Lynn Cronia ’73 November 24, 2020 Rev. Richard Darryl Dale ’76 January 4, 2021 Mr. Charles Douglas Davidson ’61 February 28, 2021 LTC William Wheeler Davidson ’52 September 25, 2020 Mrs. Marie Evelyn Dews ’49 September 16, 2020 Dr. Robert Key Dismukes ’64 October 14, 2020 Ms. Lynn Renee England ’97 February 20, 2021 Mr. Anthony Raymond Faiia ’68 January 10, 2021 Mr. Ronald Fisher ’39 March 12, 2021

Mr. Joel Franklin Fletcher ’60 October 11, 2020 Mr. James Preston Goins ’67 November 18, 2020 MAJ (Ret.) Todd M. Graham ’86 October 19, 2020 Mrs. Barbara Anne Green ’72 March 9, 2021 Mr. Lee Harold Grissom ’80 January 1, 2021 LTC (Ret.) John Wesley Ham ’71 December 7, 2020 Mr. Billy Howell Hargett ’49 January 1, 2021 Dr. Julian Newton Hayes ’68 March 9, 2021 Mr. Hal Bruce Haynes ’72 February 7, 2021 Mrs. Patricia Elizabeth Heath ’64 January 29, 2021 Mr. Charley Sanford Helseth ’13 December 28, 2020 Mr. Phillip Charles Hoag ’58 January 13, 2021 Mr. James Donald Hulme ’62 November 9, 2020 Mr. William Rowell Ingram ’45 November 10, 2020 Mrs. Betty Ruth Jenkins ’61 December 24, 2020 Ms. Starla Arlinda Jones ’08 February 6, 2021 Mrs. Alice Elizabeth King ’52 January 20, 2021 COL (Ret.) Barrett Taylor King ’69 January 17, 2021 Mr. Fred Joel Kitchens ’54 November 18, 2020 Mr. Cheever Harold Lambert ’57 February 19, 2021 Mrs. Charlotte Louise Livingston ’71 February 1, 2021 Ms. Elizabeth Differ Love ’07 December 10, 2020 Mrs. Betty Jean Lowe ’54 January 15, 2021 Mr. Kenneth Laverne Lowe ’70 January 28, 2021 Ms. Jasmine Skylar Luke ’20 November 9, 2020 Mr. James Stuart Lyle ’45 January 21, 2021 Mrs. Mary Joan Mathews ’71 November 1, 2020 Mrs. Nancy Lou McDonald ’58 February 25, 2021 Mr. John Winn McEnery ’81 January 7, 2021 Mr. Jack Massee McKinley ’56 October 4, 2020 LTC (Ret.) Kenneth Frank Melton ’59 December 12, 2020

Ralph C. Colley Jr. Ralph C. “Chad” Colley Jr., died Jan. 30, 2021, at the age of 77.

Colley graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and commissioned as a U.S. Army officer in 1966.

While serving during a tour of duty in Vietnam, he stepped on a landmine, which left him a triple amputee and ended his military service.

After he returned home, he did not let his disability limit him. He competed in skiing for the U.S. team during the 1992 Paralympic games in Albertville, France and won gold medals in the downhill and Super G events, even though he was almost twice the age of most of his competitors.

Some of Colley’s many other accomplishments included serving as the National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans from 1983 to 1984. He was awarded a Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and a Combat infantry Badge.

Colley left his mark on UNG, becoming the first recipient of the Ralph Colley Spirit of North Georgia award in 2010. It honors alumni who have lived exemplary lives in the face of adverse circumstances. Colley turned his disabilities into lessons to share with and inspire others.

Mrs. Patricia Ann Minor ’55 November 26, 2020 Mr. Wilson L. Moon ’92 January 13, 2021 Mr. Lawrence Marshall Nash ’50 December 27, 2020 Mr. Frank Kenimer Norton ’50 January 19, 2021 Mr. Thomas Jan Odom ’65 February 19, 2021 Mrs. Bobby Jane Orr ’55 January 13, 2021 Mr. Scott Wayne Pennington ’94 March 3, 2021 Mrs. Katherine Frances Phenix ’60 March 4, 2021 MAJ Lars Gustav Pierson ’87 November 28, 2020 Ms. Michelle Lea Powell ’90 January 29, 2021 Mr. James Doyle Reece ’58 March 12, 2021 Mr. Cecil Collins Reed ’64 January 13, 2021 Mr. Philip Bond Sartain ’78 December 28, 2020 Mr. Franklin Pierce Sheffield ’46 December 2, 2020 Mr. Young Joseph Simmons ’51 November 11, 2020 Mrs. Ramona Ann Skinner ’61 December 19, 2020 Mr. Frederic Allen Smith ’04 February 19, 2021 Mrs. JoAnne Stone ’78 September 29, 2020 Mr. Jack William Thompson ’51 October 28, 2020 Mr. John Clyde Twiggs ’76 March 14, 2021

Mr. Frank Burton Vardeman ’44 September 13, 2020 Mr. Charles Roy Wade ’96 March 11, 2021 Mr. Douglas Lee Walker ’72 February 20, 2021 Mr. Jonathan Blake Walker ’16 March 18, 2021 Mrs. Dinah Katharine Wayne ’87 January 20, 2021 Mr. Michael Webb ’72 March 15, 2021 CPT (Ret.) Andrew Rivers Willis ’78 March 7, 2021 FACULTY/STAFF/FRIENDS Mr. Warren Blackmon February 12, 2021 Mr. George Henry Brown December 20, 2020 Mrs. Harriett H. Burson December 14, 2020 Ms. Peggy H. Dover January 19, 2021 Dr. Allen Ralph Ellington February 15, 2021 Ms. Voncile B. Erickson March 12, 2021 Dr. Monica Jean Hiler October 13, 2020 Mr. Ronald L. Jenkins February 4, 2021 Dr. Jack Doyle Jones March 12, 2021 Dr. Peter Joseph McDonald January 22, 2021

To honor a former classmate or mentor, consider making a gift in their memory to the UNG Foundation at unggive.org.

WWW. UNG.EDU

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Upcoming Events For event times and other details, as well as more event opportunities, visit calendar.ung.edu.

JUNE June 7-11 Advancing GenCyber Education for North Georgia Teachers (AGENT) Initiative Dahlonega Campus June 10-19 GenCyber Warrior Academy Dahlonega Campus JULY July 19-23 Cyber Patriot Camp Gainesville and Cumming Campuses July 26-30 Cyber Patriot Camp Etowah High School AUGUST August 6-8 Summer Commencement & Commissioning Ceremonies Dahlonega Campus

September 17-18 Georgia Film Festival Gainesville Campus

October 16-17 Gold Rush Dahlonega Campus

September 23 Tomato Sandwich Supper Blue Ridge Campus

October 21 Oconeefest Oconee Campus

September 24-26 Classes of ’60 & ’61 60th Reunion Dahlonega Campus

October 23 Nighthawk Preview Open House Cumming Campus

September 24-26 Boar’s Head Weekend Dahlonega Campus

October 28 Second Annual Research Pitch Competition Dahlonega Campus

September 25 Nighthawk Preview Open House Oconee Campus

October 30 Nighthawk Preview Open House Gainesville Campus

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

October 1 Scholarship Gala New Lanier Tech Campus Gainesville

November 5-7 National Leadership Challenge Dahlonega Campus

August 21 FROG Week Graduation Dahlonega Campus

October 8-10 Class of ’70 50th Reunion Lunch (hosted by President Jacobs) Dahlonega Campus

August 28 Starlight Celebration & Fireworks Gainesville Campus

October 9 Nighthawk Preview Open House Dahlonega Campus

SEPTEMBER

October 15 Classes of ’90 & ’91 30th Reunion Dahlonega Campus

September 11 UNG Night at the Atlanta Braves Truist Park September 17-18 Classes of ’65 & ’66 55th Reunion Dahlonega Campus

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October 16 Classes of ’80 & ’81 40th Reunion Classes of ’95 & ’96 25th Reunion Dahlonega Campus

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November 6 Lumpkin County Veteran’s Parade Dahlonega DECEMBER December 10 Last day of classes UNG is committed to the health and safety of our university community. While we continue monitoring the impact of COVID-19, all events are subject to change and/or cancellation.

Visit calendar.ung.edu for times and other details, as well as additional event opportunities.

Visit www.ungalumni.org for updates related to alumni events.

NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID Monroe, GA Permit #15

82 College Circle | Dahlonega, GA 30597

Saturday, Aug. 28 Gates open at 6:30 p.m.

Fireworks at dark For more information visit ung.edu/starlight

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